There’s no other place in Central Florida quite like downtown Orlando. From its abundance of bars and clubs to its brick streets that line the surrounding neighborhoods, downtown Orlando is a special place that attracts a special type of resident. You know who you are because, unlike your friends who live in Altamonte Springs or…
BROOKSVILLE — About a dozen city residents and business owners listened Monday evening as the Environmental Protection Agency outlined the scope of a $400,000 Brownfields assessment grant that will be used to identify and assess troubled properties, with the goal of making many of them developmentally viable once again. The meeting was the first step…
BOYNTON BEACH — Lisa Bright, the former head of the city’s community redevelopment agency, is planning to add the city, former Mayor José Rodriguez and the city’s attorney to a lawsuit filed in 2011, according to court documents filed last week. Bright’s attorney, Christina Kitterman, said Monday the city, Rodriguez and city attorney James Cherof…
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…
DAYTONA BEACH — After 18 months of upgrades, repairs and a few unexpected delays, Daytona’s first-ever roller coaster is getting ready to open on the Boardwalk. The Sand Blaster, an 80-foot-tall maze of twisting and winding blue tracks and towering silver supports, is slated to open at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Five state inspectors are expected…
The Tampa Port Authority needs to resolve the future of the Channelside Bay Plaza retail and entertainment complex. Waiting for the Irish Bank Resolution Corp. to take the lead in finding a credible new operator for the outside mall is not a winning strategy. The port authority should negotiate to buy the Channelside buildings from…
The Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, in partnership with the City of Delray Beach Parks & Recreation Department, held a public dedication ceremony on Thursday, July 18, at the public plaza located on the corner of West Atlantic Avenue and SW 5th Avenue. The ceremony included the unveiling of a commemorative plaque in honor of…
A recently awarded state grant will give people in Boynton Beach the opportunity to go on a walk to remember. Earlier this month the state’s Division of Historical Resources awarded the city $18,250 to create a walking trail to highlight the city’s history. “The tour is designed to reflect the history of the city and how the…
Fort Myers city officials have to scour for $11 million to upgrade the Harborside Event Center if they want a hotel to go up right next to it. That was the request of the would-be hotel developer John Meshad, who has been eying the grounds between the event center and the detention basin. Though he…
Today Next City launched The Shared City, a new daily blog about the rise and consequences of the sharing economy, in which social and governmental systems play new roles to enable less individual consumption and more collaboration. The column is supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, where Carol Coletta is vice president for…
ST. PETERSBURG For the past two years, the city has grappled with the hidden cost of a booming downtown scene. Overtime for police officers who patrolled the large weekend crowds skyrocketed to 300 hours a month. City leaders held countless meetings and created regulations for bars that wanted to stay open later. They prodded business…
FROSTPROOF | Chamber of Commerce members have their go-ahead to plant 18 foxtail palms downtown. The Frostproof City Council gave final approval Monday to a Frostproof Chamber of Commerce plan to replace downtown shade trees that have “failed to thrive,” as described by DeDe LeFils, chair of the chamber’s Beautification Committee. The plan also will…
