Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau released its 2018 local population estimates, temporary snapshots ahead of the formal census in 2020, and the cities posting the fastest growth rates came as no surprise: oil towns in Texas, cities and suburbs in tech-forward Utah, and Boise, Idaho, where an influx of cost-crunched Californians has strained the city’s affordability, all ranked high. 
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But among the list of 10 fastest-growing metros, two central Florida cities’ citations underscored that this booming part of the country has become a snapshot of U.S. demographic and development trends. The first, Lakeland-Winter Haven, a more remote, exurban, and rural area of former citrus groves between Tampa and Orlando, represents a geographic shift. Despite urban growth, especially in mid-tier cities, suburban and even exurban growth has bounced back since the Great Recession.

​Read the full Curbed article here.

WINTER HAVEN — The city’s auditing firm issued a good report card for its 2017-18 fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.

CliftonLarsonAllen LLP gave Winter Haven a “clean opinion” for the year, Julie Fowler, an accountant at the firm’s Sebring office, told the City Commission Monday evening. The municipal budget totaled $142.6 million.
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“It’s really outstanding,” City Manager Michael Herr said after Fowler’s brief verbal report. “This speaks to the expertise of our financial team. We have transparency. We have accountability.”

Read The Ledger's full article here.

Shoppers in Downtown Winter Haven will have a new destination this fall. The Tree Swallow Gallery, a pop-up retail location, will exclusively feature fine art by local artists. The gallery will make its debut with an opening reception Tuesday, November 1st from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the gallery’s location at 347 West Central Avenue (across from Arabellas Ristorante).

The gallery’s content will be curated by local artists. Its “pop-up” nature will also mean unusual hours, in that it will usually be open only during the lunch and evening hours (and by appointment). Featured artwork includes sculptures by Trent Manning, David Figueroa and Marilyn Rackleman; paintings by Tony Savoie; photography by Calder Wilson and Scott Whitley; ceramics by Tim and Erika Peters; jewelry by Buffy Wilson, as well as additional items.

The Tree Swallow Gallery is sponsored by Six/Ten, LLC, in connection with its continuing goal of establishing Downtown Winter Haven’s retail presence through the power of art and creative expression. Other Downtown galleries include Outer Space at 230 Avenue C, SW, an arts incubator joint venture between the Arts Ensemble Education Foundation, Polk Museum of Art, Polk State College and Six/Ten, and Tinia Clark’s Sidestreet Studio at 110 Third Street, SW.
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“We continue to enhance our live, work, learn and play vision for the area by supporting new businesses and giving residents new reasons to come Downtown,” said Bud Strang, the CEO of Six/Ten, LLC. “Many of the Tree Swallow artists are extremely popular, although their work is seldom for sale locally. I think people will be amazed by the quality of the work that will be displayed.”

By: Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce

Six/Ten, LLC, a Winter Haven commercial and multifamily developer, has teamed up with Bond Building Partnership, LLP to build a new 36,000 sq. ft., three story medical office building for Bond Clinic at 325 North First Street, N.W. This is Downtown Winter Haven’s largest new office construction project in more than 40 years and will offer urgent care and primary medical services to the community.

“Bond Clinic has been invested in the healthcare of our community for over 68 years, purposing to meet the ever growing needs of our thriving community,” said Panagiotis Iakovidis, MD, Bond Clinic’s CEO/President of the Board.  “We are honored to partner with Six/Ten to bring to reality another structure that will further enhance our ability to provide the health care of today’s world but install the foundations of the future health care requirements. We are working conscientiously with our patients, insurance carriers and local businesses to provide the care while reducing the costs and time constrains.”  Dr. Iakovidis continued by saying, “this new campus will accommodate the Urgent Clinic and Pediatric practice as well as twelve additional providers.”

Once completed, the project is expected to bring more than 70 employees to the downtown area, with approximately 300 patient visits daily. Founded in 1948 by Dr. Benjamin Bond, the clinic has grown throughout the years from four doctors to more than 68 providers, encompassing 25 specialties. With a main campus at 500 E. Central Avenue, it was one of the first businesses in Downtown Winter Haven.
“Bond Clinic has long been a tenant of ours, and we are excited to partner with them on this latest project,” said Bud Strang, CEO of Six/Ten. “The added foot traffic generated from this new clinic will further support Winter Haven’s vision of becoming a preeminent downtown destination where people can live, work, learn and play.”

Six/Ten is serving as the project’s developer working with general contractor Everett Whitehead & Son, Inc. The project architect is WMB Architecture. Envisors, a division of Pennoni, will handle the engineering and Bank of Central Florida is providing financing.
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“The city’s Planning and Building departments have also been very helpful in this process, and we want to thank them for their prompt comments and insight during the permitting process,” said Joseph Bogdahn, Vice President of Six/Ten.

​By: The Ledger

The Florida chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) will highlight Downtown Winter Haven apartment building RainGarden at their 2016 convention in Palm Beach, Fla. Miami-based design firm, [Strang] Architecture, will received the “Merit Award for Masonry in Design” for their work on RainGarden, just one of three award-winning projects the firm will be recognized for during the awards event.

The AIA Florida/Caribbean Honor & Design Awards Program is Florida’s most prestigious awards program for the architectural profession. The awards are given each year to members to encourage excellence in architecture, to elevate public consciousness of good design, and to recognize those owners, designers, and contractors whose work enriches the built environment.

The RainGarden Apartments were completed by Six/Ten in 2014 and represent Downtown Winter Haven’s first multifamily development in over 25 years.
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Max Strang, a Winter Haven native, designed the building one block from Central Avenue to continue the legacy of modern architecture in his hometown. RainGarden is just one of many residential projects Strang has designed. In 2013, he received the Silver Medal for Design, the highest honor from the Miami chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Earlier this year, he was elevated to the AIA’s prestigious College of Fellows, a program which calls attention to certain architects who have made a significant contribution to architecture and society and who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession.

By: Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce  Business Blog