‘Downtown is a safe place’

PANAMA CITY — Figures released by authorities show crime dramatically decreased in 2012 in downtown Panama City. “This business that we’re in of redevelopment is built on a lot of good partnerships,” said William Whitson, Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) director. “One of the greatest partnerships we’ve started here is working with our police department.” Data…

Planners want facelift for aging part of U.S. 1 in south Melbourne

MELBOURNE — Driving north on U.S. 1 from Palm Bay, motorists enter an aging commercial corridor peppered with shuttered buildings and industrial vistas of asphalt and concrete. Melbourne officials aim to improve this view. They envision a mile-long streetscape project featuring brick-paver crosswalks, bike lanes, landscaped medians, sidewalks and shade trees such as Southern magnolias…

Locals tour area cities with CRA

Live Oak — The local Extension Office and the Live Oak Community Redevelopment Agency teamed up with dozens of locals for a bus tour to three different regional cities to learn about a range of projects completed through their CRAs and how the community at large has benefitted from them. About 30 people attended the…

St. Petersburg readies for three brew pubs

ST. PETERSBURG — While the Tampa Bay region is considered the heart of Florida’s independent brewing scene, St. Petersburg has no craft breweries to call its own. After years of planning, working with city officials and searching for the right space, though, three breweries plan to open downtown this year. The friendly competitors will appeal…