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Realty company makes major South Cape investment

By Staff | Sep 12, 2013

A realty company that has decided to make an investment into the South Cape is sparing no expense in making it one of the crown jewels of the downtown business district.

Right Choice Realty has made a significant investment in downtown, first by purchasing a building at 1213 S.E. 47th Terrace, then by making significant improvements inside the building and out to the tune of a quarter-million dollars.

The company got its certificate of occupancy last week and should be open for business this weekend.

Jack Solloway said the major investment serves twofold; to encourage more businesses to invest in the South Cape and to make their building a place they would like to visit.

“It’s great to remodel the downtown area and upgrade our look and we hope other businesses pick up that contagion,” Solloway said. “More than that, next year the Art Walk starts in that area and we set up out front lobby as an art gallery.”

Solloway said their new space makes for a great before and after opportunity, since the place was “absolutely junk” when they purchased it for $185,000.

“We wanted to be in the district. We saw it as a real buying opportunity to get in there when the downturn occurred,” Solloway said. “We bought the building and totally overhauled it. We don’t rent, we buy.”

The company spent another $65,000 for a new facade, interior upgrades and the artwork.

Right Choice purchased numbered pieces of art to light up the lobby area. There are only 950 pieces in the world and only three are in Cape Coral, and they said they would like to invite people over to take a peek, Solloway said.

The artwork is from Peter Lik, a world-renowned photographer, and from Wyland, a famous sculptor and painter of sea life, Solloway said.

But it isn’t about them, Solloway said, as much as it is about making the downtown Community Redevelopment Agency district the place to go for fun and culture.

“We need to get some energy going down there. I want to own that Art Walk,” Solloway said. “If we can get restaurants and art emerging in that downtown area as opposed to a hardware store. That’s the energy we’re pushing forth. We hope others follow suit.”