One of Central Florida’s most beloved downtown corridors is getting a major upgrade. On January 20, 2026, the city began Phase One of the Park Avenue Refresh, a multi-year, $2.5 million project aimed at improving safety, infrastructure, and aesthetics along the historic street. The first phase focuses on the stretch between Webster Avenue and Garfield…
Residents, elected officials and community leaders gathered this month in Historic Overtown to celebrate the grand opening of 16 Corner, a multi-family affordable housing development project that restored five aging buildings into 44 modern apartments without displacing a single resident. The renovation represents an achievement in a city grappling with rising rents and redevelopment pressure.…
Haines City is moving forward with efforts to revive its once-thriving Oakland neighborhood business district. Residents like Noel Marsh remember when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way was a bustling Black business corridor, a stark contrast to today, where only one business remains across seven blocks. “Anything that brings business back here would be a…
The City of Orlando is preparing to begin Phase I improvements on Magnolia Avenue, a downtown street redesign that will convert the corridor from one-way to two-way traffic and change how buses, parking, and everyday travel work along the route. The project covers South Magnolia Avenue from South Street north to Livingston Street, near the…
The future of the historic Lubbe House at Lake Eola is again uncertain as the City of Orlando moves forward with plans to expand a new gateway and add more to Lake Eola Park at its southwest corner. The Lubbe House, built around 1930 and located at 215 E. Central Boulevard, sits at the southwest edge of…
The Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) has set the stage for local businesses to shine through the 2026 Business Spotlight Program, a move to boost recognition and drive engagement in Clearwater’s economic landscape. The winners were announced on January 5, with updates conveyed by the Clearwater CRA website. Nine businesses across Downtown Clearwater and North…
The Jacksonville Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Public Art Advisory Committee has announced a mural project that invites local artists to transform city-owned dumpster enclosures into public art installations. This initiative aims to turn everyday infrastructure into vibrant creative expressions, enhancing the character and color of community spaces throughout Jacksonville Beach. Local artists are encouraged to…
The Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (BBCRA) is proud to announce the expansion of a local favorite as Florida Tackle Company officially opens its second location. The community was invited to celebrate this small business milestone with a grand opening and ceremonial ribbon cutting on Saturday, January 24, 2026, from 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM…
During the January 14 meeting, the CRA Executive Director, Cale Curtis, announced that the CRA had signed a $200,000 contract with R2R Demolition to demolish the old Country Haven motel, Motion Elevator, a triplex apartment building, and the former Prince of Peace church building. These buildings occupy land within the City Center plan. CRA chair Anthony Caggiano said he…
A Sebring Circle Park Drive property was granted an extension to utilize a $10,000 grant for the renovation of a former pottery shop. At a recent CRA Board meeting Audrey Ausciutto asked for a three-month extension of a Downtown Revitalization Grant saying it shouldn’t take that long as they are coming toward the tale end…
The city of New Port Richey’s Community Redevelopment Agency is moving forward with plans to encourage the construction of two coastal cottage homes in the Edgewater Gardens subdivision. The city currently owns three lots — which will be converted into two parcels — near the corner of Garden Drive and Edgewater Drive. At the Jan.…
A proposed luxury hotel and apartment complex near the Edison Ford Winter Estates has sparked debate among Fort Myers city council members over zoning changes and development density along the historic McGregor Boulevard corridor. Developer Mark McLaren of KLM Development presented plans for what he calls “River District West” during a city council workshop on…