Commercial Development

While the housing market continues to struggle, general contractors have stayed in business with the building of commercial buildings. This is a welcome activity in our town, as one of the key goals for city staff is the building of our tax base through economic development – the development of commercial and industrial properties.

Let’s take a look at what commercial projects are now underway, and what we anticipate in the early months of the new year.

What projects are now underway

• Holiday Inn Express – 82 rooms at Shoppes on the Ridge II, near Home Depot on US 27 North.


• Bank of America building downtown- 2nd and 3rd floor build-out and rear parking area re-surfaced, with landscaping.


• Walgreen’s – nearing completion at the corner Thompson Nursery Road and US 27 North, is part of a commercial center to be known as Willowbrook Square. The center will include a 7-11 convenience store and a bank.


• Polk County Health Department – new building on Central Ave. West, behind I-Hop.


• UPS expansion – The building just off SR 60 near the Crazy Fish Restaurant has been expanded and the parking lot and retention pond are now being finished.


• Lake Wales Hospital – Wings B & C are being renovated to include 32 suites, with meeting rooms and multi-purpose rooms. The projected value for the project is $2,600,000.00.


• Gate Petroleum gas station– at Shoppes on the Ridge II, US 27 North.


• Dr. Pass Medical Offices – a two story, 16,477 square foot building, located at SR 60 and 13th Street.


• Water’s Edge Independent/Assisted Living Facility – 159 units are under construction at this new life care facility near the intersection of SR 60 and 1st St. S.


• Carwash – SR 60 at 2nd St., renovation of a former gas station.


• Polk Community College – renovation of former City Hall to provide a new branch campus to include 6 classrooms, 1 Community room/class room on the first floor, administrative offices(4), and support areas for the building. The new campus will be open for classes in January.


• Offices and Loft Apartments - downtown in the Bullard building at the corner of Stuart Ave and Scenic Highway.


• Airport – the re-building of the airport is nearly complete. New hangers, both t-hangers and corporate hangers, are finished, and the Fixed Based Operator building is nearing completion.


• New restaurant- “Lil Chambrots Diner” is coming into the space at Central and Phillips formerly occupied by Havana Nights.

What we anticipate

• Shoppes on the Ridge Phase II – completion of 67,000 square feet in-line shopping and 4 additional out-parcels on US 27 N, between the Publix center and Home Depot.


• ABC Liquor – to be built on an out-parcel at Lowe’s.


• New medical offices – 11th St. across from hospital.


• Peace Creek Promenade – Just North of the Hampton Inn and Suites on US 27 N, 240,000 square feet of commercial space.


• Topper’s Creamery – SR 60 next to Suntrust Bank.


• Grand Hotel – At the December 2 meeting the CRA will be asked to approve the prioritized list of developers who responded to the “request for proposals”, and appoint a committee to negotiate a contract for the conveyance and renovation of the hotel building downtown.


• Race Trac gas station – US 27 N across from Wendy’s.


• Walker Building on Lincoln Ave.- a group is seeking to renovate this building for a professional office upstairs and apartments downstairs. There would also be an office space downstairs for the police sub-station, which currently works out of the B Street Center.


• Medical Offices – Renovation is proposed for an existing building on US 27 North.

Economic Redevelopment

Community re-development is a busy activity in our town. The proposals for the Grand Hotel will be opened, the Lincoln Ave area is moving forward, and the City Commission just approved the submission of an application for the next round of Community Development Block Grant awards. Let’s take a quick review of these activities!

Grand Hotel

The City has received five proposals for re-development of the Grand Hotel. The City Commission has appointed a committee to review the proposals consisting of the following individuals:

• Robin Gibson, representing the Chamber’s CRA Steering Committee;


• Betty Wojick, Chamber Executive Director


• Jan Privett, Main Street Manager


• Tony Otte, City Manager


• Harold Gallup, City Economic Development Director


• Tina Peak, Library Director


• A representative of the City’s new Historic District Regulatory Board


• Don Martin of Martin Vargas (author of the recent downtown re-development plan), advisor

The proposals will be distributed to Committee members and opened at the Committee’s first meeting, which will be held at 1 pm on Thursday, October 9, at City Hall. Two additional Committee meetings have already been scheduled: Thursday, October 16, and Thursday, October 23, all at City Hall at 1 pm. All review committee meetings are open to the public, and minutes will be taken.

Lincoln Avenue Re-Development

Five years ago a meeting was held at the B Street Center to discuss the re-establishment of neighborhood commercial business activities on Lincoln Avenue. Al Hawkins, a member of the Green and Gold Foundation, summed up what was needed to be successful: the area has to be “clean, and safe”.

Since that meeting, the City has purchased or foreclosed on 8 land parcels in the Lincoln Avenue area, with additional parcels being considered. One of these parcels is the location of the Walker Building at the SW corner of Lincoln and C Streets, which is the largest commercial structure in the Lincoln Avenue neighborhood commercial area. The City has secured and painted the building using a color from the color palette selected for the area. Plans for the sale and renovation of the building are now being formulated.

The City has also demolished two dilapidated commercial buildings on Lincoln Ave, and has provided grants through the CRA to renovate the building front and exterior walls (“façade grants”) for four commercial properties, two on Lincoln and two on Wiltshire Blvd.

More recently, the CRA Board approved the opening of a police sub-station to serve Lincoln Ave and the surrounding area. The substation will supplement existing police efforts and will be staffed with three experienced police officers. This community policing initiative is another step to make the area safe.

CDBG Grant Application

The City Commission recently approved the submission of a grant application for the next round of Community Development Block Grant awards. In order to be competitive, this grant requires a match of City funds. The match is a City utility project that has been planned to bring better water service to the east side of downtown. If awarded, CDBG grant funds will be used for the following projects:

• Additional landscaping on Central, Stuart, and Park Avenues


• New lighting on Lincoln Avenue


• A parking lot near Lincoln and C streets


• New facades for three buildings on Lincoln Avenue

Re-development is an essential goal for our town. The City is working with the Chamber’s CRA Steering Committee, Main Street, and other interested parties to plan and complete re-development projects. Your interest and participation are welcomed.

Opportunities & Challenges

Our town is presented with a number of exciting opportunities as well as some difficult challenges. Let’s explore some of the more prominent opportunities and a difficult challenge that are before us.

Some Exciting Opportunities

• Downtown Investment - It has been estimated that there is more money being invested in downtown in 2007-08 than in any time in the last 20 years. Planning and renovations are in process or just completed at the North Arcade, Bank of America building, old City Hall, the Bullard Building, and Ed Pilkington’s building on Park Ave. next to the Arcade. Substantial investment has also been made at Tres Jolie and the Arcade Coffee Shop. Brenda’s Gifts adds another fine retailer, and another restaurant is opening in place of the Stuart Ave. Café. These improvements will help crystallize our position as a premier destination in Central Florida.



• Downtown Study - The study of downtown by Martin Vargas, funded by Richard Quaid, is nearing completion. It will be the starting point for healthy discussions on the direction for downtown capital improvements.



• Grand Hotel - The City’s acquisition of this landmark building is a step forward. On March 30 the CRA board and the Chamber’s CRA Steering Committee will meet at 6 p.m. in the Commission Chambers to discuss the downtown study and the next round of requesting proposals.



• CSX - The CSX development proposed in Winter Haven is expected to bring companies that will use the facility to SR 60 in our town’s utility service area (and future city area) east of the railroad track at Petersen Industries. The City Commission recently gave an endorsement of this project with conditions relating to the abatement of pollution and traffic.

A Difficult Challenge

Budget Woes
The downturn in the economy is affecting cities as well as households. At this point City staff projects that at year end, budgeted revenues will be short nearly $400,000; however, because of spending cutbacks to this point, the current difference between revenue and expense is projected to be $91,550 in the General Fund. The City’s Finance Committee and City Commission will hold special meetings to determine how this shortage will be corrected. The dates and times of these meetings are now being arranged and will be announced in the near future.

The need for spending cuts comes at a time when the City needs to improve the amount of reserves in the General Fund. The General Fund contains the funding for critical emergency services (police and fire) as well as culture/recreation, and many of the departments in City Hall. A major funding source in the General Fund, property tax revenue, has the bulk of its receipts after January 1. The General Fund reserves are used not only in case of unanticipated, emergency expenditures, but to “carry” the General Fund in the early part of the fiscal year (October, November, and December) until the bulk of the tax revenue is received.

Our town has been through difficult times in the past, and the City Commission will make the necessary corrections. In this process, your input is welcome.

State of the City

On January 18 I will make my annual “State of the City” presentation at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon. This event will be held at the First Baptist Church at noon.

This year’s presentation will reflect the accomplishments of the past year but will focus on what we expect in 2008. The new year has the potential to be the most rewarding year in quite some time, as a number of projects that are being planned are scheduled to come to fruition. The areas of high expectation include downtown re-development, Lincoln Ave re-development, and City capital projects.

Downtown Re-Development

There are signs of a positive momentum beginning to take shape downtown:

• The renovation of old city hall is now well-underway, with a new branch campus of Polk Community College set to open in 2009;


• The Bullard building at Scenic and Stuart is being re-modeled at a sizeable cost to create office and apartment lofts upstairs;


• Tres Jolie has opened in their new location on Park Avenue with a substantial investment for its bakery, restaurant, and catering business;


• In anticipation of their mall lease expiring, Brenda’s gifts has opened a new store on Park Avenue;


• The Bank of America building has been sold to the 610 Corporation, a firm with holdings that include properties in downtown Winter Haven. Peterson Myers has leased the upper two floors and construction plans are being drawn. The third floor of that building has never been occupied!


• The City and the County have agreed to waive impact fees (except City water and sewer impact fees) in a “core improvement area” that includes downtown and the Lincoln Avenue neighborhood commercial district;


• The Chamber’s new CRA (Community Re-Development Agency) steering committee has hired Martin Vargas to do the first phase of a downtown study with a $25,000 donation from Richard Quaid, who purchased and just completed the remodeling of the north arcade. The study is scheduled for completion in February, and it is anticipated that some recommendations will be implemented immediately with CRA funds budgeted in this fiscal year;


• The City has received title to the Grand Hotel, and proposals for its use are being solicited with a deadline of March 31.

Lincoln Avenue Neighborhood Commercial Re-Development

There is progress being made in re-developing the Lincoln Avenue Neighborhood Commercial District:

• The first new business on Lincoln Avenue since the hurricanes is preparing to open! Massey’s Meat Market is located at 344 Lincoln Avenue, between C and D Streets;


• The Green and Gold Foundation operates a Farmer’s Market in the vacant lot at the SE corner of Lincoln Avenue and C Street on Fridays and Saturdays;


• The CRA has acquired the Walker Building at the SW corner of Lincoln Avenue and C Street and is working with an architect to explore re-modeling options;


• City staff is also exploring the feasibility of building a police sub-station at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and B Street with the help of an investor who is working with the Green and Gold Foundation.

City Capital Projects

The CRA Board, consisting of the City Commissioners, recently approved a $9.5 million bond issue for capital projects. The biggest single project will be street re-surfacing, with funds also budgeted for utility projects. All funds will be spent in the CRA area, which is generally the historic area of the City and includes downtown and the Lincoln Avenue/Northwest area.

Our town is welcoming the new year with great anticipation. Happy New Year, Lake Waleans!

Committed to Economic Development

"Economic development" is a broad term referring to efforts to encourage business growth –either the expansion of existing businesses, or the attraction of new businesses. The City Commission is committed to economic development and included it as one of the six foundation statements in the City’s Strategic Plan (available of the City’s website, in the budget section.)

This commitment is linked to the recognition that the tax base of Lake Wales is out of balance when compared to other similarly sized cities. The cities of Auburndale and Haines City both have a higher valued tax base than Lake Wales for commercial and industrial property. In addition, we want to provide career jobs for our residents... and for our children when they are ready to enter the workforce.

The City Commission has taken a number of steps to enhance economic development, with more to follow:

• The creation of the Longleaf Business Park. The park is an outstanding business address;


• The approval of the master plan for the Mayfair development. Across from Longleaf on south US 27, this development includes a commercial center and hotel;


• The vision for West S.R. 60. The area from West Central Avenue west to the railroad track is a future commercial/industrial area for the City. A new City water plant is being built at the airport to serve the area, and several industrial parcels have been annexed. The airport is a key factor, as improvements are being made that will help attract new businesses, and property on site not used for airport operations is being considered for potential industrial sites. Senator J.D. Alexander and the Airport Authority are advancing this project;


• Approval of commercial development around the Eagle Ridge Mall. These approvals include the new Chili’s and Lowe’s; the building of a new Hampton Inn and Suites across from the south entrance to the Mall on US 27, and an adjacent planned shopping development; and the approval of plans for a shopping area between the Publix center and Home Depot, and across US 27 at the corner of Thompson Nursery Road;


• Approval of the location of PCC’s (Polk Community College) branch campus downtown. The location of PCC in old city hall can also be viewed as an economic development project. A recent study of "great small towns" across the country noted that many have a downtown college presence;


• The partnership with the Chamber of Commerce’s new Re-development Steering Committee. The Committee is off to a great start with a $25,000 donation from developer Richard Quaid, to be use for one of several area-specific studies;


• Approval of funding to encourage neighborhood commercial uses to return to Lincoln Avenue. Kimbrough & Associates is facilitating this and other re-development efforts. A Farmer’s Market will soon open on Fridays and Saturdays at the corner of Lincoln and C Streets, and a building nearby is being renovated for a meat store;


• Approval of site plans for new business locations on Scenic Highway. Several businesses have opened in new buildings north of Burns Avenue;


• Consideration of a new industrial park. On September 18 the City Commission will consider the annexation of existing industrial property on Hunt Brothers Road, as well as adjacent property for a new industrial park with railroad access;


• Approval of funding for on-going Economic Development efforts. In addition to Kimbrough & Associates, Dolly Pelletier is the City’s full-time Main Street Manager; and the City’s efforts are anchored by Economic Development Director, Harold Gallup.