Titusville CRA approves Broad Street curbless streetscape project to create festival-ready pedestrian corridor

The City of Titusville Community Redevelopment Agency voted unanimously Aug. 12 to move forward with a curbless streetscape project on Broad Street and directed staff to explore financing options for completing the work at once.

The vote came after a staff presentation describing the proposal as a streetscape and festival-oriented concept that would add continuous 12-foot sidewalks on both sides of Broad Street, street lighting, street furniture, additional landscaping and a curbless roadway designed to be used for festivals and special events. Sue Williams, CRA planner, told the board the conceptual improvements are intended to “transform the downtown from an automobile centric into an active pedestrian oriented downtown” and to maximize Broad Street’s utility for events and residential development.

The project was presented as the top priority among several capital projects listed in the CRA plan because seven of the plan’s 11 opportunity sites lie along Broad Street. Staff and consultants emphasized the streetscape character—rather than adding significant new parking—as the central purpose: “This really isn't a parking project. This is a streetscape project festival project,” Williams said.

Board members discussed financing approaches and trade-offs. Staff described two financing options in the packet: a pay‑as‑you‑go approach (which staff said was not recommended because it increases the risk of inconsistent design choices) and pursuing financing so the work can be done in a single program. Several members urged the board to consider the broader redevelopment strategy, while others cautioned about the project’s price. Member Aker raised concern about a roughly $2.5 million price point included in materials; staff noted the figure is a planning estimate pending final design.

Parking and downtown culture were the most substantive points of debate. Staff included three parking studies in the meeting packet and told the board those studies concluded the downtown does not presently have a systemic parking shortage; the presentation also referenced an earlier estimate for structured parking showing an estimated total parking‑garage cost of roughly $15 million–$17 million. Staff noted a per‑space construction estimate cited in the packet of about $42,650 per structured parking space as an illustrative figure and urged caution about committing most CRA tax‑increment financing to a garage that could consume revenue needed for other CRA projects.

Member Ball, referencing the CRA plan and projected tax increment financing (TIF) revenues in the packet, said the Broad Street project represented an initial implementation step for the CRA: “I believe this is one initial step in changing the dynamics of the infrastructure in downtown,” Ball said. Ball and other board members pointed to the CRA plan’s TIF projection, which staff packet materials show as $35,900,000 through 2044; Ball noted roughly half of projected TIF revenues were modeled as potentially available for capital projects after personnel and program costs.

Several board members and public speakers urged the CRA to consider how the streetscape would interact with housing goals, refuse/dumpster placement and short‑term parking demand during downtown peak hours. Member Stockel and Member Aker both stressed that changing downtown behavior—making walking and shared parking feel safe and convenient—would be important to realizing the project’s goals. Member Stockel suggested interim measures such as improved wayfinding, lighting and shuttle or circulator options for special events while larger capital investments are evaluated.

After discussion, Member Ball moved to accept staff’s recommendation and advance the Broad Street curbless streetscape project and to direct staff to present financing options for board review. The motion carried unanimously by roll call vote (Aker — yes; Moscoso — yes; Nelson — yes; Connors — yes; Cole — yes; Ball — yes; Stockel — yes).

Next steps recorded in the meeting: staff will return with financing scenarios and further design detail, and the board directed staff to continue coordination with related CRA projects in the packet. The board did not adopt a final design or a final budget amount at the Aug. 12 meeting; staff said those details will follow as the project moves from concept to design.