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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Downtown Facade Grant for 301 - 311 Main Street RESOLUTION NO. 15-448 RESOLUTION APPROVING DOWNTOWN FACADE GRANT FOR 2015/16 FIRST ROUND AWARD FOR 301 -311 MAIN STREET FOR THE CITY OF AMES,IOWA WHEREAS, the City Council annually budgets $50,000 for the Downtown Facade Grant Program, and this program has an eligibility requirement for projects to be within the downtown area,which is generally described as from 6th Street to the railroad tracks and from Duff Avenue to Northwestern Avenue; and, WHEREAS, the program includes up to $15,000 of matching funds per fagade and allows up to $1,000 for architectural services; and, WHEREAS,the program requires compliance with specified design guidelines,ground-floor use of office or retail trade,and historic fagade removal of non-compliant elements,and allows one year to complete the project after signing a grant agreement; and, WHEREAS, in addition, the program includes preferences for facades that have not had previous funding for front facades and for facades along Main Street; and, WHEREAS, the Downtown Facade Grant Program has a carryover balance of$22,423 in unencumbered funds remaining from FY14/15 and an additional $50,000 for FY2015/16, and the available combined funds total $72,423 for fagade grants in FYI 5/16; and, WHEREAS, the City solicits a first round of grants applications in the spring for award in the summer of each year, and if there are remaining funds, the City solicits for a second round of application in the winter for a spring award of grants; and, WHEREAS,the City requested applications in April of 2015 for award in July 2015,and an invitation for grant applications was sent to all eligible property and business owners and was also publicized by the Main Street Cultural District;and,two property owners submitted applications for multiple building facades for consideration by the Council; and, WHEREAS, the grant application for the project at 301 Main Street consists of seven commercial storefronts along Main Street and Kellogg Avenue as evaluated by staff; and, WHEREAS, additionally, there are two residential lobby entrances to the building that are not counted as commercial storefronts and, therefore, not eligible for grant funding; and, WHEREAS, the proposal is to re-establish the historic style of the first floor commercial facades consistent with the Historic Design Guidelines, and the applicant is proposing to renovate the first floor commercial facades to remove non-compliant elements of the historic fagade and re- establish the historic elements of the original building design; and, WHEREAS,this will include refurbishing existing clear glass transom windows,pulling the storefront windows forward to align with the front fagade of the building, recessing the new storefront doors, and repairing the kick plate and brick columns of the building; and, WHEREAS,after review of the scope of the proposed project,staff has determined that there is the possibility of six full grant awards and one partial grant award that could be awarded for the entire building, subject to the availability of funding; and, WHEREAS,the two residential entrances (one on Main Street and one on Kellogg) for the upper story apartments do not qualify for grant funding under the downtown facade guidelines as they are not interpreted as commercial storefronts; and, WHEREAS, the total grant request for the Sheldon Munn exceeds what the total Facade Grant program has in available funds FYI 5/16; and, WHEREAS, should the Council approve the grant application, $56,423 could be awarded to the Sheldon Munn to cover the cost of up to four facades(storefronts)for four grant awards;and, WHEREAS,this project does not qualify for funding for any design fees as the applicant is a licensed architect; and, WHEREAS, approval of this application along with the one for 100 6th Street includes five grants totaling $72,423 from the combined Downtown Facade Grant fund FY2014/15 and FY 2015/16; and, WHEREAS, under this alternative, no funding would remain for a second round of facade grants FY15/16 in the spring of 2016. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa, that the Downtown Facade Grant for 301-311 Main Street in the amount of$56,423 to cover the cost of up to four facades (storefronts) for four grant awards is hereby approved. ADOPTED THIS 14t''day of July, 2015. Diane R. Voss, City Clerk Ann H. Campbell, Mayor Introduced by: Gartin Seconded by: Goodman Voting aye: Betcher, Corrieri, Nelson, Orazem Voting nay: None Absent: Gartin, Goodman Resolution declared adopted and signed by the Mayor this 14t'day of July, 2015.