Vision Statement:

Administrator's Message:

Welcome to the Bayfront Community Redevelopment Agency's (BCRA) web page.  Here are some recent news items about the Bayfront District that you may not be aware of:

SAVE THE DATE!

The Space Coast Waterfest in Palm Bay will be held this year on Saturday, May 5, 2012 at Goode Park and for the first time at Castaway Point Park.  The Space Coast Waterfest is a month long celebration throughout Brevard County celebrating our precious water resources and fantastic recreational opportunities they offer.  This year's celebration will be expanded to include the newly renovated Castaway Point Park.  Activities at the event will include canoe/kayak rentals, a triathlon, paddle boarding, live music, food vendors, geo-caching, evironmental speaker and demonstrations, raffle prizes and kids activities.  Be sure to save the date!

2nd Bayfront 5"K9" Fun Run and Walk Held on December 4, 2011

The BCRA helped the Palm Bay Animal Clinic by sponsoring the 2nd Bayfront 5"K9" Fun Run and Walk on Sunday, December 4, 2011.  Two hundred (200) runners, and walkers of all ages with their dogs took part in the event.  Participants ran, jogged, and walked with their beloved pet dogs along the 5 kilometer long course throughout the Bayfront area.  Money raised from the event will go to help Brevard County's animal shelters.

2nd Phase of the R.J. Conlan Boulevard Landscaping Project Completed

Robert J. Conlan Boulevard Beautification - The first phase of the Robert J. Conlan Boulevard Beautification project has been completed.  Underground electrical conduit for future street lights was installed. The second phase of the project involved the west side of the right-of-way between Northview Street and Palm Bay Road and was completed November, 2011. Palms, Crape Myrtles and Pine Trees were be planted. The BCRA will fund additional landscaping to the Palm Bay Road - R.J. Conlan Boulevard intersection, which is being advertised for construction bids.

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US-1 Streetscape Groundbreaking

and Notice to Proceed Granted

US-1 Streetscaping - The long awaited groundbreaking for the US-1 Streetscape Project was held on Thursday, October 13th at 5:30 p.m. across from the Greater Palm Bay Chamber.  The US-1 Streetscape project will include the first phase of a sidewalk along the east side of U.S.-1 from Kirkland Road to Ridge Road, the landscaping of selected medians, and pedestrian street lighting.  A Notice to Proceed was issued for the project to start on October 31, 2011.  The project has 240 days to be completed. The City and BCRA have been awarded a $650,000 National Scenic Byway Grant to assist the BCRA in the construction of the project. To see a copy of the US-1 sidewalk, lighting, and landscaping design plans please click on the highlighted words "US-1 Streetscaping" at the beginning of the paragraph. To see an aerial plan of the "Baywalk" portion of the sidewalk please click on the following: Baywalk Aerial Plan. 

THANK YOU

Lagoon House Volunteers

On Saturday, October 22nd volunteers joined Anglers for Conservation, the BCRA, other community groups and individuals for a volunteer day at the Lagoon House at 3275 Dixie Highway, NE, from 8:00 a.m. to Noon.  Activities included cutting back overgrown vegetation, planting new vegetation, mulching plant beds and painting the Lagoon House porch railings.  Together the volunteers spruced up the Lagoon House, a cornerstone of the Palm Bay Community and a historical and environmental showcase for Brevard County.

Castaway Point Park is OPEN

Improvements to Castaway Point Park are complete. The park is now open. Improvements to the park include a pervious asphalt road and driveway setback from the water, pervious handicap parking spaces, crushed coquina parking spaces, storm water retention facilities, paved pathways connecting the park to U.S.-1 and Castaway Cove Beach, L.E.D. pedestrian and pier lighting, a pavilion, recycled plastic park benches and trash receptacles, and native landscaping. The BCRA was awarded a $60,000 Florida Coastal Management Program grant to help provide access improvements and reduce stormwater pollution at the park. 

US-1 Phase 2 Sidewalk Grant Awarded

The BCRA was awarded a $150,000 National Scenic Byway grant for the second phase of a sidewalk along the east side of US-1.  The approximate 2,400 linear foot sidewalk will be located between Ridge Road and Port Malabar Boulevard.  Eight (8) months have been scheduled for design and permitting.  Construction is anticipated to begin in April 2012.  The walkway will have three (3) spans over drainage flumes.  A conceptual rendition of a possible span design is found below.

Water System Improvements

Funded by the BCRA

Potable water system improvements that include water line upgrades and water line interconnects, new fire hydrants and additional fire hydrants to meet today's Fire Standards were constructed along the north side of Palm Bay Road and in the North Tillman Subdivision Neighborhood as part of the City's and BCRA's Neighborhood Investment Cooperative Effort (NICE) Program.  The cost of the improvements was $14,748.

Upgraded water lines are being designed for portions of the Farview Neighborhood, the second neighborhood to take part in the City's N.I.C.E. Program.

Matching Commercial/Industrial Facade and Rehabilitation Reimbursement Grant Program

Matching Commercial/Industrial Facade and Rehabilitation Reimbursement Grant Program

The BCRA has adopted a new matching commercial/industrial building facade reimbursement grant program.  The purpose of the new grant program is to encourage the exterior rehabilitation, renovation and preservation of existing commercial and industrial structures.  The new facade program does not utilize federal funds so much of the red-tape involved with the previous facade program has been eliminated.  Reimbursable improvements include windows, doors, awnings, porches, roofs and mansards including soffit and fascia, gutters, siding (such as stucco, clapboard, etc.), paint, etc. Applications can be made to the BCRA Office at 3790 Dixie Highway, NE, Suite B, Palm Bay, Florida 32905.  Click here for more information.

City Creates SMART Areas for Economic Development

As part of an aggressive Economic Development Program to assist existing businesses expand, to help create new businesses, and to make Palm Bay competitive with adjacent cities in Brevard County and other cities in the State of Florida, the City of Palm Bay has designated four (4) areas in the City as Sustainable Market and Reinvestment Target (S.M.A.R.T.) Areas.

One of the SMART Areas, the Riverview SMART Area, includes a large portion of the industrial and commercial areas of the Bayfront Community Redevelopment District (BCRD).  By creating the SMART Areas, property owners in the designated areas, including those in the BCRD, can take advantage of state financial and economic incentives to help in either redeveloping or developing their properties. Learn more.

Neighborhood Investment Cooperative Effort (N.I.C.E) Program

The NICE Program proposes to invest the City's federal and local resources such as Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), HOME Investment, State Housing Initiative Program, Neighborhood Stabilization Program, and Redevelopment funds on a neighborhood basis instead of in a piecemeal fashion to make an impact on the neighborhood both structurally and aesthetically. The north Tillman Subdivision was the first neighborhood to take part in the program. A neighborhood clean-up was held in April, 2009.  Neighborhood issues involving paving, drainage, landscaping, police activities and utility improvements were worked on. A tree adoption program was held in the spring of 2010 where residents could adopt either an Oak, Crape Myrtle, Royal Poinciana, or Magnolia tree and plant it at their property.  Neighborhood improvements have included the construction of a pervious parking lot at the northeast corner of Main Street and Hessey Avenue, the creation of a neighborhood green space at 1644 Main Street, and the paving of local streets.  Water line and fire hydrant improvements were completed in January, 2011. Drainage improvements were constructed along Main Street and the FEC Railroad tracks in 2011.  A vegetative buffer along the railroad tracks is the remaining improvement to be done.

The Farview Subdivision is the second neighborhood to be involved with the program.  Two (2) neighborhood meetings have been held in 2011.  Drainage and water line improvements are planned. Other neighborhood improvements are being considered.

Tillman Residents Take Part in a Neighborhood Clean Up Blitz with City Staff

Palm Bay Road Streetscape Plans - 30% drainage and design plans for Palm Bay Road between US-1 and Robert J. Conlan Boulevard have been completed by the Wade Trim, Inc. consulting firm.  The plans incorporate entryway features at US-1, a roundabout at Main Street, sidewalks and pedestrian cross walks, on-street parking at certain locations, L.E.D. street lighting and landscaping.  The BCRA has contracted with the Wade Trim Engineering Consulting firm to draft 100% design plans for the entire stretch of Palm Bay Road in the Bayfront Community Redevelopment District from Robert J. Conlan Boulevard to US-1. There is no funding for construction at this time. The BCRA and City will try to obtain funding from grants or possibly issue a bond in the future to pay for the improvements. View architectural renderings of the 30% design.