At Tuesday’s meeting, the City Council voted 7-0 begin an urban-renewal project in the Riverfront Crossings area to increase residential and commercial development, said City Councilor Regenia Bailey.

The project will be subsized by tax-increment financing.

The area was heavily affected by the 2008 flood and has been in need of restoration since the flooding.

The area, which is in close to downtown, provides an ideal location for residential development, city officials have said.

Work will begin with the west side of the river, and the renovations will add a significant increase in the amount of taxable value, officials have said.

— by Asmaa Elkeurti