'Complete game changer,' as Florida celebrates 100th rocket launch
Florida's Space Coast achieved its 100th orbital rocket launch of the year from Kennedy Space Center. The number of launches from the Space Coast this year has surpassed the combined total from the rest of the world. The increase in launches is not slowing down anytime soon. Col. Brian Chatman, commander of Space Launch Delta 45, said looking ahead toward 2035 to 2040, the Space Coast could see upwards of 300 launches in a single year. More from Florida Today.
Stalled development, vacant storefronts meet big investment, grand vision in downtown Orlando
Now as ever, downtown Orlando is a hub of contradictions. The urban core of our region has real challenges and blemishes. A key stretch of Church Street, from Orange Avenue west to the Kia Center, is practically vacant. Vertical construction that would add to the city’s skyline has dried up. Major projects announced in recent years have gone conspicuously quiet, and safety concerns for the corridor persist. At the same time, real investment is taking place. More from the Orlando Business Journal.
Autonomous NAVI transportation system could face dead end in Jacksonville
The Jacksonville City Council could soon consider whether to withhold city funding for the final two stages of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s autonomous vehicle system, potentially leaving JTA scrambling for money to finish the project after fewer than 4 miles of development. Council member Rory Diamond says he’s preparing legislation that would cut off city funding for phases two and three of the JTA’s Ultimate Urban Circulator, or U2C. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Give Miami Day brings in a record $43.8 million
Miami once again outdid itself after a record $43.8 million came pouring in for Give Miami Day. The 24-hour fundraising event led by The Miami Foundation began at 12:01 a.m. Thursday. It’s the largest single-area giving event in the United States and brought in millions for Miami-Dade nonprofits. A record number of Give Miami Day donors generated $43.8 million, surpassing last year’s total of $39.5 million. The amount raised has steadily grown since Give Miami Day began 14 years ago. More from the Miami Herald.
Tampa beating national real estate slowdown by nearly 20%, data shows
New national data shows the multifamily sector once again outperforming the broader commercial real estate market. For Tampa stakeholders, the national picture helps frame how local performance compares. While some Sun Belt markets have slowed due to construction volume and moderating rent growth, Tampa continues to show strong resilience, posting 6.5% annualized multifamily returns. More from Tampa Bay Business & Wealth.
Business Beat - Week of November 21st
Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video newsbrief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.
Florida Trend Exclusive
Breaking barriers
Florida Bar President Rosalyn “Sia” Baker-Barnes knows the value of support. She had it from her family growing up in West Palm Beach. Her mother headed the corrections department in Palm Beach County. Her father, before becoming a circuit court judge, was an attorney at a powerhouse plaintiffs’ firm. He put her to work as a school kid doing office grunt work. No surprise, then, that one goal Baker-Barnes has for her year as Florida Bar president is fostering resilience among attorneys.
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