BERRYMAN & HENIGAR WINS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT

CRYSTAL RIVER, FL, Aug. 4, 1998 -- Berryman & Henigar has been retained by the City of Crystal River to provide engineering, surveying, design, permitting and construction administration services for a multi-phased streetscape project. The project is funded by a $600,000 community development block grant (CDBG) from the Florida of Department of Community Affairs. Chuck Pigeon, a vice president of the firm who is spearheading the project, made the announcement. Berryman & Henigar has previously worked with a number of central Florida cities on various CDBG projects, including Belleview, Interlauchen and Williston.

Crystal River City Manager Russ Kreager said the project 'is like a shot in the arm for us.'

"We have utilized these block grants for a number of years and this latest grant will help renovate a dozen building facades along Citrus Avenue, one of our downtown's major thoroughfares, and provide streetscape enhancements along Northwest Third Street," he said. "The block grants have played a pivotal role in improving the downtown's occupancy rate from 50 percent to about 99 percent today."

Kreager added that the streetscape enhancements are not only a source of civic pride but are also good for business.

"Crystal River is noted for its winter populations of manatees which tourists come to see," Kreager said. "People enjoy walking around our historic downtown area. And of course, when a city's infrastructure is improved, it attracts commercial development. Eckerd Drugstore is developing a facility along one corner of U.S. Highway 19 and other large companies have expressed an interest in coming to Crystal River."

According to Pigeon, some of the streetscape elements include brick sidewalks, period street lighting, road resurfacing and street furnishings. Also included is the first segment of a proposed riverwalk to be located along Kings Bay and the design of a small parking area behind the historic City Hall building.

Berryman & Henigar is one of Florida's largest multi-disciplinary professional services firms with offices in Crystal River, Ocala, Orlando, Tallahassee and Tampa. A staff of 300 professionals services public and private clients from 13 offices nationwide. Services include civil and environmental engineering; community development; construction management; environmental planning; public services management & finance; and surveying.

Return to: 1998 News Releases