City staff outlines Lincolnville CRA annual report, $2.87 million expended and project timelines

Jamie Perkins, community services director for the City of St. Augustine, presented the Lincolnville Community Redevelopment Area annual report and said the CRA expended $2,870,018 in fiscal year 2025 across the city’s three redevelopment areas.

Perkins told the steering committee that the Lincolnville CRA — established in 2013 and amended in 2017 — covers about 541 acres and is scheduled to sunset in April 2033. She said the report compiles projects, budget and programs and includes photos from the city’s Redevelopment ’25 celebration.

The report lists four projects initiated in FY2025, two completed projects and 12 active projects overall. Perkins highlighted completed and near-complete institutional rehabilitation work, including the Greater Saint Mary’s rehab (final walk-through completed and the church held a service) and the Fountain of Youth Elks Lodge institutional rehabilitation, a roughly $1.4 million project partially funded by the African American Cultural and Historic Grant from the State of Florida.

Perkins outlined the Trinity Independent institutional rehab moving into formal bidding, noting staff will prioritize critical elements such as the bell tower. She said design services for Trinity totaled $95,500 and that staff plan to solicit contractors for large institutional work in phases.

On public-facility projects, Perkins said Haley Plaza is in the bidding stage after a well-attended pre-bid meeting; solicitations are due this week and staff aim to finish construction in October with an opening in November timed near Dr. Robert B. Haley’s 90th birthday. "We have solicitations out, and I believe this week actually is the date that any interested respondents would need to submit their response," Perkins said.

Perkins also updated the committee on Eddie Vickers Park: one final design piece remains for the kayak launch and the project is partially funded by the Florida Inland Navigation District, which imposes a tight spending timeline. "We are on a tight time clock with that," she said. Because construction laydown will use the area planned for a dog park, Perkins said staff recommend delaying dog-park construction until kayak-launch work is largely complete.

On neighborhood housing programs, Perkins described the Fix It Up residential repair program (amended to allow up to $100,000 per qualified resident) and said the city expended $317,000 on the program in FY2025. She added that the newly established West City CRA launched a Revive and Restore pilot offering $25,000 grants, with about $150,000 budgeted for that program this year.

Perkins summarized FY2025 revenues for all three CRAs combined: county tax increment investment $3,023,664; city tax increment $2,879,153; and other revenue $1,454,722. She explained how funds are categorized for debt service, capital improvements, historic/cultural preservation and resident stabilization.

Committee members praised staff and asked clarifying questions about line items such as a $16,000 acquisition expense; Perkins said that amount covered consulting services for potential property-acquisition programming and data collection. The committee also discussed operational issues including dog-waste station staffing and the schedule for playground equipment replacement at Eddie Vickers Park.

Perkins closed by noting staff availability to provide permit documentation or additional details by email and by thanking volunteers and partners. The committee set its next meeting for Monday, July 6 and adjourned.