But the idea of awarding small grants to bring businesses to downtown New Port Richey is criticized by some officials.
By MELIA BOWIE
Published July 12, 2003
NEW PORT RICHEY - City leaders might soon ponder whether a start-up stipend could help attract new businesses to old downtown storefronts.
The idea, presented by city redevelopment director Gerald Paradise, would create a small grant program to help businesses move into downtown.
"One grant would work out to $3,500 for a six-month period," Paradise said of the proposal.
"I doubt we would look at more than four or five a year," he said, if for no other reason than downtown lease space is limited. "It would not encompass a lot of money over a year's time."
The grants would mirror a similar practice used by shopping centers and strip malls who lease space to tenants.
"Five grants to subsidize the cost of moving in," Paradise said. "I wanted the city to be able to compete against those types of locations."
But some elected officials were wary of the practice.
"What's wrong with the stakeholder doing it here?" asked Mayor Frank Parker, expressing his dislike of the city offering business incentives that a downtown landlord could provide instead.
Council member Scott Chittum seconded the sentiment, saying he is against rent subsidies for small businesses moving into New Port Richey.
Paradise said staff is working to construct a program that would not offer subsidies, but instead would aid incoming shops with documented start-up costs.
City leaders will also consider taking a grant offer that existing businesses now use and extending it to potential shop owners relocating to New Port Richey.
City staff said Progressive International Realty in Clearwater posed the question on behalf of a client seeking to relocate to the Florida Design Consultants building on Grand Boulevard.
Can a business moving from outside the city into the downtown use earmarked grant money to fund start-up costs and interior renovations?
The city now awards $5,000 facade improvement grants to existing city businesses so that they can spruce up their storefronts.
Newcomers could use the funds as a business improvement grant to help them move in.
"It's the same $5,000," said Paradise.
- Melia Bowie covers business in Pasco County. She can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6229, or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6229. Her e-mail address is bowie@sptimes.com
