N. Causeway development proposals
The City of New Smyrna Beach has received four development proposals for 4.4 waterfront acres owned by the City at 160 N. Causeway. A staff committee ranked the proposals at a November 5 public meeting. Proposals were evaluated based on professional abilities/experience, financial feasibility, conceptual development/overall vision and the development schedule. The City Commission will determine which if any proposal to pursue. The review process will be on the agenda for the November 19 City Commission meeting.

LOOP wins marketing award     
"Doin' the LOOP" has redevelopment experts taking notice. The New Smyrna Beach Community Redevelopment Agency's (CRA) marketing initiative for its NSB Waterfront LOOP has earned the Roy F. Kenzie award for marketing and communications from the Florida Redevelopment Association. The NSB Waterfront LOOP is an initiative by the New Smyrna Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to promote waterfront, historical and commercial core areas of the City. The LOOP includes Canal Street, the North Causeway, Flagler Avenue, Third Avenue and parts of the Historic Westside Community. The FRA awards committee carefully selects the winners from over 60 entries. All of the entries embody the spirit of successful community redevelopment and revitalization.

Faulkner Street proposal
CRA staff is negotiating with White Challis for the sale of property at 103 Faulkner Street. The 1.4-acre site will be used to develop 18 mixed-use townhouse units. Units are anticipated to be three stories high and may have an office on the first floor, which makes it a good fit for professional services. White Challis was the sole respondent to a Request for Proposals issued last summer and opened on August 30, 2012.

N. Causeway improvements planned
Plans to give the North Causeway a facelift are underway. Improvements associated with the North Causeway Improvement project will provide thematic improvements and landscaping to compliment the vast expanse of open areas and low rise buildings. The character of the corridor and frontage roadways also will be modified to reflect a more pedestrian-oriented facility. Still under development, the concept plan includes items such as pedestrian refuge islands, decorative crosswalks, enhancing the periodic intervals of Washingtonian Palm trees and other visual aesthetics to enhance the Causeway identity. The cost of the project is expected to be $400,000 and includes design, permitting, surveying and more. The project is funded by New Smyrna Beach and the County of Volusia through the City's CRA.

Mary Avenue Playground
Improvements to the Mary Avenue Playground in the City's Historic Westside Community are complete. City and County officials recently marked the completion with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The project included restrooms, a pavilion, decorative fencing and new playground equipment. New Smyrna Beach and the County of Volusia teamed to fund the nearly $145,000 project through the City's CRA.

Washington Street Streetscape Project complete
The ceremonial ribbon has been cut on another New Smyrna Beach CRA project. The Washington Street Streetscape project has enhanced the roadway, pedestrian access, stormwater system, and lighting along a one-quarter mile roadway from Myrtle Avenue to U.S. 1. In addition to paving work, sidewalks, landscaping, and street lights also have been installed. The nearly $1.4 million cost of the project was funded by the County of Volusia and the City of New Smyrna Beach through the City's CRA.

Dunn parking lot improvements
The Canal Street Historic District will get 36 additional parking spaces for Christmas. Construction is underway at the former Dunn Lumber site on the corner of U.S. 1 and W. Canal Street. A paved parking area will be enhanced with landscaping, stormwater improvements and decorative lighting for evening events. The project is scheduled for completion in mid-December at cost of nearly $196,500. The project is being funded by the County of Volusia and the City of New Smyrna Beach through the City's CRA.