ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — St. Pete Beach is extending the application deadline for its $50,000 Business Site Improvement Program fund to help more business owners, according to the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber.

The deadline to apply is now April 17. 

What You Need To Know

  •  St. Pete Beach's Business Site Improvement Program application has been extended to April 17

  •  The city wants more businesses owners to apply

  •  The Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber is managing the program

  •  You can apply for the St. Pete Beach Business Site Improvement Plan here

“We’re excited to take advantage of it and beautify the island,” said Robert Czyszczon, Plaza Beach Resorts General Manager. “You can’t say ‘no’ to free money.”  

Czyszczon said he applied last year and got a $3,750 grant to install art at the Bayview Plaza Waterfront Resort. The general manager is transforming the resort into an artist inspired hotel. Every room features paintings by marine artist Steve Diossy, who has a gallery in Vero Beach.

“We want to bring his art to the west coast of Florida,” said Czyszczon. “With a full-blown gallery of all of his art in all of our rooms.”

The owner said he’s using the grant money to wrap the outside of the hotel in Diossy art, which is scheduled to happen in a couple of weeks.

“This massive roof line that goes around the entire hotel exposed out to Gulf Boulevard is going to be wrapped,” he said. “Bring the outside art into the inside and vice versa.”  

The St. Pete Beach site improvement program gives business owners a zero percent loan up to $7,500 to bring their property up to code. Eligible projects include grease traps, accessibility improvements, parking improvements, fencing, historic preservation compliance, garbage screening and signage.

For those businesses already up to code, owners can apply for a grant of up to $7,500 to beautify their property. Eligible projects include public art, façade improvements, awnings and painting. Both the loan and grant will pay for 50% of the total project cost.

The Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber is managing the program for the city and has extended the application deadline to April 17. Czyszczon said it’s a way for business owners and the general community to benefit.

“I think it’s a fantastic idea. I think more cities should also do the same thing,” he said. “There are some properties that unfortunately don’t have the most appealing curb look.”