Title
CRA Project Summary March (NB)
Explanation
As a regular informational item on CRA agendas, Staff provides a brief update on selected referrals, redevelopment projects and development agreements under review. This monthly update is typically a limited sampling of the CRA’s many on-going projects, as opposed to a complete list.
CRA Wide
Façade Grant, Project Manager, Jessica Leonard - The Façade Grant program is a competitive matching grant program that is designed to encourage reinvestment in building facades, specifically those located on highly visible target corridors within each district. Staff is enthusiastically expecting the approval of multiple façade grants in each district as a continued effort is placed in concentrated outreach and community engagements to help aid in awareness of the program. Newly approved, nine (9) façade grant projects are underway with the breakdown as follows; one (1) in Fifth Ave Pleasant Street Redevelopment Area, one (1) in College Park University Heights Area, two (2) in Eastside Redevelopment Area and five (5) in Downtown Redevelopment Area. Additionally, we are delighted to have again eight (8) new pending façade grants awaiting Advisory Board approval with this new approach. Starting next month, the façade grant program will be enhanced by teaming up with the Turf SWAP program provided by Alachua County Environmental Protection Department. By combining the Turf SWAP program and façade grant, applicants could be eligible for up to $2,000 in additional funds per property to be used for the removal of high volume irrigation and replacing it with Florida Friendly Landscaping starting April 1, 2017.
Community Vitality Report, Project Manager, Ori Baber - The 2013 CRA Strategic Planning session was guided by the question “How do we get out of this business?” During this time, staff proposed a deliverable called the ‘Community Vitality Report’ that involved community engagement, suggestion boxes, so...
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