Florida Rep. Dan Raulerson and local minister Jack Myers closed a deal Monday, Sept. 29, to transfer the ownership of the building at 600 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
The building has housed a number of businesses over the years, but Raulerson’s accounting firm, Raulerson and Company, bought it in 2005. The space turned out to be larger than what the firm needed.
“The recession came, and being able to sell the building was difficult,” Raulerson said. “There aren’t many people that need a 10,000-square foot building in Plant City. Once things started getting better, we put it up for sale.”
Myers and his wife, Marie Myers, are originally from Tampa, but graduated in 1997, from Rhema Bible Training Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They ministered domestically and internationally for years, but eventually returned to Florida to plant a church. They chose Plant City, because its location would not pull congregation members from their other friends’ churches around the state.
Their nondenominational church, The Cynergy Church, first met at HCC’s John R. Trinkle Center and then rented space from the Shiloh Baptist Association. Shiloh’s building was up for sale, but Myers said he did not feel it was the right place to permanently house Cynergy. The church returned to the Trinkle Center this July, after Shiloh’s building sold.
“We needed a building so we could grow,” Myers said about Cynergy, which currently has a congregation of about 100 people. “We’ve been looking for property for about a year now. We came across Rep. Dan Raulerson’s building, and we were able to raise the funds this last year to be able to purchase the building.”
After meetings and negotiations, Raulerson sold the building to Jack Myers Ministries for $568,000.
Landscaping, painting and remodeling the interior are in the plans for November. Myers hopes Cynergy will be able to move into its new space in December. The church will then have a grand opening in January.
“It’s a strategic location,” Myers said. “It’s right in the heart of Plant City. We plan on doing outreaches. We really want to make an impact for the Lord Jesus here in Plant City.”
Myers said the church has plans for programs that will involve the community around Christmastime and offer family fun around Easter. He also hopes to have a regular program to feed those in need.
In addition to The Cynergy Church, the building will be home to Jack Myers Ministries and Life Christian University, an institution for undergraduate, graduate and doctoral Bible studies accredited by the Accrediting Commission International. LCU has extension locations in 35 states and 10 other countries. Myers completed his doctorate degree at LCU’s campus in Tampa in 2007.
Raulerson and Company will move to a 3,500-square foot leased office on Alexander Street, next to Suncoast Credit Union.
“We’re glad that the church was able to get it and use it,” Raulerson said. “They seem to be very excited about it.”
Adela Costelow of Coldwell Banker, who is new to Plant City after working as a realtor in Oklahoma, represented Myers in the purchase of the building. Representing Raulerson was Judy Vogel.
Contact Catherine Sinclair at csinclair@plantcityobserver.com.