Capital Outlook ? Akinyemi, EDC seek to place local businesses in ...

By Kanya Stewart

Associate Editor

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), small and home-based business owners experiencing growth or considering expansion can achieve some profitable gains from relocating their businesses to commercial property. The SBA cites that moving into a retail relocation can provide the attraction of additional customers as a result of more visibility and traffic, and help increase professional and community interaction. These cited benefits are also advantages that Leon County?s new vacant property re-use program intends to provide to area business owners.

The re-use program is the brainchild of Leon County Commissioner Akin Akinyemi and the Economic Development Council (EDC).

After performing a survey to find ways to improve the economy in Leon County, Akinyemi?s office, along with an ad-hoc committee of community representatives from various sectors, discovered that there are at least 250 buildings in Leon County that can provide more than 1.5 million square feet of unused office space to local business owners and non-profit organizations.

Examples of the caliber of proposed office space available through the program include:? the former Saturn dealership, located at 2412 W. Tennessee St. and 3019 Jackson Bluff Rd., an address once used by the Department of Children and Families.

?The reason why I am promoting this in particular is I am an architect; I am in construction,? Akinyemi said, adding that several businesses and non-profits have already shown interest in the program. ?I know how much the industry has suffered and I know how much of an eye sore or blight (vacant property) can create. It is a win-win. It can create jobs, improve the environment and make things better overall.?

Akinyemi said that the re-use program is just one part of a larger-scale plan to boost the local economy. Other initiatives that Akinyemi, the County and EDC are actively involved in include: bringing more manufacturers to the area through such entities as Innovation Park, projects to help encourage the county to be more technology-driven when it comes to business and? programs to develop and utilize the talents of young people in the area.

To assist existing and new business owners with taking advantage of the un-used space, Akinyemi and the EDC, along with organizations such as the Tallahassee Board of Realtors, the Capital City Chamber of Commerce, the Tallahassee Builders Association and the Florida A&M University Small Business Development Center, are working on potential policy changes and incentives that will help business owners overcome obstacles that can be associated with renting or purchasing office space.

These efforts are designed to not only assist business owners with increasing revenue and operations, but to also drive business to the local real estate industry and local contractors, increase tax dollars as well as promote employment (as business owners will most likely need to acquire staff to help them manage the office buildings).

The program will also help provide information and/or resources to business owners who may not be ready for retail property, but are seeking business development strategies to help get them to that point.

Through the assistance of the EDC, businesses considering relocation can also take advantage of the following information and services: site-selection assistance, labor market analysis, local industry contacts, job training assistance, regulatory assistance and coordination of state and local incentives.

According to EDC Executive Director Beth Kirkland, the vacant property re-use program presents an opportunity for local businesses, organizations, the real estate industry, consumers, the government and the like to unite in taking advantage of this new platform slated to help promote a better economy in Leon County.

?A lot of things have to come together in order for this to work. It takes a lot of pieces coming together to get that final success we are looking for. This is just the first step,? Kirkland said, explaining that everyone pulling together and sharing their resources is the best way to disseminate information about the project and get the ball rolling. ?Without finding the right end-user (to occupy the office space), this project won?t be successful, so it does take marketing (and) getting the word out.?

The coordinators of the property re-use program are currently seeking applications from viable businesses or organizations considering relocating to commercial property to ensure that there is enough interest to move the project forward. Business owners can find a preliminary list of proposed properties at www.taledc.com/vacant. The application deadline is July 6. For more information or to apply to participate in the program contact Carmen Trammell at TrammellC@leoncountyfl.gov or 850-606-5379.

Source: http://capitaloutlook.com/wordpress/?p=8369

mary did you know john carter trans siberian orchestra trans siberian orchestra little big town little big town bennett