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April 18, 2024

FRA Member News

New! Beautification of Historic Downtown Avon Park

There have been beautification efforts around Avon Park by installing greenery into vacant planters and other containers. Main Street is soon to receive new flowers, shrubbery, and trees to beautify the historic downtown.

Public Works Director Jason Atkinson has been overseeing Avon Park’s beautification and is currently in the process of getting approved to begin work on Main Street.

“We want to highlight the historical area and to make it look more pleasant,” Atkinson said. “The goal is to provide our little sidewalk planters with perennials in their shrubs. A majority of them are going to be native shrubs and then accent them in places with flowers.

”A request for proposal is currently being generated. There was irrigation that had to be established before initiating the plan. The Avon Park Community Redevelopment Agency is set to fund the initiative, according to Atkinson, the budget would amount to $100,000.

Read more here

New! Lakeland City Commission Adopts Downtown West Action Plan

On Monday, April 15, the Lakeland City Commission unanimously voted to adopt the Downtown West Action Plan.

To recap, Downtown West will stretch east to west from South Florida Avenue to Lake Beulah Drive, and north to south from Memorial Boulevard to Lime Street. The area covers local landmarks like Bonnet Springs Park and the RP Funding Center, plus Lakes Bonnet, Beulah, and Wire.

Over the last three years, the Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) has partnered with GAI Consultants to develop a strategic plan for the area, as well as perform due diligence and community outreach to align the plan with the goals of residents.

Read more here

Orlando Hopes a New Arts Program Will Lure People Downtown & Get Them to Linger

The Downtown Development Board and the United Arts of Central Florida teamed up to host local artists in and around downtown to make people enjoy the area all day instead of just at night.

“I think that also we could find things that are maybe suited for many different age groups,” said Jordan Giles, an Orlando performing artist. “Things like that, I think, can be hard sometimes — especially with downtown being ‘the party scene.’"

In the next 90 days, people will see live music performances, sculptures, paintings, and more across downtown.

Read more here

New Port Richey Approves $213,000 Redevelopment Grant for Downtown Building

New Port Richey is updating its plan for redeveloping portions of the city, but not everything is a theoretical exercise of choosing the correct inspirational messages to bring the century-old city into an enticing, modern urban center.

As City Council members parsed redevelopment themes for the community’s future late last month, they were also making some concrete decisions about buildings and neighborhoods already transitioning from something historic to something new.

Read more here

CRA Opens Office in School to Help Connect Hispanic Families to Resources

As Haines City’s Hispanic population continues to grow, so does the need to educate the community on government resources.

It’s why the Community Redevelopment Agency opened a first-of-its-kind office in an elementary school.

Seventy percent of students at Eastside Elementary School are Hispanic, according to school leaders. They say those families and students are unaware of resources that are right at their fingertips.

Read more here

Jobs

Assistant Grants Manager – City of Lauderhill

Assistant Grants Manager

$99,362.18

Closing date is 7/11/2024

The following knowledge, skills, and abilities, as outlined herein, are intended to be representative of the type of tasks performed within this position. They are not listed in any order of importance. The omission of specific statements of the duties or functions does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this description. Other duties may be required and assigned.

Read more here

Director of Housing and Community Development (Clearwater)

The full range for this role is $122,428.80 – $191,089.60, we expect to hire near the midpoint.

Closing date to apply: 05/03/2024

Join us as the Director of Housing and Community Development and become the driving force behind our journey towards vibrant, sustainable communities. We are seeking a dynamic individual capable of spearheading multi-jurisdictional initiatives in housing strategies, land development regulations, and comprehensive plans.

Read more here

Planner II - City of Dade City

Salary Range – $54,694.53 – $ 82,041.79

(depending on Education & Experience)



The City of Dade City is looking for a Planner II to perform professional planning work of moderate difficulty characterized by increasingly specialized knowledge of the planning field. The Planner II should also know areas of planning, zoning, community development, and building division functions. The employee in this position performs detailed technical work in reviewing requests for information and submissions for development activity to enforce adherence to the Land Development Regulations set forth by the City Commission. 

Read more here

Building Official – City of Brooksville

POSITION TITLE: Building Official

DEPARTMENT: Community Development DIVISION: Building Inspection Division

JOB SUMMARY/OVERVIEW OF THE POSITION:

Performs complex professional and difficult administrative work in planning, organizing and directing the City’s Building division. Work is performed under general supervision of the Community Development Director.

Listing expires on July 4, 2024, unless filled before.

Read more here

Community & Economic Development Director – City of Dade City

Salary Range – $70,688.32 – $ 106,032.48 (depending on Education & Experience)

The City of Dade City is looking for a responsible professional, with technical, administrative and supervisory experience in the respective areas of planning, zoning, community development, and building division functions. This position requires the coordination of assigned revitalization activities with other departments, and provides highly responsible professional and technical staff assistance to the City Manager. Under broad policy guidance and direction from the City Manager, the Director balances the interests of private developers with those of the general public and the City’s goals to encourage innovative and cohesive development.

Read more here

Utilities Director – City of Dade City

Salary Range – $70,688.32 – $ 106,032.48 (depending on Education & Experience)

The City of Dade City is looking for a Utilities Director. This is highly technical, managerial, supervisory and responsible administrative work directing the City’s public utility programs. Responsible for oversight and management of the Water and Wastewater divisions to ensure that water and wastewater facilities and systems are operated and maintained efficiently and in accordance with federal, state and local standards and regulations, and in a manner, which protects and preserves the environment and public health.

Read more here

Senior Planner – City of Oakland Park

Position is responsible for advanced managerial and professional work in the areas of planning and development for the City’s current and long-range planning goals, objectives, and initiatives. Areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to, comprehensive and neighborhood planning, development review, conducting research and special studies, interpreting the land development, and reviewing amendments to the code for conformance with the comprehensive plan.

Read more here

Planner – City of Oakland Park

Position is responsible for advanced managerial and professional work in the areas of planning and development for the City’s current and long-range planning goals, objectives, and initiatives. Areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to, comprehensive and neighborhood planning, development review, conducting research and special studies, interpreting the land development, and reviewing amendments to the code for conformance with the comprehensive plan.

Read more here

Development Director – The City of Miami Beach, FL

The City of Miami Beach (pop. 80,000) seeks a highly energetic, skilled, innovative, and collaborative economic development leader as its next Economic Development Director. This highly visible, hands-on professional focuses on achieving the Economic Development Department’s overarching goal: to establish, grow and diversify the City’s business community by promoting the City’s image and assets, supporting businesses, and encouraging appropriate real estate development.

Application Deadline: Open Until Filled with first review by April 22, 2024

Read more here

RFPs / RFQs / LOIs

Downtown Redevelopment – Town Center/City Hall Site (RFP) City of Oldsmar

This is a formal Request for Proposals (“RFP”) being issued to any firm or group of firms able to act in planning and development capacity to implement a mixed-use project on approximately 8.0 acres of “Property” or “Subject Site” owned by the City of Oldsmar(“City”) in downtown Oldsmar adjacent to Tampa Road. The City’s intent is to make this property available on a fee-simple basis to the selected party(ies) able to advance a project deemed to activate this highly visible and centralized location in the community.

Read more here

Reuse or Redevelopment of the Former Pensacola Motor Lodge for Attainable Multifamily Rental Housing at 2305 West Cervantes Street

The City of Pensacola and its Community Redevelopment Agency (jointly and separately referred to as “City”) is soliciting Letters of Interest (LOI) from interested developers specializing and/or experienced in developing attainable, affordable and/or workforce multi-family rental housing for the rehabilitation and/or redevelopment of the former Pensacola Motor Lodge at 2305 West Cervantes Street, Pensacola, Florida. The City seeks impactful proposals that produce attainable housing with an emphasis on low-income and special needs housing as defined at Section 420.0004, Florida Statutes.

Read more here

MORE FRA RESOURCES

Thank you for supporting Florida redevelopment! Have questions or news to share? fra@flcities.com