Submitted By: Charlita Whitehead
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Presentation By: Charlita Whitehead
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Department: Growth Management
STAFF RECOMMENDATION (Motion Ready):
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Approve a Commercial Property Improvement Grant for property located at 1525 NE 8th Ave, in an amount not to exceed $13,590.
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BACKGROUND:
The East Ocala CRA Commercial Property Improvement Grant encourages exterior fa?ade improvements as a strategy to counter neighborhood deterioration and increase property values throughout the CRA. The maximum amount that can be awarded is $50,000, covering up to 60 percent of the project costs. The attached grant framework outlines the elements of eligible work.
Below is a summary of the application. Refer to the attached documents for the entire application packet.
Grant ID: CRA25-0035
Applicant: NSC 8th Ave, LLC
Address: 1525 NE 8th Ave
Parcel ID: 2600-028-000
Project Description: Installation of a mural on the building fa?ade fronting 8th Avenue.
Quote: $22,650
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS:
Staff reviewed and processed the application in accordance with the grant program guidelines and evaluation criteria. The key findings are outlined below:
* The property is located within the boundaries of the East Ocala Community Redevelopment subarea.
* The building, constructed in 1974, is used for storage units with several active business tenants.
* This is the first mural application to be considered under the new CRA mural program.
* The Ocala Municipal Arts Commission (OMAC) reviewed the application on August 6, 2025, and recommended approval, using their expertise in public art to evaluate the project.
* The selected artist, Justin Alsedek, is already included on the City's Public Artist Roster.
* Normally, two comparable bids are required for each work item; however, since this is an art project with an artist selected by the property owner, multiple bids were not required. A project budget and Public Art Project Detail Sheet are included with th...
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