You’ve probably heard us talk about the Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency (LCRA), but are you aware of what the organization does?
The LCRA team works with the City Commission as well as local businesses, developers, and private property owners to improve certain community areas for Lakeland residents by redistributing property taxes allotted to the city and Polk County.
Wondering if they’ve done something on your block? Some of the LCRA’s projects include The Joinery, The Well, Haus820, the Federal Building, NoBay apartments, and the Tax Collector’s Office, to name a few. These projects are all within three core areas of Lakeland: Dixieland, Downtown, and Midtown.
The downtown area is 555+ acres of retail, restaurants, arts, and residential space. It is one of Lakeland’s most walkable areas and has seen dedicated improvements to the streetscape, such as the Main Street streetscape expansion and Kentucky Avenue parklets.
Dixieland is a 72.61-acre area that runs along South Florida Avenue between West Walnut Street to the north and Lenox Street to the south. It extends as far as Pennsylvania Avenue on the east and South Franklin Place on the west.
Dixieland is best known for vintage retail, restaurants, and being the gateway to downtown Lakeland. Most recently, the LCRA worked on projects like the Dixieland Art Infusion Grant Program and the South Florida Avenue Road Diet.
The Tax Collector building in the LCRA’s Midtown district | Photo via @twothirdsrochambeau
Photo via @twothirdsrochambeau
The largest of the three districts, Midtown makes up 4,463 acres of Lakeland between the intown bypass and I-4. Midtown is known for neighborhoods, the Medical District, Mass Market, and Joker Marchant Stadium.
Each of the three districts has applicable incentives, including Design Assistance, Tax Increment Financing, and Art Infusion, that residents can apply for online.
