For Ace Printing
and Copy Center on North Main Street, a facade grant from the city
paid to add canopies to the building, paint the exterior, replace
the glass fronts and repair tile.
"We're very appreciative of the city for letting us have this
grant," said Tony Chiaravalloti, one of the owners of the copy
center, which received about $8,500 from the program. "It was
nothing but a pleasure. I can't overemphasize that."
The copy center is one of more than 130 businesses on the
Westside, Northside and near downtown that have been approved for
the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission's facade program,
said William Sweet, a project manager at the JEDC.
The JEDC has approved more than $950,000 in facade grants and is
requesting more funds because of the program's success, Sweet said.
The money would come from the Northwest Economic Development Fund of
the Better Jacksonville Plan, which provided the original funding.
"I think our chances [of getting additional money] are great,"
Sweet said.
Thirty-eight businesses have had their facade work completed or
have started it, Sweet said. The others are in the design or
contract-processing phase. The facade program was allocated $1
million, and businesses can receive a maximum of $10,000 from the
city, said Roslyn Phillips, director of business development at the
JEDC.
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-- Photos by David
Johnson/staff P.J. Brady (foreground) and Steve Cogburn put up
vinyl siding at Klassics Family Hair Care on Lem Turner Road.
The city's facade grant program helped pay for the work to
improve the look of the business.
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The first $7,500 is based on
grant eligibility for the specific project. The city will contribute
matching funds above that amount up to an additional $2,500,
Phillips said.
"There have been facade programs in the past," Phillips said.
"For a number of reasons, they did not take off as quickly as this
one. The ability to make a grant to small businesses as well as a
simplified process have been key to this program."
The old program required businesses to pay for the work in
advance and then go through a reimbursement process. The JEDC worked
with construction companies more closely this time so businesses
would not be forced to make the up-front payments, Sweet said.
"I think it will make all the difference in the world for
businesses not to have to pay up front," said Rita Reagan, director
of the heritage education center in the Springfield Historic
District. "That will be an incredible incentive for new businesses
to come into the area."
However, businesses that can pay in advance may receive more work
for the money, said Michael Trautmann, member of the Springfield
Preservation and Revitalization Council and a developer in the area.
"If you pay as you go, you're going to get a lot more for a lot
less," Trautmann said, adding that most contractors willing to wait
for payment will charge more for the same job.
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Steve Cogburn cleans
a finished wall of vinyl siding. Nearly 40 businesses in the
city program have had facade work completed or begun.
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The program covers any
improvements done to the exterior of a business, excluding the roof.
That includes painting, windows, awnings and doors.
"We took out the old glass fronts and replaced them with
energy-efficient ones," Chiaravalloti said. "They reframed the
glass. The overall appearance of the mirrored glass is excellent.
They painted the entire building."
Chiaravalloti said he already has noticed an increase in business
because of the improvements.
"It's only been a few months, but it's a noticeable difference,"
he said.
Some businesses seek much less than the maximum amount for
smaller improvements such as new signs, Phillips said.
The facade program and three other programs comprise the $25
million Northwest Economic Development Fund. The fund includes $8
million each for the Business Infrastructure Grant/Loan Program, the
Small Business Development Initiative and the Large Scale Economic
Development. New money for the facade program would come from one of
those three.
The boundaries for the eligible areas are north of State Street
to the county line, from the St. Johns River west to the county
line, south to Interstate 10 and east to Main Street, Sweet said.
The project includes a few additional areas in east Jacksonville,
including Haines Street and Talleyrand Avenue, Sweet said. The total
area amounts to about a third of Jacksonville.
As a project manager, Sweet works with businesses to discuss the
program and start the application process.
"Project managers go out in the community to work with businesses
and possibly entice new businesses to move into these areas," he
said. Managers try to attract businesses that are lacking in the
community, such as grocery stores and pharmacies.
"Once we get the project, we approve it in-house, then we find a
designer to work with them," he said.
The project managers work with three architecture firms: Rolland,
DelValle and Bradley; Renaissance Design Build Group; and Civil
Services Inc.
"Their [design] work is not included in the grant money, and it
is done at no cost to the business," he said.
Some businesses are ineligible for grants, including massage
parlors, tattoo parlors, adult entertainment businesses, liquor
stores, bars and church sanctuaries, Sweet said.
Two businesses have been denied funding at this point, he said.
One was in an ineligible area of town; the other was an ineligible
business.
Business owners interested in the program can call the JEDC at
630-1185 for more information.
Staff writer David Johnson can be reached at 359-4380 or
via e-mail at djohnsonjacksonville.com.
Facade grants
The Jacksonville City Council approved the facade grant program
in December 2001 as part of the Northwest Development Fund of the
Better Jacksonville Plan. More than 130 businesses have been
approved by the JEDC to receive grant funds. The total amount that
any project can receive from the JEDC is $10,000. Here's a look at
businesses where construction has begun or been completed. Dollar
amounts represent each project's total cost, including the
business's matching funds.
Gold & Coin Inc.,1735 N. Main St., $12,428, work begun
Ace Printing Co., 2801 N. Main St., $10,188.30, completed
Royal Foam*, 1333 Haines St., $13,650, work begun
Royal Foam*, 1333 Haines St., $24,500, work begun
Royal Foam*, 1333 Haines St., $17,500, work begun
Time Out Beauty Supply, 3013 Moncrief Road, $10,655, work
begun
DK Fashions, 2525 N. Main St., $5,838.68, work begun
Bobby's Warehouse, 1826 Ionia St., $11,325, work begun
2nd Time Around Consignment, 8565 Lem Turner Road,
$7,119.36, completed
J & V Cleaners & Haberdashery, 8124-2 Lem Turner
Road, $3,784.59, completed
Affordable Communications, 8122-1 Lem Turner Road,
$3,826.32, completed
The Uniform Man, 1501 N. Main St., $10,549.72, completed
Klassics Family Hair Care, 8957 Lem Turner Road, $13,815,
work begun
Sterling Classics*, 3414 N. Main St., $13,964.50, work
begun
Sterling Classics*, 3414-1 N. Main St., $13,964.50, work
begun
Urban Core Enterprises Inc., 2933 N. Myrtle Avenue,
$21,084, completed
Mr. Jay's Exquisite Hair Design, 5123 N. Pearl St.,
$9,779.22, completed
Crown of Glory Day Care Center, 2340 Soutel Drive,
$14,659, completed
Haley's Seafood & Bar-B-Que, 6679 Sunset Drive,
$11,826, work begun
Dowling-Douglas Co., 3406 Main St., $12,100, work begun
Buster's Grillers and Ice Cream, 818 A. Philip Randolph
Blvd., $7,418.68, work begun
Ebony Elegance Styling Salon, 820 A. Philip Randolph
Blvd., $7,418.68, work begun
Barber Shop - 1018, 4956 Soutel Drive, $4,706.05, work
begun
Law Offices of Grayling Brannon, 1536 Jefferson St.,
$5,900, work begun
Ta-Merry's, 10696 Lem Turner Road, $4,457.20, work begun
Wayne Conn Plumbing Inc., 3429 Liberty St., $6,953.82,
work begun
Early Burglar Bar, 327 Woodbine St., $7,618, work begun
AHP Home Healthcare Inc., 7737 Lueders Ave., $13,630, work
begun
Hair Affair, 3116 Moncrief Road, $12,250, work begun
MayTag Coin Laundry - Unit # 1*, 843 A. Philip Randolph
Blvd., $12,930, work begun
MayTag Coin Laundry - Unit # 2*, 843 A. Philip Randolph
Blvd., $5,000, work begun
MayTag Coin Laundry - Unit # 3*, 843 A. Philip Randolph
Blvd., $12,930, work begun
Al's Heating & Air, 2564 Edgewood Ave., $21,391.90,
completed
Po' Boyz' Pizza, 7620 Lem Turner Road, $7,188.22, work
begun
Rosa's Fine Jewelry, 1644 Main St., $5,463.80, work begun
Carl's Main St. Restaurant, 1748 N. Main St., $6,732.25,
work begun
Young Start Academy, 1049 Palmetto St., $12,309, work
begun
Curl Queen Beauty, 5007 Soutel Drive, $7,408.98, work
begun
* Property owner that received grant; separate businesses on
the property received facade work.
Source: Jacksonville Economic Development Commission