CRA shifts focus to economic development

Live Oak — The Live Oak Community Redevelopment Agency board members agreed recently to include CRA funding for economic development at a budget workshop. Although the budget planning is not complete, the board anticipates reserving $20,000 for economic development initiatives. “Folks, we’re in a competition (with surrounding counties) and we’re losing,” CRA board member and…

Miami City Commission votes to declare Brickell’s St. Jude church historic

After listening to more than six hours of passionate pleas from feuding parishioners, preservationists, architects, school graduates and Operation Pedro Pan alumni, the Miami City Commission unanimously approved the historic designation of St. Jude Melkite Catholic Church off Brickell Avenue. The 4-0 vote, with Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones absent, came at 2:38 a.m. Friday. The decision…

Boca’s downtown is on the rise again

BOCA RATON — After five straight years of property values sagging, downtown Boca Raton’s value has started growing again — and that’s good news for paying off the money the city borrowed to buy Mizner Park. That 3.2 percent growth in the value of downtown’s taxable property over the previous year is coming before the apartment…