Downtown Community Redevelopment Area
Purpose and History
As with many downtowns in the past several decades, the downtown area of Tallahassee has witnessed a change away from retail and residential to an area dominated by office space, with little activity after 5:00 PM. In an attempt to revitalize the downtown into an 18-hour destination with a wide variety of uses the City authorized a study in March, 2002 to evaluate existing conditions to determine if conditions were present to create a downtown redevelopment area. The resulting study, the Finding of Necessity for Redevelopment, found that 79 of the 93 downtown blocks surveyed had conditions that supported a slum or blight designation, as defined by Chapter 163, Part III, Florida Statutes.
In September 2002, the City Commission adopted the results of the Finding of Necessity and established the boundaries for the Downtown Community Redevelopment Area, comprising 441 acres. In June 2004, the City Commission completed the process for establishing the Downtown District Community Redevelopment Area by adopting the Redevelopment Plan and establishing a trust fund. The Community Redevelopment Agency Board governs the activities of the Downtown CRA, as well as the activities of the Frenchtown/Southside CRA. In February 2006 the CRA Board approved the establishment of the Downtown Redevelopment Commission to make recommendations to the Board on the expenditure of Downtown CRA funds.
For more information on the Downtown CRA, please click on any of the following links:
- View the map of the Downtown CRA (PDF)
- View the Urban Framework Plan (PDF)
- View the Development Plan Elements (PDF)
- View the Development Plan Map (PDF)
- View the Downtown Locator Map (PDF)
Completed Projects
- Marriott Residence Inn Development Incentive – The Downtown CRA is providing $450,000 in incentives to the developer of the Marriott Residence Inn at the intersection of Gaines Street and Railroad Avenue to help reduce the cost of land to the developer. In exchange for the incentive, the developer agreed to a number of design conditions required by the City to ensure the hotel supported the goals of the Gaines Street Revitalization Plan. Scheduled to open in the fall of 2006, the Marriott Residence Inn will set the tone for future developments along the Gaines Street corridor.
Current and Future Projects
The Downtown Community Redevelopment Area is considering participation in several projects in the future, including:
- The Floridan block – The Downtown CRA has had several discussions with a potential developer of the Floridan block, located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Tennessee and Monroe Streets. The CRA may offer incentives for a project that would include office condominiums as well as a parking garage that would service both this block as well as the general downtown area.
- The O'Connell Property – This block of property, located directly south of the Leon County Civic Center is being discussed with potential developers to house a major conference center and hotel. The location of a large conference facility in downtown Tallahassee would be crucial in attracting Statewide conventions and conferences in Florida's Capital City.
- Land Acquisition, Development and Related Expenses - $100,000 has been set aside to examine the purchase of properties within the area for redevelopment purposes. Specific offers to purchase properties will be brought to the Agency Board for final approval.