Title
Storefront Improvement Grant for 722 Main Street
Body
RECOMMENDED ACTION (Motion):
City staff recommends a grant award of $31,376 following a site visit with the applicant, and subsequent internal application review meeting. This amount would supersede the $15,800 awarded at the May 15, 2013 Urban Renewal Commission (URC) meeting.
Grants shall only be awarded to those projects with an average score of 70% or better and this application received an average score of 87%. While the applicant is applying for $23,000, the review committee believed that the increase to the applicant's 50% match of $31,376 is justified by the stronger and more defined project submitted in this application. By phasing the remodel of the facade and focusing on the Main Street storefront, the 8th Street can be done as part of a later phase and better match the work being done as part of the interior tenant improvements. Additionally, this project will more closely restore the original character of the storefront to historical accuracy with the additions of the column accents and transom details added to the second story transom windows.
Funds are available for this project in the Storefront Grant program for FY2012-13. The URC shall decide whether or not to uphold the recommendation of City staff to award Urban Renewal grant funds in the amount of $31,376.
BACKGROUND:
The applicant is applying for a grant in the amount of $23,000. Maximum grant amounts are $20,000 or $40,000 for projects of high value when the applicant demonstrates that the proposed improvements will restore the facade substantially closer to its original condition. All projects require at least a 50% match.
The applicant has indicated the intent to restore the facade to near-original condition. The project would be along the Main Street facade only and would remove the old awnings; reconstruct the door ways for better flow; refurbish the second floor windows; molding and trims to like new condition; re-side the facade similar to the original; add cornice to the roof line to match the original; concrete the base and repaint the facade.
The site is addressed as 722 Main Street and is further indentified as Tax Map 2-2E-31AB-06000. The site is zoned Mixed Use Downtown (MUD) and is located within the Urban Renewal District. The building is currently vacant and is owned by Commercial Club, which has given signed authorization for Five J's LLC to proceed with improvements.
BUDGET IMPACT:
Amount: $31,376
FY(s): 2012-13
Funding Source: Urban Renewal Storefront Improvement Grant Program