{"id":59582,"date":"2025-12-02T23:37:20","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T04:37:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/?p=59582"},"modified":"2025-12-02T23:37:25","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T04:37:25","slug":"talbot-house-ministries-proposes-new-location-but-some-community-members-remain-opposed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/2025\/12\/02\/talbot-house-ministries-proposes-new-location-but-some-community-members-remain-opposed\/","title":{"rendered":"Talbot House Ministries proposes new location, but some community members remain opposed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Talbot House Ministries, which serves people who are homeless in Polk County, has submitted new plans to relocate out of downtown Lakeland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like before, the proposed site is on East Memorial Boulevard.<\/p>\n\n\n
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Also, like before, it has drawn criticism from people who live and work nearby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Talbot House Ministries has provided training, meals, overnight housing, and more to people who are homeless for 46 years on North Kentucky Avenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earlier this year, Talbot House Ministries withdrew its application to relocate to 1115 East Memorial Boulevard after concerns from the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At a recent Lakeland planning and zoning board meeting, it presented new plans for an expanded center at 1005 E. Memorial Blvd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUltimately, they decided to move the location. It seems like a simple move, but to the west, to the corner,\u201d said Tim Campbell, an attorney representing Talbot House Ministries and CFTB Realty. \u201cWhen they heard the comments, they went back and said, \u2018How can we make it better? How can we reduce the impacts even more?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jonathan Kirk, a principal at Straughn Trout Architects, which designed the proposed site, called Talbot House Ministries a \u201cunique\u201d facility that is an important part of the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat the move fundamentally does is it allows us to reorient some pedestrian pathways, get them closer to existing services,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kirk and Campbell said the new design provides ingress and egress on Ingraham Avenue rather than East Memorial Boulevard and addresses concerns about green space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere\u2019s not really a lot of public view of that area, and we are going to implement restrictions to make sure that that area does not get overcrowded or overused,\u201d said Campbell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the public hearing, community members did not seem convinced the new location would ease their concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not that we\u2019re rejecting the Talbot House. We just don\u2019t want it in our neighborhood,\u201d said Raydene Read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMemorial Boulevard is not the right location, and shifting it one block does not meaningfully change the challenges this area is already dealing with,\u201d said Chanel Bellotto, owner of Skate World.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like Bellotto, executive pastor Dwayne McDow of Lakes Church previously expressed concern about the site\u2019s proximity to his establishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur recommendation would be that you not approve it, but again, we will not be adversarial should you approve it. We will be a good neighbor,\u201d said McDow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some people told board members that providing a better facility will help in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis proposed change will make them be able to minister better and create more positive outcomes for our community,\u201d said Michael Porter, who lives in Lakeland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUs moving to Memorial will bring an end to a lot of percentage of what\u2019s going on there because now there\u2019s services for people. There\u2019s hope being given to people,\u201d said Deborah Cozzetti, director of programs at Talbot House Ministries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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