Transforming Bartow: A Feasibility Study for Meaningful Redevelopment

The Bartow Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), established in 1990, has delivered streetscape projects, property acquisitions, and incentive programs over the years. But as Polk County experiences rapid population growth and rising demand for housing, the CRA needed a clear, actionable roadmap to guide redevelopment in its district.

RMA completed a comprehensive Feasibility Study identifying prime redevelopment sites, assessing market demand, and exploring capital improvement opportunities. The process included:

• Stakeholder engagement: interviews with property owners, business leaders, developers, and residents.
• Market and financial analysis: examining demographic trends, infrastructure, and partnership potential.
• Implementation tools: 22 recommended projects, a step-by-step timeline, and identified funding sources to turn plans into action.

This study and its recommended project were not designed to be “another plan on a shelf,” but rather a Strategic Finance Action Plan for real redevelopment.

The study provided the missing link between vision and action, equipping the CRA with a clear path to meaningful change. At the joint CRA Board and City Commission meeting, one commissioner called it “the best plan she had ever come across.” A long-time resident even changed his view on restoring the long-vacant Historic Cigar Factory, seeing its potential anew through the study’s recommendations.

The CRA Board voted unanimously to adopt the Feasibility Study, marking a pivotal step toward a stronger tax base, improved quality of life, and a vibrant future for Bartow.