Ace Cafe Getting $174,000 Matching Grant From City


The City of Orlando will reimburse Ace North America LLC $174,100.84 through the City's Downtown Streetscape Matching Grant for improving the streetscape surrounding Ace Cafe and their roughly three-acre site at 100 West Livingston Street. This is half of the $348,201 Ace spent in total.

Below are the improvements made by Ace:
  1. Widening of the sidewalk area to allow for it to serve as part of Gertrude’s Walk, a biking and walking path through Downtown Orlando and part of the larger Orlando Urban Trail
  2. Removal and disposal of prior streetscape materials and trees, Sub-base, general conditions, temporary walks, fencing
  3. Maintenance of Traffic (MOT)
In an effort to accomplish the objectives of Part III, Chapter 163, Florida Statutes and further implement the Downtown Orlando Community Redevelopment Plan, the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) adopted and established the Streetscape Cost Sharing Program*. Under the Program, which is included within the Downtown Streetscape Guidelines, the CRA provides financial assistance towards certain eligible streetscape projects within the Downtown Orlando Community Redevelopment Area (Area).

Costs eligible for cost sharing include sidewalks, handicap ramps, brick pavers, concrete pavers, specialty pavers, trees, tree wells and grates, site furniture, painting, planters, irrigation, seasonal planting, understory planting, and lighting. Other eligible costs include replacement of previously installed streetscape, sidewalk replacement costs, roadway and infrastructure improvements beyond the curb, curb and gutter, storm inlets, and utilities (excluding some costs).

*Cost Sharing Program- As contemplated by the Downtown Orlando Community Redevelopment Plan for the Downtown Orlando Community Redevelopment Area, for projects containing streetscape improvements within the public right-of-way that comply with these streetscape guidelines (including variations from strict interpretation of the guidelines that are approved by the City Architect), the CRA may participate by sharing in construction costs of such streetscape improvements.