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Newtown CRA lays out sidewalks, MLK corridor visioning, incubator and trail plans; commission accepts report
Summary
The Sarasota City Commission, sitting as the Newtown CRA, accepted the Newtown CRA Advisory Board’s annual report outlining priorities including a roughly $2 million sidewalk program, MLK Corridor redevelopment plans, a business incubator pilot and efforts to bring the Legacy Trail through Newtown.
The Sarasota City Commission, sitting as the Newtown Community Redevelopment Agency, unanimously accepted the Newtown CRA Advisory Board’s annual report, which lays out priorities including a phased sidewalk-replacement program, MLK Corridor redevelopment concepts, a pilot business-incubator and ongoing efforts to extend the Legacy Trail through Newtown.
"We currently have uneven sidewalks that we're gonna replace and update to make them more usable," said Carlos Yancey, vice chair of the Newtown CRA Advisory Board, describing the board's top budgeted item and recent work to bring electric power to light-pole outlets along MLK so the community could use holiday lighting across the corridor. Wayne Appleby, the city staff assigned to the board, said the CRA budget plus earmarked federal dollars would provide about $2,000,000 toward the sidewalk effort but that the board expects to prioritize segments because that amount is unlikely to cover all of Phase 1.
The board described several corridor projects in development, including a planned banquet hall by Margo Ventures LLC and a proposed mixed-use project involving Bay 1st Bank and Helen Payne. Yancey said the board is negotiating land-assembly near North Orange and MLK and is pursuing site development agreements and soil testing for specific parcels.
Michelle Gallant, the board's business relations coordinator, outlined outreach and branding efforts: a new logo, a website with online applications for programs, and the Taste of Newtown event, which she said featured about six performances and more than 20 vendors. Gallant also described an MLK-corridor visioning project using interactive renderings that the board plans to show property owners and the wider community.
The advisory board highlighted community programs and grants: nine Newtown business grant awards have been completed; the home-beautification program has painted 28 homes with 14 more in process; and the board funds nonprofit training and mentoring partnerships. "We're funding the CareerSource CEO program at approximately $20,000 and SCORE at $4,900," Appleby said. The board also budgeted $40,000 toward Salvation Army street teams to help clean Newtown streets; Appleby said those funds contribute to a larger city contract.
Commissioners pressed for more detail on schedule and costs. "Do we know the total cost of phase 1, phase 2, and phase 3?" Commissioner Ahern Koch asked. Appleby said designs are ongoing and that transportation planners were asked to provide a timeline to a future CRA meeting.
The report touched on the Legacy Trail: the board said it has engaged stakeholders and is coordinating meetings to pursue a trail alignment through Newtown into Manatee County, with a status update expected at the May 13 Newtown CRA Advisory Board meeting.
The commission moved and seconded acceptance of the advisory board report; the motion passed unanimously. The commission also approved the minutes of the March 2 special CRA meeting earlier in the session.
Next steps: staff will seek transportation-planning input on sidewalk phasing and timelines, parks staff will provide a status update on remaining MLK Park work, and the board expects to present MLK corridor renderings and further project specifics as designs are completed.
