Title
Approval and Authorization to Approve a Lease Agreement and Temporary License Agreement (B)
This item is a request to Approve and Authorize the Execution of a Lease Agreement and License Agreement with Steamers, Inc., a Florida Corporation.
Explanation
After the previous tenants at the city-owned Bethel Station indicated they would not be renewing their lease, the CRA acting as agent on behalf of the City, sought a new tenant. This restaurant opportunity was widely advertised and interested parties were directed to submit online responses. Eleven responses were received prior to the deadline on December 8, 2014. A seven-member CRA evaluation team invited the top candidates for in-person interviews and evaluated and ranked the top four respondents. The top-ranked respondent, Arthur H. Guy, president of Steamers Inc., a Florida Corporation was invited to begin lease negotiations for the site.
Steamers, Inc. was a very popular restaurant located at 1618 NW 1st Avenue, owned by Arthur H. Guy from 2000-2005. The original Steamers business was sold in 2005, and since that time Mr. Guy has been operating a successful tempeh products business known as Arto Moro Tempeh Company, which is located in East Gainesville and which produces tempeh products for numerous local and regional restaurants and grocery stores.
Mr. Guy proposes to serve the affordable curry rice dishes and loose meat sandwiches that the original Steamers restaurant was known for as well as some new offerings suited to the Downtown Plaza location. The Bethel Station was renovated specifically for restaurant use in 2010 and does not require any additional improvements.
The proposed lease, after negotiations is for a term of five years, and due to planned closure and renovations of the Downtown Plaza, waiving the first two months of rent and providing a discounted base rental rate of $850.00 per month for the remainder of the first year or until construction is compl...
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