Editor's Note: This article was updated to include the projected economic impact of the SoMo Walls project and the 6-5 vote to approve the $1.8 million of taxpayer dollars from the Office of Economic Vitality's Non-Competitive Economic Development Project Funding.
- The construction fence around the South Monroe Walls (SOMO) project is expected to come down in the next few days.
- Over the last two years, the project has missed multiple near-completion dates it announced to the public.
- Watch the video for an inside look at the project, where it stands, and why costs of gone up.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The construction fence around the South Monroe Walls (SOMO) project is expected to come down in the next few days. That's according to the developer of the project Bugra Demirel.
"Our project is almost completed, we have a couple of items left to complete," Bugra Demirel, South Monroe Walls Project Developer said.
Over the last two years, the project has missed multiple near-completion dates it announced to the public.
"At the end of the day, there are some issues that are outside of everybody's control, labor shortages, supply chain issues, difficulty finding certain materials, those issues kick in," Demirel said. "And even the subcontractors can do anything about it. So when those issues arise, as the owner as the developer, and as the tenants, everybody's facing these issues right now, you have no option but to wait."
Demirel said the wait is almost over.
WATCH DEMIREL DESCRIBE WHAT BUSINESSES ARE CONFIRMED:
I asked him, "If I have to go on the news today and say hey this is when you all can come see SOMO walls. What is the date?
"We will open the property to the public as the overall SOMO development starting the beginning of April," Demirel said "But for the, again for the spaces for the tenants, I think that our first tenant will be operational in about the second or the third week of April."
All but one space has been leased out, Demirel said the anchor project a distillery and restaurant is getting its finishing touches.
"They're doing great when it comes to their build-out," Demirel said. "And they're opening dates will vary depending on how fast individual tenants go. But as the landlord, we have already handed off these units to those tenants as the shell format."
He gave me an inside look at those shells ---without the cameras rolling though. I saw a bathroom still undergoing renovations, equipment for the kitchen was waiting to be installed, but the major components of the distillery were in—and workers were looking at some finishing touches.
The project is designed to be a major arts and entertainment destination featuring 15 rotating wall canvases along with 33,000 square feet of space for food, retail, service and office space.
One of the tenants Burn Boot Camp previously said that once construction is complete, the new gym will add jobs to the south side.
“It’s exciting for me to bring more jobs into the south side. We’re probably going to double our staff from here,” Becky Patterson, who owns a gym in Northeast Tallahassee said in October 2022.
She said they’ll go from the 15 staff members they have now to 30 part-time and full-time jobs.
Demirel has previously said, “We have adopted a 35 percent minority inclusion goal in this project making sure that we are hiring local contractors and the money that’s being spent on this project is being spent locally."
When complete, the project is estimated to add 130 jobs to the area's economy along with $15.2 million in economic output.
"We've been waiting a long time on this project," City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow said.
Matlow voted against giving SOMO Walls developer an additional $1.8 million of taxpayer dollars from the Office of Economic Vitality's Non-Competitive Economic Development Project Funding.
In a 6-5 vote, board members gave the full $1.8 million, despite dissenting voices.
"If we're going to give such a significant investment, I think it's appropriate to say, and we expect completion in 6 months, or 9 months, or 12 months.
I asked Demirel what he would say to those taxpayers and about where their taxpayer dollars are going.
"I think that the day we formed our partnership with Office of Economic Vitality, taxpayers have gained a substantial asset on South Monroe Street," Demirel said. "And I think taxpayer contribution to this project made all this happen. And so my team and I were extremely grateful for this participation."
WATCH BELOW FOR THE PATIO PLANS:
The total cost of the project is sitting at $11 million.
"We'll believe it when we see it, you know when it opens,"Matlow said. "I'm glad that they're making progress, you know, I'll be there on opening day to wish them well."
Demirel said before the general public gets access to this space if any stakeholder groups like nonprofits and community development groups want to see the progress they can contact him and he can conduct a private tour.
TIMELINE DELAYS OF SOMO WALLS PROJECT:
The Somo Walls project is expected to be completed by October--Apr 14, 2022
SoMo Wall’s Project hosts a groundbreaking event
Construction is expected to wrap up between February and March of 2023--Oct 06, 2022
SoMo Walls developer securing new businesses for south side
Despite those challenges, he says they hope to be finished with construction here this summer----May 18, 2023
Despite those challenges, he says they hope to be finished with construction here this summer
The project had a goal of opening in September of 2022---- Sep 22, 2023
Price tag on SoMo Walls project goes up, Blueprint awards extra funding
