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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - 2016/17 Downtown Facade Grants RESOLUTION NO. 16-543 RESOLUTION APPROVING DOWNTOWN FACADE GRANTS FOR THE CITY OF AMES WHEREAS, the City Council annually budgets $50,000 for a Downtown Fagade Grant Program,and the program was introduced in 2000 to facilitate private improvements to downtown retail and other commercial storefronts; and, WHEREAS, this program has an eligibility requirement for projects to be within the area 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 one-for-one matching funds per facade and allows up to $1,000 for architectural services, and requires compliance with specified design guidelines,ground floor use of office or retail trade,and improvements to retain the historic facade or the removal of non-compliant elements;and allows one year to complete the project after signing a grant agreement; and, WHEREAS,maintenance activities or replacement of compliant elements with new in-kind elements are not eligible activities on their own; and, WHEREAS,in addition,the program includes preferences for fagades that have not received previous funding, for front fagades, and for fagades along Main Street; and, WHEREAS, two property owners have submitted applications for Council consideration; and, WHEREAS, the first grant application is for property located at 300 Main Street; this building has multiple tenants (Ali Cakes, Home Town Tech, and the Vinyl Cafe), and the request is for the Kellogg Avenue facade; and, WHEREAS,the grant application for the project at 300 Main Street consists of the removal of 20 windows along Kellogg Avenue and their replacement with new windows; and, WHEREAS,the windows proposed by the owner are"two-over-two,"meaning the upper and lower sashes each have two glass panels; however, historic photos, as well as the survey sheets of the downtown historic survey, show"one-over-one"windows; and, WHEREAS, staff has recommended this, and the owner is amendable to using that style as a condition of the grant approval; and, WHEREAS,the prof ect does not intend to reconstruct the historic design ofthe building,but, rather,to modernize the windows while retaining their historic look and return the east facade more to its original appearance; and, WHEREAS, the cost for the 20 window replacements is estimated at $35,020; and, WHEREAS, the applicant is not eligible for the $1,000 design reimbursement due to the applicant completing their own design work; and, WHEREAS, staff believes awarding up to $15,000 for construction and material costs for the window replacement is appropriate for this project; and, WHEREAS, the second grant application is for the property at 238-240 Main Street; this building is the home of Quilting Connections, which, in the past, had two store fronts; and, WHEREAS,the owner has requested a grant for the Main Street facade and for the Kellogg Avenue facade; and, WHEREAS,the building was originally built as a two-story structure,but suffered a major fire in 1987, resulting in the removal of the upper floor; and, WHEREAS,the original structure is now covered with various exterior materials,including vertical wood siding, some original brick, and stucco painted white; and, WHEREAS,staffhas been in discussion with the property owner about the proposed changes and their consistency with the City's design guidelines; and, WHEREAS, staff has evaluated the application for facade improvements under the "Other Facade" guidelines and believes the criteria for approval have not been met; however, there are aspects of the application that have merit and meet some of the intent of the program and will form the basis for a complete project; and, WHEREAS, staff will continue to work with the applicant and designer on ways to meet the guidelines and hope to have an eligible application in the event of a second round of applications. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa, that the Downtown Facade Improvement Grant for 300 Main Street in the amount of$15,000 for the Kellogg Avenue facade is hereby approved, with the following conditions: a) the property owner must enter into a grant agreement with the next six months to ensure access to the allocated funds and for consistency with the grant program requirements; and, b) use one-over-one windows for replacement windows, subject to staff approval. ADOPTED THIS 13`h day of September, 2016. CA�I_R Liki-A-1 A. Diane R. Voss, City Clerk Ann H. Campbell, Mayor Introduced by: Orazem Seconded by: Beatty-Hansen Voting aye: Beatty-Hansen, Betcher, Corrieri, Gartin,Nelson, Orazem Voting nay: None Absent: None Resolution declared adopted and signed by the Mayor this 13'day of September, 2016.