NOTICE OF INTENT TO DISPOSE OF REAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE
COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AREA
COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) OF THE CITY OF SEBRING
Sebring, Florida
The Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Sebring (the CRA), a Florida special district,
hereby gives notice as required by Section 163.380 Florida Statutes, of its intent to invite proposals and
to make all pertinent information available to persons interested in undertaking to redevelop the following
vacant real properties:
231 South Ridgewood Drive
Sebring, FL 33870
S-29-34-29-070-0620-0120- Highlands County Property Appraiser (hcpao.com)
This subject property is located at 231 South Ridgewood Drive and is a two-story building on roughly
1.5 acres. The property has a prime location at the entryway to Downtown Sebring. It is zoned
commercial and comes with 56 parking spaces. A public parking lot is located across the street
containing an additional 82 parking spaces.
The purpose of this solicitation is to continue implementation of the Community Redevelopment Plan by
providing for the conveyance of the property owned by the CRA to the selected proposer for the
redevelopment of the property to remove conditions of slum and blight, increase the tax base, enhance
the quality of life, improve the aesthetics and useful enjoyment of the redevelopment area, and promote
the health, safety, morals and welfare of the residents of the CRA and the City.
The purpose of the redevelopment of this property is to promote revitalization and to serve
as a catalyst for the continued progression of the downtown with the goal of creating a destination to live,
work, shop, and play in an effort to increase foot traffic in the area.
Only businesses that are located outside of the CRA district and looking to relocate or
establish an additional location downtown will be considered. Proposals submitted by a
nonprofit agency will not be considered.
Proposals for the redevelopment of this site must further the purposes and objectives of the
CRA’s Redevelopment Master Plan (2022). A copy of the current master plan and applicable
design guidelines for the CRA district are available at https://downtownsebring.org/Resources. The
proposed structure’s façade design will be reviewed for approval by the CRA board, and the City’s
Historic Preservation Commission.
The CRA will consider the long-term benefits to be achieved by the CRA based on the proposed use,
the appraised value, the uses provided for in the CRA Plan and any other pertinent redevelopment
plans for the property, any design guidelines, restrictions, covenants, conditions, and other obligations
assumed by the purchaser of the property. The CRA shall consider all such redevelopment proposals
and the financial and legal ability of the persons making such proposals to carry them out. The CRA
may accept such proposals as it deems to be in the public interest and in furtherance of Chapter 163,
Part III, Florida Statutes.
Proposals must include:
· A description of the intended vision and use of the property
· Drawings/sketches of the proposed development of the property
· Documentation of the proposers’ experience and qualifications
· Documentation of the availability of funding to complete the development
· Documentation that the development meets the requirements of the CRA Plan
· Documentation that the development meets any and all design guidelines that may apply, as well as
all applicable zoning and land use requirements
The CRA will consider certain development “incentives” to assist in making the project
feasible for the selected proposal. Proposers have the ability to request conveyance of the property at
no cost, the provision of infrastructure inclusions by the CRA, housing incentives, tax
increment rebates, etc. If the proposer wishes to request incentives, those requests MUST be detailed
in the proposal for the CRA’s consideration.
The CRA reserves the right to select and subsequently negotiate definitive documents to
implement the proposal, which at its sole discretion, it deems to be in the public interest
and in furtherance of the purposes of Chapter 163, Part III, Florida Statutes. Or alternatively,
to reject all proposals or solicit the same or different proposals for consideration.
Interested persons shall be solely responsible for the cost of preparing and submitting
proposals. Proposals submitted shall become the physical and intellectual property of the
CRA.
Further information regarding the properties, the Redevelopment Master Plan, submission of proposals
and all other pertinent information available to the CRA may be obtained by contacting the CRA’s
Executive Director, Kristie Vazquez, 309 Circle Park Drive, Sebring, FL 33870, 863-471-5104,
KristieVazquez@mysebring.com.
A responsible proposer must provide a written, comprehensive proposal including all the required
information as detailed above to the CRA at the above address on or before 3:00 pm on November
1, 2024. Proposals must be sealed and include the title of the project on the outside of the package.
Proposals delivered to a different address or received after the deadline date listed in this notice may
not be accepted.