FELLSMERE – The owner of a building on South Lime Street in Fellsmere will receive the final funds needed to complete a renovation project that could bring an automotive window tinting or stereo business.
“It’s quite an upgrade” from what it was, Fellsmere City Manager Jason Nunemaker told the City Council recently, explaining that the owner, Javier Zamarripa, has already begun working to fix up the building. “Mr. Zamarripa has been working on this for some time,” he said.
The entire project is expected to cost Zamarripa about $8,100. The $5,000 grant from the city would better allow Zamarripa to absorb the cost of the work.
Zamarripa told the Fellsmere City Council that once the work is completed, within a couple weeks, the property would be in a position to be leased.
Mayor Susan Adams asked Zamarippa what types of businesses might be interested in moving into his building. He said window tinting and car stereo installation companies could move in.
Zamarippa added that he has been approached by a few companies that have already expressed interest but nothing has been signed.
“It’s going to look nice,” Councilman Fernando Herrera said.
The project includes a concrete parking lot, material and labor, a gravel driveway, and a new culvert pipe for drainage.
The city has also encouraged Zamarripa to work with his neighbors to get a cross-access agreement so that his property and theirs could be connected at some point in the future for traffic and parking purposes.
“It should be a win-win situation,” Nunemaker said for Zamarripa and his neighbors.
Zamarippa said he would try to reach out to his neighbors to that end.