Submitted By: Tye Chighizola
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Presentation By: Tye Chighizola
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Department: Growth Management
STAFF RECOMMENDATION (Motion Ready):
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Approve revisions to Downtown Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) Commercial Building Improvement Grant Program.
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OCALA'S RELEVANT STRATEGIC GOALS:
Quality of Place, Economic Hub
PROOF OF PUBLICATION:
N/A
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BACKGROUND:
The intention of the Downtown CRA Commercial Building Improvement Grant program is to encourage private investment in commercial properties in the Downtown CRA. The program addresses key statutorily defined blight conditions that currently exist in the CRA including vacant or underutilized commercial space, obsolete or substandard interior spaces, inadequate life safety and/or accessibility provisions, and deteriorating or inappropriate facades.
Priority work elements are: (1) Improvements to meet Building Codes for Accessibility; Fire Protection; and Life Safety; (2) Conversion of upper floor space to residential; (3) Removal and replacement of inappropriate or incomplete exterior restoration of original fa?ades, including installation of appropriate store front windows; (4) Other fixed improvements related to build-out or additions. Fixed build-out improvements include walls & structural elements; electric, plumbing, HVAC, lighting - interior & storefront, flooring & ceiling, kitchen equipment for restaurants.
The Downtown CRA Commercial Building Improvement Grant program has had significant success in recent years. From FY 2016 - FY 2021, the Downtown CRA Fund awarded 60 commercial grants totaling $1,197,765. Of the 60, 27 were for fa?ade improvements, 25 were for interior renovations or buildouts and 8 projects involved both interior and exterior work. Thirty-four (34) involved change of use, where vacant spaces were reactivated.
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS:
At the October 26 and December 14, 2021 Downtown Advisory Committee meetings, the committee and staff discussed the di...
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