NORTH PORT, Fla. — Fox 4's Victoria Scott is also North Port's Community Correspondent. So that's why people living in the city started reaching out to her... after leaders brought up the possibility of creating two distinct downtowns.
"I think it's a great addition, especially for me," Oksana Middleton told Scott. "I live closer off Price."
"I think if you bring more jobs to North Port, it'll give us more opportunity to bring in more people and develop the area," Jacob Middleton said.
North Port leaders told Scott about the two options last week: one focuses on an area off Toledo Blade and Price Boulevards, and another is Toledo Blade and I-75.
"I think I-75 would be the best and easiest access just because we would anticipate to have more people crowd towards there," Middleton said.
North Port officials want to bring more commercial space to the city, and have a centralized hub, where people can walk, shop, and eat.
"So, when we talk about downtowns, we talk about areas where people can go to a central location to have a meal, have some entertainment, do their shopping, maybe go to work," said North Port Director of Development Services Alaina Ray. "Some people could even live there, if it's a multi-family type of development."
Residents said alleviating traffic congestion would be another bonus.
"For me to have an additional location, so I don't have to travel through this traffic all the time, it would be ideal," Middleton said.
The city doesn't have any renderings or a timeline for when this could happen yet. But we'll stay in touch with them and update you when we learn more.
