SoMo Walls developer, Grow Tallahassee PAC chairman appointed to CRA citizen committee

The Community Redevelopment Agency’s citizen committee has a new member, one who spent the past two years as a political fundraiser and supporter of the City Hall majority and has a project worth $776,000 in grant funding.

In December, Bugra Demirel was appointed to the Frenchtown-Southside CRA’s Citizen Advisory Committee by Mayor John Dailey.

Demirel is the vocal treasurer of the developer-backed organization Grow Tallahassee. He is also the chairperson of the group’s state political committee that supported Dailey and Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox in the fierce 2022 election.

He is also the developer behind the SoMo Walls project, a $6.11 million project to rebuild a raized 2.3-acre city block on South Monroe Street between Oakland Avenue and Harrison Street.

The redevelopment, which was highlighted in the city’s 2022 year in review presented to commissioners Wednesday, calls for retail and commercial space that includes 10-foot walls for artwork and large sidewalks to create a walkable space.

Demirel said he was looking forward to bringing his developer’s eye to the board in the hopes that his knowledge of how to start, fund and complete a construction project can help steer the committee.

Of all the contracts on his project, 32% have gone to minority and women-owned businesses and the project is projected to be completed this year. It is one of the single largest investments in the Frenchtown-Southside CRA.

“This is becoming an example for all future CRA projects. The experience and knowledge that we learn out of (SoMo Walls) will be a valuable input to the CAC process,” Demirel said. “I’m just trying to give my industry knowledge.”

Demirel’s first meeting was January 9.

Demirel and his involvement in his organization’s PAC has made him a somewhat controversial figure in the Tallahassee political world.

Grow Tallahassee started, and still remains in part, an organization dedicated to smart growth in the city. In the 2022 election cycle, however, it fundraised and campaigned for Williams-Cox and vocally supported Dailey and other incumbents while also paying to boost social media posts with negative articles about city commissioners Jeremy Matlow and Jack Porter.

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He applied for the vacancy on the CRA’s citizens committee on Nov. 7, the day before the election, to serve in a seat designated for a Southside business owner.

But he wasn’t alone.

Adam Kaye, the co-owner of the Railroad Square Art District, also applied for the position.

But Dailey, who makes the appointments to the citizens board, appointed Demirel on Dec. 13.

“It is my pleasure to appoint you to your first term as the Southside Business Representative on the Greater Frenchtown/Southside Citizen’s Advisory Committee,” Dailey wrote in an appointment letter. “Your willingness to sacrifice your time and knowledge to help the Community Redevelopment Agency’s efforts in the Greater Frenchtown/Southside Community Redevelopment Area is deeply appreciated.”

He addressed what he suspected would be controversy surrounding his appointment.

“Saying this guy ran a political committee, supported John Dailey then turned around and got appointed,” he said. “This is a bit of cross over between politics into business."

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Demirel’s appointment was done according to the CAC’s bylaws. He applied for the role, fit the criteria set forth for each of the nine seats and was selected by the CRA chairman, Dailey.

He acknowledged he would have to recuse himself from any actions the CAC takes regarding his project or any others in which he has a financial interest.

CRA Executive Director Stephen Cox said there is no issue with people serving on the citizen’s board — which makes recommendations to the CRA — as long as the proper steps are taken to avoid conflicts of interest.

“If there’s any voting on funding you would have to recuse yourself from it, but we haven’t had any issues like that,” said Cox, who pointed out that board members are required to go through ethics training.

“If they think there may be an issue, our attorney has no issue meeting with them.”

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee developer, political fundraiser now on CRA committee