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Bradenton CRA clears Love Park for bidding, budgets capacity analysis and starts slum‑and‑blight study for CRA expansion
Summary
The CRA authorized moving Love Park to purchasing for construction bids, said it will budget $40,000–$50,000 for capacity analyses at priority downtown sites including Tarpon Point, and reported staff is preparing a slum‑and‑blight study and seeking $100,000 for survey work related to a proposed new CRA area.
The Community Redevelopment Agency authorized staff to send Love Park to purchasing for construction bidding and discussed several planning and analysis steps to support downtown redevelopment.
Staff said Love Park is designed and ready for procurement and asked for authority to move the project to purchasing; the board approved the request by voice vote. Staff also said the CRA will budget $40,000–$50,000 for capacity analyses at priority downtown sites such as Tarpon Point ("Caddies") and will prepare a budget adjustment to set the money aside for engineering and related work.
On a potential CRA expansion (referred to as CRA 4), staff reported they are conducting a slum‑and‑blight analysis — collecting photos and historical documents in the field — and will return a recommendation to the CRA and then to City Council. Staff asked for $100,000 to pay for a survey and associated analysis; staff said the CRA cannot pay upfront for creation costs but, once the CRA is established, it will reimburse the city for those expenses as provided by statute.
Staff estimated the study and data collection could take roughly 30–90 days given data‑transfer constraints and the need to coordinate with city departments. If the board approves the study results, staff said they will prepare a resolution or ordinance (as the city requires) and map specific CRA boundaries for the plan.
The board’s actions give staff authority to proceed with procurement for Love Park, fund capacity analysis for priority sites and continue the slum‑and‑blight analysis for future CRA consideration.
