John Workman had never heard of a Community Redevelopment Agency when he decided to open a chiropractic business in Live Oak. 

Now, he’s using grant money from the CRA program to help him renovate the building on Duval Street that will house his office. 

For every $10,000 Workman spends on renovating the exterior of the building, the CRA will reimburse him for $7,500. 

“It’s lightyears ahead now,” he said. “We’re gonna make this beautiful.”

 “I’ve never won grant money before,” he said. “I’m as happy as can be.”

With help from his wife, he has been working on the building, converting the house into an office. 

“It was a run-down, 110-year-old house that has been resurrected,” he said. “It is well on the way to getting back to its full glory.”

The CRA money helps businesses like his beautify and draw economic development into underserved neighborhoods, Workman said. 

He learned about the program from George Curtis, Live Oak’s planning and zoning director. 

The Florida Legislature laid the legal groundwork for CRAs in the 1960s, Curtis said, but they didn’t start becoming popular until the ‘80s. Live Oak created one in 1995.

“The overall goal is to eliminate any kind of slum or blighted conditions that may be in an area,” Curtis said. “Our focus has been on commercial business.”

Live Oak’s CRA boundaries include all of downtown, as well corridors to the south and north. It spans 1,083 acres, about 22 percent of the city’s 4,858 acres. 

It has helped attract several businesses to the city’s core, keeping it from dying out, Curtis said.

“It’s been a real success story,” he said. “It’s a tremendous difference.”

The CRA’s grant for exterior improvements can be applied for once every fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1, he said.

If a business owner rents a building, they can assist in the process. However, the owner of the building must be the one to apply. 

Tax-exempt entities do not qualify for the grant.

The CRA board reviews applications and decides whether to approve funding for a project. It gives preference to projects using local contractors and local supplies. 

Once approved, property owners have to take a plan to the board detailing the scope of work being done. 

“You have to show a lot of detail about what you’re going to,” Curtis said. “They’ll know ahead of time what color of paint you’re going to use.”

The owner has to pay for the job upfront. Once it’s complete, the CRA will send people to take pictures of the improvements before authorizing a reimbursement. 

Live Oak’s CRA board has approved a second-floor interior renovation program, Curtis said, though nobody has participated in it yet. It will provide funding for property owners looking to convert the second floor of their building into an apartment or a condominium. 

“We want to support more people living downtown,” he said. 

The CRA is also in the beginning stages of developing programs for residential projects, he added. 

Workman is hosting an open-house event from 4-7 p.m. April 1 at his chiropractic office,  before it opens next week. 

Jacksonville Beach Bluegrass band Snake Blood Remedy will play live music, he said, while guests can enjoy food and drink. 

The practice will specialize in affordable chiropractic care for walk-in patients, Workman said. 

Without the grant money, the business would not have been fixed up nearly as fast, he added. 

“I think it’s absolutely one of the most fantastic programs,” he said.