(204) stories found containing 'community redevelopment'
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 204
Lake Wales Property Tax Rate Raised by One Mill
The first ad valorum tax rate increase in nearly a decade was approved by the Lake Wales city commission on first reading Wednesday. The new property tax hike of 16.34 percent will... — Updated 9/21/2023
Orange and Crystal Avenues to Receive Major Streetscape Facelifts
A million-dollar reconstruction of block-long stretches of Orange and Crystal Avenues is anticipated thanks to a federal grant and an intergovernmental agreement. The dramatic... — Updated 8/28/2023
Dover and Kohl Win Prestigious Seaside Prize for Planning Designs
The partners who founded a planning firm that has become closely identified with Lake Wales have been announced as the 2024 recipients of the prestigious Seaside Prize, presented... — Updated 8/13/2023
New BizLINC Business Incubator Expected to Spur Economic Development
A new business incubator funded in large part by the City of Lake Wales was celebrated at a recent ribbon cutting featuring a host of government and business representatives. The... — Updated 8/5/2023
Business Incubator Opening August 1 With Ribbon Cutting
The re-growth of a business district in the heart of the Northwest Neighborhood is the goal of a $1.2 million investment of American Rescue funds by the City of Lake Wales to spur... — Updated 8/2/2023
Park Avenue Will Remain "Open For Business" During Transformation
Continuous access to downtown businesses will be maintained during construction of the transformative Lake Wales Connected designs, representatives of Gomez Construction assured... — Updated 7/11/2023
City Moves For Summary Judgement of "Fraud in the Inducement" to Reclaim Walesbilt Hotel
Lawyers for the city of Lake Wales are asking a circuit judge to rule that Ray Brown lied to city commissioners about his financing and progress in redeveloping the historic... — Updated 7/3/2023
Retail Business Recruitment is Focus of Downtown Lake Wales Effort
A downtown business improvement effort "focused on asset development and retail recruitment" was outlined to a large group of downtown property owners at a Wednesday luncheon.... — Updated 6/12/2023
Wednesday Public Information Expo Will Explain CRA Expansion
A proposal to add a huge swath of northern Lake Wales to the current Community Redevelopment District map will be the topic of a staffed public presentation at the Eagle Ridge Mall... — Updated 6/12/2023
CRA Sale of Five Lots May Induce Construction of Ten New Affordable Housing Units
The sale of five lots owned by the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency will spur the development of new affordable housing for workers and retirees. An agreement for the sale... — Updated 6/11/2023
Thompson Resigns as Mainstreet Director as Lake Wales Connected Proceeds
May 12 - Long-time Lake Wales Main Street executive director Karen Thompson has announced her resignation. "I am excited about downtown Lake Wales' future and proud to have played... — Updated 5/17/2023
Robin Gibson Wins Re-election, Keith Thompson Wins Seat 3 Race for City Commission
Incumbent Deputy Mayor Robin Gibson easily turned back a challenge from Danielle Pride Gibson for his District 5 seat on the Lake Wales City Commission Tuesday. Michelle Threatt... — Updated 4/12/2023
Significant Ruling in Walesbilt Lawsuit Favors City of Lake Wales
The year-long lawsuit between plaintiffs the City of Lake Wales and defendants Dixie-Walesbilt LLC of Winter Haven has taken a significant turn. The future potential redevelopment... — Updated 4/12/2023
New Community Garden to Green Up Local "Food Desert"
An effort to green a "food desert" in the Northwest Neighborhood of Lake Wales will begin next week with the creation of a community garden on a city-owned lot on Dr. Martin Luther... — Updated 4/6/2023
City Commission Meets "in the Shade" to Discuss Possible Settlement Terms for Walesbilt Hotel Lawsuit
A recent private meeting, held out of the reach of Florida's "Sunshine Law," allowed city commissioners and their legal counsel to discuss the ongoing mediation in their lawsuit see... — Updated 3/8/2023
Crystal Lake Trail Project Drew Public Input, Support at Meeting
Balancing improved public access to the natural beauty of Crystal Lake Park with parking needs and traffic circulation and the effect upon views and wildlife drew a small crowd to a... — Updated 2/8/2023
Declining Housing Finds Help Through CRA Program
Obsolete and dilapidated housing within the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment District has been targeted by a housing improvement program, and as a result, many seniors living in... — Updated 2/7/2023
Walesbilt Hotel Lawsuit Inches Forward
The long, seemingly endless tale of the Walesbilt Hotel continues to make its way toward an eventual settlement, although it's a process Walesbilt Hotel LLC seems determined to... — Updated 2/5/2023
Reinvestment Bankers Find Much to Like During Tour of Lake Wales
An invitation to view and assess potential community investment opportunities in Lake Wales drew representatives from financial institutions looking for opportunities to invest in... — Updated 2/3/2023
Maggie Mae's Ice Cream Shop Adds to Growing Downtown Variety
A growing business community in downtown Lake Wales got a bit stronger this week. The official ribbon-cutting for Maggie Mae's Ice Cream Shop attracted a crowd of fans and... — Updated 2/3/2023
Millions Could Flow to Lake Wales CRA if Expansion Plans Are Realized
In a step that could have enormous financial significance for decades to come, the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency board has received a Finding of Necessity (FON) report f... — Updated 2/1/2023
Lake Wales Connected Construction Launched With a Flourish
The ambitious, $20 million transformation of the urban center of Lake Wales into a shady and inviting oasis for pedestrian shopping and outdoor dining was launched Thursday evening... — Updated 1/27/2023
Mayor Orders Police to Clear Commission Chambers After Citizen Protest
A raucous end to Tuesday's city commission meeting resulted in Mayor Jack Hilligoss ordering police to clear the room after an angry crowd of more than 30 mostly older citizens obje... — Updated 1/4/2023
City, CRA Give Go-Ahead to $18.5 Million Bond Issue
An $18.5 million bond issuance received final approval from the Lake Wales City Commission on Tuesday, completing the funding of the award-winning Lake Wales Connected project. The... — Updated 12/27/2022
Walesbilt Lawsuit Conclusion Chances Raised by City Commissioner
A quick end to a lawsuit over title to the Walesbilt Hotel was raised as a possibility during a meeting of the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency on Tuesday. "There is a... — Updated 12/15/2022