ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Thursday, neighbors and business owners in the 'West City' area of St. Augustine heard updated plans for the development of their neighborhood.
The West CRA Steering Committee held its first meeting to discuss feedback it collected from neighbors and business owners in the area.
"Drainage is bad," committee member Wanda Sams said.
"We are very concerned about affordable housing," said committee member Jeanne Moeller.
"And, of course, the sidewalks," committee member BJ Kaladi added.
The committee said improved infrastructure and affordable housing were at the top of the list.
The West City Community Redevelopment Agency (WCCRA) was created in April and is a special development area between the historic center and West Augustine. It was created to address blight in the area and will take county and city tax dollars generated in the CRA and pump them back in the community for 30 years.
Brian Lieberman owns Sailbird Distilling on West King Street and spoke at the CRA committee meeting. He'd like to see improved parking and signage pointing people towards West City.
“If you’re hungry at 9 p.m. or even 8 p.m., there’s no place to get food, sit down and get treated to a meal," Lieberman said.
The committee will continue to gather in-person feedback and through an online survey. It will also study other CRAs in Lincolnville and Tampa.
By February 2025, the committee will have a plan in place, as Lieberman hopes it can attract more people to West City, but keep the neighborhood feel.
"We don’t want to be St. George Street," Lieberman said. "I actually don’t want this to look like any other corridor. I want it to be its own personality."
The next West City CRA meeting will be on Sept. 10 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Shiloh Baptist Church. The meeting will be a public workshop.