Hollywood, Florida — March 9, 2006 — One important objective of the Hollywood Beach Community Redevelopment Agency is to foster a positive flow of communication and information between all beach stakeholders, which include our resident and business communities.
Toward this end, the Beach CRA, along with the Hollywood Beach Civic Association, hosted the Community Renaissance & Awareness Workshop on March 8. This first-ever event allowed the Beach CRA to share information and exchange ideas with our fellow stakeholders at a crucial time when Hollywood Beach is entering a new chapter in its development.
The workshop drew a standing-room-only crowd of about 400 people, who came to the Hollywood Beach Culture and Community Center for an update on the redevelopment effort taking place in the Beach District. In addition to presentations by various speakers, the Beach CRA provided numerous informational handouts at the workshop.
As part of the lengthy question-and-answer session at the end of the formal program, beach residents and business owners had an opportunity to voice any concerns and give their input on the future of the beach community.
I’m sure the City officials and staff members who attended the workshop share my excitement over its success. Many residents expressed their satisfaction with how informative and well-organized the event was, and I look forward to planning more community meetings in the future.
I’d like to thank our speakers for their valued participation, including Mayor Mara Giulianti; Vice Mayor Cathleen Anderson, who represents the Beach District; City Manager Cameron D. Benson; Debra Case, president of the Hollywood Beach Business Association; Tom McMurrain, Vice President of Operations for Ocean Properties, Ltd., the developer of two Marriott projects on Hollywood Beach; and Bernard Zyscovich, President of Zyscovich, Inc. Zyscovich is analyzing existing conditions within the Beach CRA and will make recommendations for implementation of the City-Wide Master Plan and the Beach CRA Plan, which includes approximately $100 million in public improvement projects.
Mr. Zyscovich called Hollywood Beach the “crème de la crème” of the City, and I couldn’t agree more. Our unique seaside community is something very special and, first and foremost, we have a responsibility to protect its unique character.
For more information on the ongoing beach redevelopment effort, please feel free to contact the Hollywood Beach CRA at (954) 924-2980 or visit www.HollywoodBeachCRA.org.