Volusia County approves new CRA
At its December 11 meeting, the Volusia County Council approved a new community redevelopment area (CRA) for New Smyrna Beach to begin October 15, 2015. The CRA is expected to renovate blighted areas of the City's Historic Westside Community and U.S. 1 using an estimated $15 million generated over 20 years. The new CRA includes most of U.S. 1 in the City limits, the New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport, the Historic Westside, West Canal Street, the former K-Mart Plaza, a portion of the North Causeway, and 180 acres of Federal East Coast Railway Company (FECR) property west of U.S. 1 and south of Canal Street. Beachside properties and Canal Street properties from U.S. 1 to Riverside Drive, which are in the current CRA, are not included in the new CRA. For more information, please log on to www.cityofnsb.com/US1-CRA.

Boat ramp renovations
Members of the New Smyrna Beach City Commission and Volusia County Council ceremoniously broke ground December 15 on the North Causeway Boat Ramp Improvement Project. The west side of the facility -- including the boat ramps, restrooms and parking lot -- will remain closed throughout the six-month construction project. However, the east side ramps are open with porta-potties. Additional boat trailer parking is available in the vacant lot at 160 N. Causeway (also known as the AOB site). The overall cost of the project is nearly $825,000. It is funded by a FIND grant, by the City of New Smyrna Beach, and by the County of Volusia and the City of New Smyrna Beach through the City’s CRA.

Housing programs
The CRA continues to work on two housing programs in the Historic Westside. Southeast Volusia Habitat for Humanity is planning construction of a duplex on Sheldon Street. The New Smyrna Beach Housing Authority will build six housing units in the Dimmick Street/Railroad Avenue area. Plans include two single family and two duplex units.

Grant applications received
At the January 13 meeting, the CRA will review 14 grant applications and determine if grant awards will be made. Applications were received in three grant programs: the Combined Grant Program, Residential Improvement Grant Program, and Small-Scale Improvements Grant Program. CRA staff will process these applications and make recommendations. Copies of the applications are available for review on the City's website www.cityofnsb.com/109/Community-Redevelopment-Agency in the agenda packet for the December 9 CRA meeting.

Community center construction continues
The renovation of the Babe James Community Center at the corner of Myrtle and Washington Avenues continues. The project includes relocation of offices to newly constructed space at the front entrance of the building to enlarge the meeting room and enable larger groups to hold meetings and conferences at the center. The anticipated completion date is June 2015.