Business View Magazine | October 2020

340 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2020 buildings,” says Stricklin. “We’re reconstructing four of our fire stations, and one of our big focuses in Largo is working to revitalize our historic downtown. It’s a community redevelopment district that’s not seen a lot of development activity. Although it has good bones and a nice fabric – brick streets and live oaks and engaged businesses – it’s just not the economically vibrant place we want it to be.” The present city hall is in a suburban location outside of the downtown and that building is at the end of its useful life. So, the City is making a commitment to build about 80,000 square feet of office and about 20,000 square feet of retail in a downtown multi-story, mixed-use project with a parking garage designed to serve other projects downtown, as well as Central Park, and a public plaza. Preliminary designs are being done, and it’s forecast to be an investment of 30-40 million dollars. All the downtown sidewalks along the main street (West Bay Drive) have been rebuilt. That