The Oak Cliff-based development firm recently purchased eight sites in Lancaster’s downtown square, totaling 17,000 square feet. Ramler plans to revitalize the space and help bring more attention to the area and local businesses. The deal is expected to close in early February.
If 75% of the property is occupied, Stewarding Space will receive $15,000 for each tenant for five years. Ramler plans to use the funding to support commercial tenants' rents as needed in the first year of leases, marketing and securing anchor tenants. “With this developer coming in, acquiring those properties and bringing in that investment, we are optimistic that it is going to encourage even more development because there's synergy with everything that she's doing,” Mauldin-Jones added. “That fits very nicely into our vision of rehabilitating and redeveloping our downtown and bringing people together.”
A part of the project is personal for Ramler. Lancaster is her hometown, and her dad, Carlos Ruffino, had an office in the downtown square for 14 years. Ruffino loved the square and supporting the local businesses in the area, so it is important for Ramler to continue that vision and legacy.