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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Downtown Facade Grant RESOLUTION NO. 21-555 RESOLUTION APPROVING DOWNTOWN FACADE GRANTS FOR THE CITY OF AMES, IOWA WHEREAS,the Downtown Fagade Grant Program was introduced in 2000 to facilitate private improvements to Downtown retail and other commercial storefronts; and, WHEREAS,the City Council annually budgets$50,000 as matching grants for eligible projects from property owners within the area generally described as from 6'Street to the railroad tracks,from Duff Avenue to Northwestern Avenue, and along Kellogg Avenue to Lincoln Way; and, WHEREAS,the Program includes up to$15,000 of dollar-for-dollar matching funds per facade and up to $1,000 for additional architectural services; and, WHEREAS, the Program requires compliance with specified Design Guidelines, and the Program requirements include a prerequisite of a ground floor use of office or retail trade; and, WHEREAS,additionally,Grant eligibility includes a requirement for proposed improvements to retain the historic facade or for the removal of non-compliant elements consistent with the guidelines or pursue eligibility under the other facade guidelines; and, WHEREAS, the Program does not allow for maintenance activities or replacement of compliant elements with new in-kind elements as eligible activities on their own, and any proposed improvements are intended to have a significant positive visual impact on the building and the Downtown District overall; and, WHEREAS, if grant requests exceed the available funding, the Program criteria include preferences for facades that have not received previous funding for front facades; and, WHEREAS,the Program is designed to operate with two application cycles:the first cycle is typically in the summer, and if there are remaining funds after awards in the first round, a second application round occurs in the winter; and, WHEREAS,the summer grant round is intended to provide funding for new projects with one grant per building; the second round is intended to fund new projects and potentially second facades for properties that have already received a Grant; and, WHEREAS, the City solicited applications for the first round of FY 2021/22 funding in September 2021 and received one eligible grant request for one property; and, WHEREAS, all funding from prior years was committed to project in FY 2020/21,therefore the available funding for this first round of FY 2021/22 is $50,000; and, WHEREAS,the total requested grant funding is$16,000,and the application was for a single- story building at 317 Main Street: and, WHEREAS,the applicant proposes work mostly on the ground level with the most significant visual impact will be to remove the non-compliant vertical plywood covering the transom window openings and restore the window with new, replacement glass and restoration of the remaining original, lead-glass window above the door to the stairway(east end); and, WHEREAS, the interior of the storefront has a drop ceiling that prevents light from coming in through the transom windows, as intended; therefore the applicant is proposing to install frosted glass to mask the drop ceiling; and, WHEREAS, the property is owned by Dijon2l Properties LLS (Lisa Hovis), who owns and operates PhotoSynthesis; and, WHEREAS, the total estimated cost for 317 Main Street is $52,500, including design work, of that amount, $33,150 is estimated to be Grant-eligible work; and, WHEREAS,the project is eligible for a maximum funding of$15,000 plus$1,000 for design work,and at the time of reimbursement,the applicant will need to provide cost breakdowns to ensure only eligible activities are funded with the Facade Grant. NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ames,Iowa,that the Downtown Facade Grant for 317 Main Street for estimated eligible costs up to $15,000 for the removal of noncompliant elements,transom restoration,and other facade improvements,plus$1,000 in design fees, is hereby approved. ADOPTED THIS 26`" day of October, 2021. Diane . Voss, City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor Introduced by: Corrieri Seconded by: Beatty-Hansen Voting aye: Beatty-Hansen, Betcher, Corrieri, Gartin, Junck, Martin Voting nay: None Absent: None Resolution declared adopted and signed by the Mayor this 26t' day of October, 2021.