Big updates could be on the horizon for Lakeland’s Mass Market area. As first reported by The Ledger, the Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) recently shared plans with its advisory board for updates to this portion of the Midtown district, including proposals from architecture firm Straughn Trout.
Mass Market covers nine blocks, stretching north to south from East Memorial Boulevard to Bartow Road + east to west from North Massachusetts Avenue to North Florida Avenue. It includes spots like Haus 820, the Polk Tax Collector’s office, The Well, Talbot House Ministries, and the vacant Yard on Mass building.
CRA leaders seek to add developments that would draw foot traffic to Mass Market, making it more than a corridor between downtown and the Medical District surrounding Lakeland Regional Medical Center.
Proposed plans include apartments, mixed-use commercial + office space, a medical office, and a dining establishment, plus pedestrian improvements and public art. Next, the CRA will work to update zoning and design guidelines before sending requests for proposals to developers.
Mass Market is just a small part of the Midtown redevelopment district, which is the largest of the CRA’s three districts. The CRA aims to “improve the quality of life for residents” by stimulating development in those districts, using redistributed property taxes allotted to the city and Polk County. It works alongside local businesses, developers, and private property owners, and its recommendations receive final approval from the City Commission.
Want to be the first to know about project updates and be part of the decision-making process? There are vacancies on the CRA’s advisory board, which meets the first Thursday of each month at City Hall. Pro tip: If you’re looking for less commitment, you can pop into a meeting or watch online.
