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Newberry CRA reports growth, outlines downtown sidewalks, facade and park projects
Summary
City of Newberry CRA coordinator Uma Sarmishta told the City Commission the CRAdistrict has expanded reporting and budget capacity and described near-term projects including a downtown five-year strategy, 1,900 linear feet of new sidewalk to Lewis Ford Park, facade grants, Berry Park beautification and Hitchcock Pond landscaping.
Newberry — Uma Sarmishta, coordinator of the City of NewberryCommunity Redevelopment Area, told the City Commission that the CRA created in 2021 has grown in taxable value and capacity and is moving to implement a downtown five-year action plan and several near-term public improvements.
Sarmishta said the CRA covers about 694 acres and that reporting and budgeting have expanded: "From 2 pages reporting, we have now 17 pages plus the audit . . . a total of 53 pages. And we are very happy about that," she told commissioners.
The update laid out completed and planned projects in the downtown CRA district. Officials said the CRA completed roughly 1,900 linear feet of 5-foot sidewalk that connects toward Lewis Ford Park, which will be the site of a veteran memorial scheduled for inauguration on Memorial Day. Staff described a consultant-led downtown five-year strategic action plan aimed at improving walkability and market analysis and said work is now moving toward implementation.
Sarmishta described additional initiatives in planning or early implementation: a facade grant program being restructured to better support downtown property owners; Berry Park beautification timed with occupancy of the new city hall to create a community gathering place; landscaping and gateway improvements at Hitchcock Pond where a CRA entry is located; and land acquisition work on Seaboard Drive to enable future uses such as a farmers market or other community activity.
Sarmishta also said the CRA is pursuing public art input and expects arts programming in downtown by summer, and highlighted seasonal programming: "Our ongoing one of the major project is Christmas decoration, and we are proud to say that we are the Christmas capital of Alachua County," she said. She invited commissioners to review printed copies of the CRA report.
No formal vote or directive followed the presentation. Commissioners did not raise substantive questions during the update; staff stood ready to return with further detail on implementation schedules and budgets if requested.
The CRA coordinator and planner present for questions were listed as available to follow up with commissioners and the public.
