From one end to the other, business and property owners along Laura Street will be improving the appearance and function of their part of the streetscape with the help of façade improvement grants from Downtown Vision Inc.
The program is designed to complement the City’s $3 million streetscape enhancement project that was completed in June. It began in March and is funded from a $100,000 pool of funds from DVI’s budget. Stakeholders applied for outright grants of up to $1,500 and matching grants of up to $20,000 for appearance enhancements.
DVI announced 10 grant recipients Monday. Combining the grants and the additional investment from the property owners, the program’s first phase represents a $211,000 private investment in Laura Street.
At the north end of the street, Ron Chamblin, owner of Chamblin’s Uptown bookstore and café, is planning a $20,000 facelift for the front of his building.
Chamblin, who serves on DVI’s board of directors, purchased the 10,000-square-foot, two-story structure more than five years ago, and then spent two years in renovation.
He said he plans to invest more than $20,000 for tables, chairs and umbrellas to add sidewalk seating and illuminated murals on the front of the building above the awning and in the entrances.
“Sometimes, the café gets so busy, there’s no place inside or on the patio for people to sit. Adding more tables outside will solve that and give people the option to sit outside,” said Chamblin.
The murals are likely to lead to a contest in the local artistic community. Chamblin said he’s considering working with DVI to choose the artist or artists for the murals through some sort of contest.
He’s also seeking bids to clean and then seal the sidewalk and to install new slate tile near the entrances to the store and café.
The Life of the South Building at Laura Street and West Bay Street is another grant recipient. Managing General Partner Quinn Bell said the funds will be used to transform the exterior of the structure, which was more than 40 years ago the headquarters of Stockton, Whatley, Davin & Co.
Changes being designed include banners, awnings and hanging flower baskets on the Laura Street side of the building. Up lighting will be installed to improve the nighttime appearance.
“We have an old building and we’re going to make it look like a new building,” said Bell.
At the south end of Laura Street, the Landing also is a grant recipient.
Michael Chambliss, director of marketing, said the riverfront retail and entertainment center’s plans for improvement also include installing new tables and chairs, umbrellas and shade sails in the open area on the side of the building along Independent Drive. More landscaping and lighting also are part of the new design.
Chambliss said with the Florida-Georgia festivities followed by the annual lighting of the Christmas tree in the courtyard, the holidays and the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl, he doesn’t anticipate the work at the Landing to begin until early 2012. Chamblin said he’s on a faster track and expects to begin meeting with contractors next week.
“I would probably have done all this on my own eventually, but the grant program got me thinking about doing it now,” he said.
356-2466