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Your Weekly FRA Update:
October 30, 2025
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Thank you to everyone who helped make last week's 2025 FRA Annual Conference a resounding success! Stay tuned for links to the conference session slides, photos, keynote presentations, and more. These will be up on the FRA website shortly!
Don't forget to fill out your:
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We hope you enjoyed the 2025 FRA Annual Conference!
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To view the FRA Award winners, click here
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To view the FRA Conference presentations, click here
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To view Jeff Speck’s Keynote presentation, “The Walkable City,” click here
- (Note: these slides are for educational use only and should not be republished or reproduced without written permission.)
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To view the FRA Conference gallery with group and individual photos, click here
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To view the FRA Conference dropbox folder with all content for Florida Cities, click here
| | Be Involved: Share Your Knowledge & Learn | |
FRA's Q&A forum is your go-to platform to find answers, resources and information you need for successful redevelopment projects and initiatives. FRA members can post questions, explore ideas, and discuss topics with other MyFRA users.
| | The FRA features member news in our weekly newsletter and on our social media channels - make sure you are following the FRA social media feeds to see CRA member posts; plus you can share news from the FRA's "Redevelopment Works" campaign! | | |
New! Revenue Rebates Approved for Two Fort Myers Projects
CRAs transform communities #redevelopmentworks
The Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Fort Myers has approved two rebates for major developments. One is a home ownership project in Dunbar; the other a downtown hotel.
The city council met Wednesday as the Community Redevelopment Agency, or CRA, approved a $5.6 million rebate for Towles Garden. A developer wants to build and sell about 140 homes.
Half would be designated affordable. Right now, that means the owner’s household income would be less than about $58,000 a year.
The money would be paid after the project is complete, and payments would be spread over an 18-year period.
Read more here
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New! Tallahassee CRA Invests $5 Million on S. Meridian Street for Trail, Sidewalks, Trees
CRAs transform communities #redevelopmentworks
The Tallahassee Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) voted unanimously on Thursday to spend $5 million to install a wide walking trail, sidewalks on both sides of the street and roadside trees on S Meridian Street.
The CRA is overseen by the city commissioners and mayor, though it’s legally a separate entity from the City of Tallahassee. Each commissioner and the mayor voted for the project.
Design will start soon, and construction is expected from Fall of 2028 to Fall of 2029. Mayor Pro Tem Dianne Williams-Cox, the chair of the CRA, said this project is an example of more momentum on Tallahassee’s Southside.
“I see this happening and I see people pushing strollers and wheelchairs on the sidewalk. I think it’s going to be awesome to be able to have sidewalks on both sides,” Williams-Cox said.
Renderings presented at the CRA meeting show a 10-foot-wide walking trail, numerous trees lining the street, and a sidewalk on both sides of the street. Right now, the sidewalk is only on one side.
Read more here
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New! $175 Million Boost Coming to Resurgent Overtown, Miami’s Original Black Neighborhood
CRAs transform communities #redevelopmentworks
Just a few short years ago, the historic heart of Overtown, Miami’s original Black neighborhood, lay desolate and lifeless just steps from Biscayne Boulevard and downtown. There were few if any shops, few homes, not a single grocery store, but lots of vacant lots, the result of decades of demolition, disinvestment and abandonment.
Today, the change along the six blocks of Northwest Second Avenue and its immediate vicinity is nothing short of dramatic. The streets are busy with pedestrians, thanks to a few thousand new and renovated apartments, both market-rate and affordable, within a few square blocks. There’s not only a new Publix, but also an Aldi, a Ross, a Target with a CVS and a Starbucks in a towering complex that also includes 578 stylish apartments for low-income seniors, many of them longtime Overtown residents.
The Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency, an arm of Miami city government, has won commission approval for a new, roughly $175 million bond program that’s supported by the property-tax revenue flow from new development in the district, which stretches from the west side of Biscayne Boulevard to west of Interstate 95. Over the next several years, the program is expected to help finance some 2,500 new affordable and workforce homes and apartments in greater Overtown, new and improved parks and cultural facilities, and significant assistance to local business owners.
Read more here
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Boynton Beach Cottage District Turns Vacant Land Into Affordable Homes for Working Families
CRAs transform communities #redevelopmentworks
In the heart of Boynton Beach, what was once vacant land for more than 15 years, is now transforming into a new neighborhood that city leaders hope will redefine affordable homeownership.
The Cottage District development is part of a citywide effort to make living in Boynton Beach more attainable for working families — teachers, nurses, first responders, and retail employees who help keep the city running.
The project is a collaborative effort between the Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (BBCRA), Palm Beach County, and construction company Pulte Group. Together, they’re turning underused public land into 41 affordable homes: 22 townhomes for low-income buyers and 19 single-family homes for moderate-income families.
Read more here
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Restoration St. Louis Wins Walesbilt Hotel Vote, Will Seek to Redevelop Entire Block
CRAs transform communities #redevelopmentworks
Restoration St. Louis has been selected as the preferred company to restore the Walesbilt Hotel. RSL was chosen over a competing proposal from the Blackmon and Adoniades Families, a St. Petersburg-based alliance of two operators who control scores of hotel and residential properties across west central Florida.
In a 5-0 vote, the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency authorized City Manager James Slaton and “agents of his choosing” to negotiate a contract with the firm. CRA Assistant Director Ronni Wood noted the historic nature of the vote, calling it the most significant of the last 80 years, surpassing even the adoption of the Lake Wales Connected plan.
Read more here
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Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) and Economic Development Coordinator – Pinellas County
Location: Lealman Exchange, 5175 45th Street N, St. Petersburg, FL 33714
Starting salary expected to be within $71,115 – $92,435.20, based on experience
Schedule: Generally 8 to 5, Monday through Friday, occasional meetings or events on evenings and weekends. This is not remote work, but can accommodate remote work for a day or partial day if it makes sense depending on outside meetings scheduled or other reason.
Do you want to make a real impact in a community? As the CRA Coordinator, you will lead the revitalization of the Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) by attracting new investment and supporting existing businesses and business expansion. This role is a unique opportunity to shape the future of a community by focusing on economic development and community redevelopment. You will serve as a primary point of contact for residents, business owners, and local partners, turning their input into actionable, community-focused projects.
This is a critical role within the Lealman Community Redevelopment Area (CRA), reporting directly to the Community Coordinator.
Read more here
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Assistant Director of Community Development Services – City of Wilton Manors
The Assistant Director of Community Development Services supports the strategic direction, leadership, and daily operations of the City of Wilton Manors’ Community Development Services Department. This position assists in overseeing planning and zoning, permitting, building and economic development. The Assistant Director plays a key role in implementing department policies, coordinating interdepartmental projects, managing personnel, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Working closely with the Director, this position helps guide sustainable growth and community enhancement in alignment with City goals. The ideal candidate will be a forward-thinking leader with strong technical expertise and the ability to foster collaboration among staff, developers, residents, and other stakeholders. Reports to the Community Development Services Director.
Read more here
| | | | More FRA Member Job Postings | |
Want to see all of the redevelopment positions available from FRA members across the state of Florida?
Click here for more jobs!
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Call for Artists – City of Bartow CRA
The City of Bartow Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) invites qualified artists to submit proposals for the design and installation of murals on two public restroom exterior walls, as part of the CRA’s ongoing efforts to promote public art and strengthen our community identity. Artists may submit proposals for one or both projects, which will transform two ordinary spaces into vibrant landmarks for the City of Bartow and CRA District. The CRA reserves the right to approve all artwork displayed in the public realm for community standards.
This is a fantastic opportunity to gain visibility, contribute to community beautification, and engage with fellow creatives for three unique murals in the public realm.
Submission Deadline: 10/31/2025
Artist Selection Announced: 12/3/2025
Contract Finalization: 1/30/26
Project Completion: 3/18/2026
Read more here
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Want to see all of the redevelopment FRPs/RFQs/LOIs from FRA members across the state of Florida?
Click here for more RFPs!
| | | | Thank you for supporting Florida redevelopment! Have questions or news to share? fra@flcities.com | | | | |
