AVON PARK – The undertaking to revitalize and economically invigorate Avon Park’s southside has been a bit bumpy but began a process of smoothing out Wednesday night. At a Special Meeting of the Southside Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Advisory Board, the Citizens Advisory Task Force listened to a presentation by an Avon Park’s Cool &…
DELAND — Two downtown business owners clashed with members of a street-preaching church this week at the DeLand City Commission meeting, saying the demonstrations are chasing away customers. Members of The Bible Baptist Church in Glenwood flock to the corner of New York Avenue and Woodland Boulevard and preach each Friday evening. The preachers have been…
VENICE – A historic apartment building on the island of Venice that seemed destined for the wrecking ball is instead headed on a course toward renovation and revival. When completed, “the building should look like it did in 1926,” said Ernest Ritz, owner of Ritz Construction Corp. in Sarasota — whom the owner hired to perform…
Jon Ward now officially is the executive director of the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency. The city commission, sitting as the CRA board, voted 5-0 at its meeting Monday to ratify Ward’s selection. On Dec. 16, the city approved a contract to turn over the CRA’s duties to Broward County-based Redevelopment Management Associates, run by former…
City commissioners Monday night prepared to take the first of two votes on the proposed massive waterfront village at the Rybovich yacht center, City planners spoke Monday night for more than an hour, to be followed by developers, and then the public, in what has become the next city development fight. It’s been just two weeks…
LAKE ALFRED | The City Commission gave a consensus Monday to move forward with designating the area that will be targeted by the city’s planned Community Redevelopment Agency. Officials from the Central Florida Regional Planning Council did a finding of necessity study that identified areas along U.S. 17/92 that fit the conditions for a CRA.…
Archaeologists who for months have been uncovering mounting evidence of an ancient and extensive Native American village in the middle of downtown Miami have concluded it’s likely one of the most significant prehistoric sites in the United States. The archaeologists, under the direction of veteran South Florida archaeologist Bob Carr, have so far painstakingly dug…
SARASOTA – The State Street Garage, already something of an albatross around Sarasota’s neck, just got a whole lot more expensive. City commissioners voted unanimously to modify a proposed system for City Manager Tom Barwin’s upcoming performance review. Because of a special clause in Barwin’s contract, the city must use a third-party “facilitator” in the review…
RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. —A stroll at the Riviera Beach Marina will have people checking out a $10 million facelift it was given in 2013. The marina has a new seawall, underwater LED lighting and new boat slips. Tony Brown is executive director of Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency. He said the next phase will begin…
A housing nonprofit, two churches, a youth program and a local family deserve funding from the Bahama Village Tax Increment Funding, property taxes reserved to alleviate blight in the historic neighborhood of Key West, an appointed committee has said. City commissioners will review the recommendations after their 6 p.m. meeting Tuesday at Old City Hall.…
The FRA Roy F. Kenzie Awards, honor the best programs and projects in Florida redevelopment. Applications will be accepted from any FRA member who meets the award criteria and submits the $150 entry fee. A winning entry is an acknowledgment of excellence for the work an organization is doing. We look forward to seeing and…
There’s a simple solution to this contentious dispute. The potentates of Belleair should simply throw open the gates and allow any resident to go on a guided tour of the bedraggled and dilapidated and crumbling former queen of the Gulf of Mexico, the now forlorn Belleview Biltmore Hotel. They will be able to luxuriate in…
