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Edgewater staff to buy two Park Avenue parcels as first step toward mixed‑use downtown vision
Summary
City staff told the CRA board they will purchase two priority parcels on Park Avenue to begin implementing a renewed downtown 'Main Street' vision; the board discussed pros and cons of assembling the whole block versus an incremental, small‑business–friendly approach and requested a CRA workshop in three months.
Chairwoman Cruz and other members of the Edgewater CRA Board heard a staff presentation on a renewed downtown plan and were told the city will move forward to purchase two parcels on Park Avenue as an initial step toward creating a pedestrian‑oriented, mixed‑use main street.
City staff member Ryan said the 2008 vision is being updated and the consultant’s public input supported a mixed‑use Main Street approach. Ryan told the board that, based on appraisals, a $797,000 capital line in the Park Avenue improvement budget should cover the two priority parcels staff identified and recommended for purchase. "So we're gonna move forward and purchase these two properties first," Ryan said.
The board debated two development strategies. One option would assemble a larger contiguous set of parcels, establish a PUD or zoning district, and go out to bid to a single developer—a cohesive but longer process that could take many years to build. The alternative is an incremental, parcel‑by‑parcel approach that uses public–private partnerships and smaller projects to produce earlier visible changes and to better support small businesses. Ryan said both approaches have trade‑offs: an all‑at‑once purchase can produce design cohesion, while an incremental approach may keep more small‑business opportunities and put property back on the tax roll sooner.
Stormwater and parking emerged as practical constraints. Staff warned that new or expanded buildings that add more than 4,000 square feet of impervious surface will trigger stormwater detention requirements, making centralized retention features or carefully designed green space necessary. The board also discussed how waterfront boat‑ramp parking currently fills Park Avenue on weekends and that additional off‑street parking or an overflow lot will be needed to support a pedestrian downtown.
Board members raised concerns about acquisition optics and price escalation if the city buys parcels piecemeal; one member asked whether eminent domain could be used, and staff replied it is legally possible but politically and procedurally difficult. Several members urged robust public engagement to avoid perceptions of a "strong‑arm" approach. Chairwoman Cruz noted the long history of the effort: "It's already been, what, 17 years, 2008, that we've been working on?" she said, underscoring desire for visible progress.
Ryan said the CRA board requested a workshop in three months to review vision options and a staff PowerPoint that will lay out pros and cons and design choices before further acquisitions. The board did not adopt a comprehensive design at the meeting; staff described the purchase of the two parcels as an initial, funded step toward the longer vision.
