New Developer Selected for McCollum Hall

The Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency approved a new developer for the restoration, purchase or lease and management of the McCollum Hall property located at 2717 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Fort Myers. After reviewing proposals by potential developers, CRA Board members voted to approve Goshen + Cornerstone, LLC as the new developer. Goshen…

Tourism is Rosy

THE FLORIDA TOURIST season surged in the first quarter of 2022, encouraging state and local tourism industry officials and businesses to envision a rosier future, while keeping a careful eye on the caveats that could keep that from happening. Numbers of visitors and other tourism metrics have taken great strides since the bottom fell out…

Lee Wenner Park and Boat Ramps Back Open

Beginning in February, the boat ramps, Captain Ed Lanni T-Dock, day slips and boat parking at Lee Wenner Park were closed for a large dredging and restoration project which was funded through grants from the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND). The project included dredging of the boat ramps to allow for larger vessels to access…

Facility Funding Options: Creativity can help unlock the budget to build new libraries

As library services evolve, new library buildings that can facilitate those new services are a common wishlist item. Actually getting those new buildings can be a complicated process, however. A panel described their experiences opening new library buildings in “Everybody Wants a New Library: Planning, Funding, and Constructing Inspiring Spaces,” a June 25 session at…

IMPACTHabitat leads revitalization of Lealman located between St. Petersburg and Pinellas Park

Located between St. Petersburg and Pinellas Park, the unincorporated area known as Lealman is undergoing drastic changes and experiencing rapid growth. Long considered an underserved community and identified as the Lealman Community Redevelopment Area (CRA), Pinellas County officials are investing a substantial amount of time and funding to make Lealman more attractive to residents and…

PSTA gets $360,000 federal grant to study transit in south St. Petersburg

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority will study public transportation improvement in south St. Petersburg, an area marked by poor transit connections but high public transit reliance, after receiving federal government funding. The Federal Transit Administration announced this week that it has doled out approximately $16.2 million to fund 40 projects in 32 states. Among them…