Fall/Winter 2009
Included in the CRA Redevelopment Plan is the goal of encouraging private homeownership & creating viable neighbor-
hoods thus eliminating blight. In the spring of 2009, the CRA undertook the creation of a Cultural Redevelopment Plan to
address this issue. The plan includes the redevelopment of residential & commercial properties that includes opportunities
for homeowner occupancy, improved rental property conditions, as well as the prioritization of commercial and retail redevel-
opment. Components of the plan include an evaluation of existing conditions, an evaluation of existing city policies affecting
those conditions, an evaluation of existing local and outside revitalization strategies, and conclusions with recommendations
for implementing better strategies to accomplish the goals set. Research and subsequent recommendations will be given on
the topic of land use, transportation, public transit, lighting, crime, housing stock, building code enforcement, rental rates,
infrastructure improvements, and education. The Cultural Redevelopment Plan is modeled after the Paducah Artist Reloca-
tion Program, which has become a national model focusing on arts and cultural industries as a tool to address economic and
neighborhood decline.
Arts and cultural activities attract tourists and spur the creation of ancillary facilities such as retail and commercial shops,
restaurants, hotels, and the services needed to support them. Arts and cultural facilities and events attract local and exter-
nal re-investment, enhance property values, increase tax resources and increase overall profitability for communities. In
doing so, the arts become a direct contributor to urban and rural revitalization. The arts industry, with $36.8 billion in annual
revenue, is a potent force in economic development nationwide. States and communities have integrated the arts into their economic development plan arsenal to achieve a
wide range of direct and indirect economic goals. Arts programs have served as components of high-impact economic development programs by assisting state and local
government in:
• Leveraging human capital and cultural resources to generate economic vitality in under-performing regions
through tourism, crafts, arts and cultural attractions
• Restoring and revitalizing communities by serving as a centerpiece for downtown redevelopment and
cultural renewal
• Creating vibrant public spaces integrated with natural amenities, resulting in improved urban quality of life,
expanded business and tax revenue base, and positive regional and community image
• Contributing to a region’s ‘innovation habitat’ by simultaneously improving regional quality of life - making
communities more attractive to highly desirable, knowledge-based employees - and permitting new forms of
knowledge- intensive production to flourish
Although the arts and cultural industries will be a promotional centerpiece in the Cultural Redevelopment Plan, the CRA has taken a holistic approach to the initiative. The
initiative will also include workforce housing, homeownership, access to markets, financial help and financial management education, job training and skill building opportuni-
ties; all for low to moderate income residents. The CRA will also address infrastructure upgrades and green, sustainable, walkable, community design as part of the Initiative.
The CRA is in the process of developing a financial incentive package along with website, advertising, and marketing strategy.
The CRA is proud to say that as a result of the Cultural Redevelopment Plan, the Palm
Welcome New CRA Beach County Cultural Council announced plans to relocate their offices to downtown
Lake Worth. The Palm Beach County Cultural Council is a multi-faceted cul-
Board of Commissioners tural organization which has been assigned the tasks of marketing the county for cultural tourism, advocating for cultural funding,
Andy Amoroso supporting arts education and providing grants to cultural organizations and artists.
Edward Grimm
Michael Hyde The Cultural Council has been a part of Palm Beach County for over 30 years and has taken a lead-
Peter Meyerhoefer ership role in nurturing, promoting and celebrating the arts and cultural community in one of Florida’s
largest and most diverse counties. Established in 1978 as the Palm Beach County Council of the Arts
Jessica Rockstein
by community leader Alexander W. Dreyfoos, Jr. (and renamed as the Cultural Council in 1992), the
Donna Ross organization is officially recognized by the Board of County Commissioners as the county's advisory
Cary Sabol agency for cultural development and administers a portion of local tourist development funds under
contract with county government. The Cultural Council is lead by their Executive Director, Ms. Rena
CRA Staff Blades and a 19 member board of directors.
Joan C. Oliva This welcomed addition to our city will bring at least 12 new full-time jobs to the area and hundreds of
CRA Executive Director visitors to the downtown on a monthly basis. Additionally, the Cultural Council expects to expand its
workforce and provide gallery and meeting space for artists. The partnership between the CRA and
Emily Theodossakos
the Cultural Council is an integral part of the Cultural Redevelopment Plan and is considered a major
Project Coordinator
investment that will result in increased opportunities for artists currently living in the city and those
Chris Dabros wishing to relocate to Lake Worth. Ms. Rena Blades
Program Planner
CORPORAL’S CORNER
by Corporal Richard Sciarrino
With summer here and vacation time at hand you need to remember to take steps to
help protect your property against would be criminals. Remember burglars go through
neighborhoods looking for uncut lawns, stuffed mailboxes and piled up newspapers. In
the evening, they look for darkened houses or lights that have been left on too long.
The following burglary prevention tips will help to make you and your family safer:
The burglary basics:
• Make your home look occupied and make it difficult to break into.
• Lock all outside doors and windows before you leave the house or go to bed.
• Leave lights on when you go out. If you are going to be away for a length of time, On May 15, a group of 75 small business entrepreneurs in and around Lake
connect some lamps to automatic timers to turn them on in the evening and off Worth gathered in the city's Golf Course clubhouse for a day-long small busi-
during the day. ness workshop. Lake Worth CRA Former Vice Chair Brendan Lynch wel-
comed those assembled and the Greater Lake Worth Chamber of Commerce
• Keep your garage door closed and locked.
President Tom Ramiccio talked about the coming National Small Business
• Don't allow daily deliveries of mail, newspapers or flyers build up while you are Week. He also reviewed the various Chamber services available for small
away. Arrange with the Post Office to hold your mail, or arrange for a friend or business owners. Wes Blackman, former Lake Worth CRA Board Member,
neighbor to take your mail and newspapers regularly. served as the Master of Ceremonies for this event..
• Arrange for your lawn to be mowed if you are going away for an extended time.
A number of small business development professionals gathered to inform the
• Sliding glass doors are vulnerable. Special locks are available for better security.
group on ways to establish, grow and sustain their businesses – including
information on how to access Small Business Administration (SBA) programs
Don't tempt a thief:
and how to become vendors to the Federal government. Adrian Salee,
• Lawn mowers, barbecues and bicycles are best stored out of sight. SCORE Business Counselor gave pointers on preparing a business plan and
• Always lock your garden sheds and garages. stressed its importance. Laurence Davenport, Executive Director of the Busi-
• Never leave notes on your door such as "Gone shopping." ness Loan Fund of the Palm Beaches, addressed the group. He said that his
organization specializes in smaller loans to businesses that are otherwise not
Targeting the outside: "bankable" or where physical access to credit sources is a problem.
• Have adequate exterior lighting. A motion-sensitive light is recommended for Additional workshops will be held throughout the year in Lake Worth. Informa-
front yards as well as your backyard. tion will be provided on the CRA website. For more information on the SBDC
• Trim trees and shrubs so that they cannot be used as hiding places for intruders. at Palm Beach Community College please call 561.862.4725.
Alarms:
• An alarm system is excellent for home security. It provides peace of mind to
homeowners, especially while on vacation. There is a wide variety of alarm sys-
tems on the market.
• Make several inquiries to different companies for the best security system avail-
able to you.
If your home is broken into remember the following steps to help the Sheriff’s
Office conduct a proper investigation:
• Do not enter - the perpetrator may still be inside.
• Use a neighbor's phone to call police.
• Do not touch anything or clean up until the deputies have inspected for evidence.
Events
Other precautions you should take: Bike Night - Thursdays, 6-10pm, Lake Avenue
Downtown Lake Worth
• Never leave keys under doormats, flowerpots, mailboxes or other "secret" hiding
places - burglars know where to look for hidden keys. Evening on the Avenues - 1st & 3rd Friday, 6-10pm
• Keep a detailed inventory of your valuable possessions, including a description of Lake Worth Cultural Plaza
the items, date of purchase, original value, and serial numbers. Keep a copy in a
safe place away from home. This is a good precaution in case of fires or other Oceanside Farmers Market - Saturdays, 8am Rain or shine
disasters. Make photographic or video records of valuable objects, heirlooms and North J Street at Lake Avenue, Downtown Lake Worth
antiques. Your insurance company can provide assistance in making and keep- www.oceanside-farmersmarket.com
ing your inventory.
• Be a good neighbor. If you notice anything suspicious in your neighborhood Downtown Cultural Alliance Sidewalk Sales - October 10, 2009
call 9-1-1 immediately. 10am-4pm Rain or shine, Downtown Lake Worth
• Mark your valuables with your driver's license number with an engraver you can For more info call 533-5272
borrow from the Sheriff’s Office. Marked items are harder for a burglar to dispose
of and easier for the Sheriff’s Office to recover. Meetings
• The MOST important thing YOU can do is CALL the SHERIFF’S OFFICE to The CRA meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month at
report a CRIME or any SUSPICIOUS activity. City Hall (7 North Dixie Highway, Lake Worth) at 6pm
All agendas and backup for meetings can be found on the
CRA’s website, www.lakeworthcra.org.
A Note From Our Chair by Mark Rickards, Former Lake Worth CRA Chair
As I finish my term as a voluntary CRA member and Chairman, I was asked to vision of the future. That does not change or diminish my feelings of pride about the
share some thoughts and reflections for the newsletter. What follows are some huge and lasting positive impact both projects are to the city infrastructure (above
personal feelings and convictions about the nature of the CRA and lessons I've and below ground).
learned over the last 4 years. I could probably sum it up with the statement
The Florida Statutes provide for the creation of a
"everyone makes assumptions." Lake Worth is a complicated town; and while the
CRA as a separate and distinct agency; to re-
CRA is tasked with eliminating 'slum and blight;' there is no simple solution to the
ceive incremental tax revenue to be spent directly
complex reasons that cause a neighborhood, street, or roadway to go into de-
and effectively within the boundaries of the CRA
cline. Trying, striving to make the hundreds of small decisions and larger decisions
district under a separate budget from that of the
and learning from the past is a wonderful process. I would encourage every resident
City. This is a very different thing from a Parks
of Lake Worth to be a part of a volunteer board or attend more meetings to get
and Recreation Department of the City or the
involved and make yourself heard; and to listen. Ok, two main thoughts and I will
Planning and Zoning Department, etc. With that
say farewell for now.
being said the City Commission has oversight
The roadway projects for and appointment authorities for the CRA Board,
6th Avenue South and 10th and can remove appointed board members at
Avenue North were envi- will. Over the course of the last few years, I have
sioned years before I joined realized that some members of the public as well
the board and were well as members of the commission assume that the
underway with a vision CRA should be run more like a city department,
about what would happen with co-mingled budgets, blurring the line between what is CRA and what are City
'next' after they were im- responsibilities. By the time this article is published, the City Commission may have
proved. This vision is found made the decision to take on the responsibilities of the CRA board, acting in both
in the Gateway Zoning capacities. In my opinion this would not be the best choice; however the tension of a
District, adopted by the City separate board that answers to a divided Commission, each commissioner having
Commission. Those as- separate views on what the vision for the CRA district really should be while demon-
sumptions were made largely in the middle of one of the biggest economic ground- strating an unwillingness to have an active dialogue on the topic is also unworkable.
swells in history, and in my opinion; some new discussions should be had about the
In conclusion, I appreciate the opportunity to learn and grow as a member of the
surrounding properties in proximity to 6th and 10th, and a re-examination of what
community; to listen and communicate on difficult decisions; and to be a part of the
the Commission and residents truly want to see on these gateways to the
Lake Worth CRA for these past years. I love our City!
City. Some things have changed; the area and neighborhoods still need to be ad-
dressed and a consensus needs to be reached if the vision of the past is not the
land use regulations. This inconsistency makes the capture commercial real estate tax revenue where
redevelopment challenges complicated and the de- now it is nonexistent.
sire for a unified and comprehensive development
I know firsthand the
strategy next to impossible.
value of beautification
Lake Worth is in a great position to create a vibrant of Dixie and the impor-
business community on the corridor. Because Dixie tance of quality retail-
Highway in Lake Worth is located in a community ers in close proximity
redevelopment area it allows the agency the freedom to one another to
to research and develop the highway in a way that create a primary shop-
meets the City’s needs. ping arena. This is the
type of growth and
A recent study done by Treasure Cost Planning re-
development the City
vealed that 89% of goods and services needed locally
had at one time and is
are purchased outside City limits. In fact many other
ripe for now. In addi-
cities are capturing our retail dollars for things like,
tion to the need and
shoes, clothing and family recreation. With the esca-
desire of keeping our
Miles of vacant store fronts and empty lots stretch lating cost of gas and the global emphasis on “green”;
money in town, there
along Dixie Highway from south Miami to Maine. It is cities are venturing back to sustainable “small town”
is the multiple effect of also creating new jobs and
a constant reminder of a time passed when the best shopping venues. The concept lowers the carbon
increasing the tax base. The zoning for most com-
travel route up the east coast was the two lane high- footprint and encourages neighborhood shopping.
mercial corridors throughout the City offers a buffer to
way with friendly motels and plenty of places to share
Specific target marketing of Dixie Highway needs to the neighborhoods. These buffers not only offer resi-
coffee and a piece of homemade pie.
begin now while land prices are low and the develop- dents relief from daily traffic, but also provide opportu-
City officials, planners and citizens are engaged in a ment of commercial properties is viable. Interest rates nities for jobs and commerce.
contest of sorts to figure out how to transform Dixie are low and businesses have started to rethink and
By turning the focus on Dixie Highway, Lake Worth
Highway back into a productive and attractive desti- reshape their business plans. Dixie Highway is Lake
can lead the bordering cities to the same green pas-
nation. Making this an incredibly difficult task, besides Worth’s diamond in the rough. By putting effort into
ture. By beginning now, Lake Worth gets first pick.
the slumping economy, is that each town and munici- target marketing now not only will we attract the best
pality that Dixie cuts through has different zoning and in shopping for the local economy but the City would
In an effort to be environmentally responsible, the CRA is making its newsletter available in a digital format. If you have access to e-mail, we ask that
you please e-mail us at cra@lakeworth.org with the subject line; Mailing List. We will then remove you from our hard-copy mailing list and instead
send correspondence to you via the internet.
Early on a Saturday morning in June, over 25 neighbors
got together to clean one of their neighborhood alleys. My name is Michael Morabito, and I am privileged to have
This effort is part of a new program created by the Down- this opportunity to introduce myself.
town Jewel Neighborhood Association (DJNA). In January,
I have been with the City of Lake Worth’s Code Compliance
a survey of the DJNA members indicated that mainte-
Division for more than two years and was recently selected to
nance of the alleys is a priority. The alleys are a beautiful
be dedicated to assisting the CRA I am enthusiastic to be
asset of our neighborhood and clean alleys and other
working with the CRA Board and staff to help make the City
public spaces improve the quality of life and property val-
of Lake Worth a better place to live and work.
ues.
I have been living in South Florida since 1955 and I have an
A meeting with advisors from the City of Lake Worth, the
extensive background in the building industry. I bring to this
Palm Beach County Sherriff’s Department and the Lake
position certifications from the Florida Association of Code
Worth CRA proved very beneficial. From this meeting, an
enforcement (FACE), International Code Council (ICC), and
education program directed to Lake Worth homeowners
American Home Inspectors Training Institute (AHIT), as well
and renters was created. For example, most citizens are
as being a certified home inspector. I am also certified in
not aware that they are responsible for maintenance of the alley behind their property line.
mold remediation and inspections. I hold a bachelors degree
The DJNA committee created an “Alley Pledge” program. The goal is to create a program that can be in business from the University of Miami. I have also worked
duplicated and used by all of Lake Worth neighborhood associations. The Alley Pledge program has for two of the largest custom home builders in the country:
three parts. First, after creating a map of the neighborhood, we scheduled cleanings for all the alleys in Taylor Woodrow out of London and Toll Brothers, in which I
the DJNA (DJNA is located just south of the Downtown Business district). This schedule covers a 12 was project manager for numerous parcels. My wife Cindy
month period. and I have lived in the western suburbs of Lake Worth for the
past 13 years, we love to travel and I am an avid golfer. We
Second, a letter is mailed to the owners of the homes for the next are extremely proud to have a daughter serve our Country as
scheduled cleanup. The letter informs the owner of the program a Captain in the United States Army.
and provides information about the City ordinance that outlines a
homeowner’s responsibility to keep areas free of garbage I look forward to serving this community and speaking to you,
(Ordinance 83-28 Section 12). We invite them to meet their I can be reached at 561-586-1652 or e-mail me at mmora-
neighbors and participate in the cleanup. Additionally, a door bito@lakeworth.org.
hanger is distributed before the cleanup to all the homes involved.
Thank you,
Third, we created an alley pledge sign as a physical reminder for people. The sign says “We’re Helping
Michael Morabito
Keep it Clean! “ The sign is posted on the fence or building facing the alley. The owner signs a pledge
City of Lake Worth
form promising to keep it clean. Additionally the sign shows people using the alley, that people care
CRA/Code Compliance Inspector
about the alley and hopefully others will too. The neighborhood has also compiled a series of publica-
tions relating to the alleyways which covers security, lighting and even how to install a gate in your
fence. For more information about the Alley Pledge program or the Downtown Jewel Neighborhood
Association email downtownjewelnews@hotmail.com.
Lake Worth Community Redevelopment Agency
29 South J Street, Suite 1 ▪ Lake Worth, FL 33460 ▪ www.lakeworthcra.org
T: 561.493.2550 ▪ F: 561.493.2549
Photo Credit: Kirtap Productions