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Eastside board picks Ice House, Hollis T. Williams Park, housing program and Gonzales shareway as FY26 priorities
Summary
The Eastside Redevelopment Board identified top project priorities for fiscal year 2026: reactivating the Crystal Ice House, continuing phased work at Hollis T. Williams Park, expanding the Residential Property Improvement Program, and a Gonzales Street shareway/bikeway; the board removed completed items from the priority list.
The Eastside Redevelopment Board voted to identify its top project priorities for fiscal year 2026, putting the Crystal Ice House activation, Hollis T. Williams Park work, the Residential Property Improvement Program and a Gonzales Street shareway/bikeway at the top of the list.
CRA staff presented the existing project list and noted items already completed or under construction. The board removed the Chappie James project and a skate-park reference from the list because those items are complete. Staff said the project-priorities list informs budget preparation and grant-seeking: "Project priorities are considered as a part of the preparation of the 20 26 fiscal year budget, which we're currently in the process of," a staff member said.
Board discussion focused on which projects could most quickly benefit residents and align with the updated East Side plan. Megan O'Hara summarized the Crystal Ice House concept as a small-business market and incubator that could be activated faster than park improvements, in partnership with the school district to repurpose a nearby parking lot. She described the Ice House idea as a potential early-stage economic driver while Hollis T. Williams Park proceeds in phases.
Board members expressed continued interest in two-way street conversions on key corridors (Haines, MLK and Davis), but noted some streets are under Florida Department of Transportation control and may require interagency coordination. The board also flagged stormwater and low-impact design standards tied to park and right-of-way work as important priorities.
The board set the top-ranked priorities in this order: (1) Crystal Ice House activation/small-business market, (2) Hollis T. Williams Park (phased, including stormwater work), (3) Residential Property Improvement Program (RPIP) expansions, and (4) Gonzales Street shareway/bikeway and east-west connections to the park. Staff and board members said other projects will remain on the recommended list but outside the top-tier priorities.
Board members asked staff to reflect the changes in the list transmitted to the CRA and to city budgeting staff. The priorities will guide staff work on grant applications, budget recommendations and coordination with other agencies, though each project will still require separate funding approvals.
