Inverness city leaders said it is time to start planning for the future and the result could be a different looking city down the line.
When city manager Frank DiGiovanni strolls around Inverness he sees things most people don’t see. He sees the city’s future.
“You got to take a long, hard look at what you have today inventory wise and where you see yourself being in the future,” DiGiovanni said.
Inverness sits on a chain of lakes and city leaders want to take advantage of that. The idea is to consolidate things like government buildings to create space for private developers to build shops, hotels, restaurants and more.
“Apartments above stores," DiGiovanni said. "Downtown living. It’s a part of a national trend that’s a foot.”
DiGiovanni said the result would be a different looking city to some degree but it would attract more people and business which would boost the tax base. He’s quick to point out this is just an idea and nothing is set in stone.
“Don’t look at pieces of ground and think of what could be on that particular parcel," he said. "Step back and take a large view.”
Alfredo Cali owns the Little Italy Deli in Inverness. He likes the fact that city leaders have a vision for the future.
“If we can improve the city yes, I think it should be done,” Cali said.
City leaders say the trick now is to lay the foundation with proper land development codes and things like that so the plan can take off when the time is right.