Other projects on the horizon for the City of Apalachicola in 2010

Construction has started west of town on the city’s new $8,000,000, wastewater reclamation facility. Once completed, the facility will take wastewater received from homes and businesses throughout the city and treat it for reuse in commercial and eventually residential applications.

The city received funding for the project from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection State Revolving Fund Division.

City officials are expecting construction to last at least two years and to create short-term employment opportunities for local carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and laborers. Job applications are currently available at City Hall located at 1 Bay Avenue in Apalachicola.

Also, scheduled to begin in early January is the renovation of the old Family Dollar Store located at the corner of 10th Street and Avenue E into the city’s new Police/Fire Station.

The project’s funded through the American Recovery Act (stimulus funding); however only $150,000 is an actual grant, the remainder is a $506,000 low interest loan to the city by USDA Rural Development.

Once completed, the station will house both the Police and the Fire Department and serve as the city’s Emergency Operation Center in the event of an emergency.

Scheduled to begin before mid-year is the renovation of the old Holy Family Catholic School into a senior citizen center.

City officials are intent on turning the 81-year-old structure located on Dr. Fred Humphries Street into a dedicated place where area seniors can congregate. In late 2008, the city received funding for the project from the Florida Department of Elder Affairs in the tune of $1.5 million dollars.

City Staff are presently in an ongoing discussion with Eldercare Care Services the current provider of senior services for Franklin County and the Area Agency on Aging for North Florida concerning the possibility of transferring senior services to the City of Apalachicola.

City officials are also waiting on word from the application submitted through the Apalachee Regional Planning Council (ARPC) for joint funding from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs to fund the renovation of the Scipio Creek boat basin to create and sustain seafood related jobs.

Further, the city is waiting to hear from the submittal of two Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) grants to fund renovations to both Battery and Lafayette Parks. The maximum grant amount requested for each park could not exceed $200,000.

Scheduled to go before the county commission in early January is Dieter Ambos, chair of the city’s newly activated Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). Members of the CRA are ready to implement Tax increment financing (TIF) to help finance improvements to distressed or underdeveloped areas of the city where development might not otherwise occur. This includes, but not limited to the C-2 (commercial residential) zoned area in the African-American community.

Ambos will be asking county commissioners for the future increases in tax revenues or “tax increment” collected by the county from within the established CRA boundaries to go back into the area for redevelopment.

Lastly, the county’s road paving project within the city is well underway. Roads scheduled for paving and/or resurfacing during this cycle includes the following: 8th Street, 9th Street, 13th Street, 15th Street, 16th Street, 17th Street, 20th Street, 21st Avenue, 24th Avenue, 25th Avenue, Avenue F, Avenue G, Avenue L, Jacobie O’Neil Lane, Timothy Simmons Street, Earl King St (Ave M & 13th St ) and Sunset Circle.