Oldsmar wants to do something about the empty Oldsmar Galleria OLDSMAR — The Oldsmar Galleria, a trendy, multiuse development on State Street, was key to the city’s plans to create a vibrant downtown. But four years after the first retail establishment opened its doors in the Galleria, all but two of its 12 storefronts remain…
Safety Harbor leaders debate commercial operations on McMullen-Booth, Main Street SAFETY HARBOR — Cognizant of the need to boost the local economy, city commissioners debated this week whether they wanted to invite new retail businesses on two important city roadways: McMullen-Booth Road and Main Street. In the end, they decided to allow a produce stand…
Aquarium considered for downtown Punta Gorda Punta Gorda has started a campaign to see if it’s feasible to have an aquarium downtown. City Council this week kicked in $9,500 to nurture a deal to bring in a Mote Marine aquarium. Next, Charlotte County Economic Director Tom Patton will ask the Enterprise Charlotte Economic Council and…
Bartow Commission Takes Step To Restore Historic Cigar Factory BARTOW | Bartow city commissioners have taken a first step toward restoring the historic cigar factory on the east end of the city’s downtown historic district. On Monday night, commissioners gave preliminary approval to designating the factory and the surrounding two acres a brownfield site.…
Ruth Eckerd Hall Announces Details of Plan to Renovate CLEARWATER —One of Florida’s oldest theaters is getting readied for a makeover. The Capitol Theatre, opened in 1921 for vaudeville and opera, will soon see a massive renovation, Ruth Eckerd Hall leaders announced this week. Called downtown Clearwater’s crown jewel and the best hope for rousing…
Belleview Biltmore Hotel A group of Miami investors has a contract to purchase the historic, 115-year-old Belleview Biltmore Hotel in Bellair and plans a complete restoration of the structure and construction of a 153-room east wing. “Our vision for the Belleview Biltmore Hotel and Resort is rooted in the magical experiences of historic Gilded Age…
Ocala CRAs Larry Laube took his first trip to Ocala in 1970. He drove off Interstate 75 onto State Road 40. And he still remembers the disappointment at what he saw. “It was not that great,” Laube said about the area’s appearance. Today Laube is general manager of KWI of Ocala, an equipment rental and…
Jacksonville Beach May Move Historic Chapel The relocation of a historic house of worship will be considered by the Jacksonville Beach City Council tonight. The council is being asked to approve the relocation of the Beaches Chapel from its current location off Florida Boulevard in Neptune Beach to a new location at the Beaches Museum…
Titusville Revitalizes When Tom Corbin helped pave the roads in Indian River City, he had no idea how it would change his neighborhood. “These were all dirt roads until about 1979,” said Corbin, 56, who grew up in Titusville. “When I got out of the Navy, that was one of my first jobs. I stepped…
Tarpon Springs to Sell Downtown Lot In the heart of the downtown historic district, right on the city’s main drag, there’s a property that has been vacant for four years. A gaping hole in a block of businesses, it’s hidden behind a decorative fence adorned with a mural. The lot at 144 E Tarpon Ave.…
Jacksonville Reorganizes JEDC The Jacksonville City Council will receive Mayor Alvin Brown’s plan to establish a Downtown Investment Authority at its meeting tonight. The new organization, led by a nine-member board, would focus on revitalizing the downtown area, long one of Brown’s major talking points. Brown’s focus on the issue was a turning point in…
Ocala Update on Silver Springs Marion County commissioners on Tuesday embraced a plan to reverse the decline in quality in Silver Springs — the community, that is. At a workshop, the board agreed to launch the process of creating a redevelopment district covering 4,000 acres around the famous attraction. The effort to establish a community…
