City’s economic officer: Opportunities abound
There is a lot of residential and commercial growth happening in the city of Cape Coral and, with the economic incentives passed by city council and the voters, there will be even more opportunities in the future to grow and retain business.
That is what Sharon Woodberry, economic and business development officer for the city, told those attending the Cape Coral Construction Industry Association’s monthly dinner meeting at Palmetto Pines Country Club last week.
Woodberry updated the CCCIA on the economic development happening in Cape Coral and what could be coming down the pike in near future.
Woodberry talked a little bit about herself and journey to Cape Coral, where she took the new post last May after leaving her position as Economic Development Director in Youngstown, Ohio. She then got to the business at hand.
She said while the infrastructure needs to catch up with the progress and future progress being made, especially on the main corridors, she is confident growth will continue, especially when you look at the economic indicators showing 2.7 percent unemployment and low vacancy rates and increased construction values.
She added that much of the retail and commercial development is concentrated in one area.
“A lot of that is concentrated along Pine Island Road, which is where a lot of retail and commercial development is happening. We still have some development opportunities there and zoning has been put in place to encourage more commercial,” Woodberry said.
Among the current projects include a new post office, The Waters and Marina Village at Cape Harbour. Nor-Tech Boats and Ecological Laboratories are looking to expand their businesses in the city. The city is also expanding another area that is badly lacking.
“We are bringing in more of that multi-family housing and more is coming down the pipeline. That is going to be a lot of our construction,” Woodberry said. “We also had apartments coming in and the timing was very good. They came in the fall after the hurricane and were very much needed for displaced residents.”
Woodberry also talked about the incentive tools the city has brought onboard, such as the ad valorem tax exemptions for commercial activity that she said will bring in jobs and facilitate growth.
She also discussed the proposed façade program that will encourage businesses to dress up their fronts and reduce the appearance of blight, particularly in the South Cape Community Redevelopment Agency district.
“There is a lot of opportunity there and it’s something we really want to promote more to help make a difference,” Woodberry said. “Businesses are looking to come to the area because of the area. We don’t think that will be the game-changer. We need something that will make us stand out a little bit. We hope these incentives will be the difference.”
CCICA members wanted to know what was going on with Seven islands, Bimini Basin and a talked-about second major hospital in the city.
Bimini Basin is going to be on the Cape Coral City Council agenda on Feb. 15 with the elected board expected vote on tax increment finance funding from the CRA on that project, while Seven Islands has some permitting issues it needs to tend to before development there begins. Not much has been said or done regarding a new hospital.
CCCIA president Jeffrey Gazlay said the meeting was informative and that the city is being proactive.
“We have always had the struggle of land use and zoning. I think we’re going in the right direction,” Gazlay said. “We have to be creative to attract as much business as we can.”
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com