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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Council Action Form dated January 28, 2025ITEM #:18 DATE:01-28-25 DEPT:P&H SUBJECT:DOWNTOWN FACADE GRANT PROGRAM UPDATES FOR OTHER/REAR FACADE AND MAINTENANCE GRANTS COUNCIL ACTION FORM BACKGROUND: On September 10, 2024, Council directed staff to prepare updated program documentation for the Downtown Facade Grant Program to reflect newly approved program eligibility pertaining to contributing historic buildings. Council directed staff to: 1) modify existing facade improvement eligibility grants to include all facades of an historic building along a public right-of-way, including City parking lots, and 2) create a new maintenance grant for historic buildings, specifically for roofs, exterior walls, and foundations based upon the eligibility criteria reviewed at the September meeting. Eligible properties for these new grant categories are only those that are contributing resources to the Downtown Ames National Register Historic District. The boundaries for the eligibility area for the traditional facade grant are in Attachment A. The boundaries of the National Register Historic District are in Attachment B. GRANTS FOR OTHER FACADES: The Council directed staff to prepare guidelines for "Other Facades" that will now be eligible for grants. The "Other Facades" are those at the rear or side of a building not facing a street. These have previously been ineligible for the traditional facade grant. The following eligibility requirements were approved by City Council in September: Eligible facades are only those along rights-of-way, including alleys or the CBD parking lot, and only for contributing buildings to the Historic District. "Other Facade" grants are only allowed in the spring application round. "Other Facade" improvements are to follow eligibility requirements of a regular front facade improvement grant, meaning the project must remove non-compliant elements on the facade and improve the facade to its historic character (same as the front). Only buildings with ground floor commercial, office, and trade uses are eligible (same as the front). The Design Guidelines were written for building storefronts and other building improvements, such as opening up windows and doors (filled in with wood, brick, or glass block) and restoring characteristic features. These guidelines will apply to proposed rear changes, but the program will not require a storefront improvement as would be the case in the front (same as the front, to extent practicable). Grant awards will be prioritized for those facades that are readily visible from public streets and 1 the municipal parking lots north of the railroad tracks; any building face distant from a street would be a secondary priority, as it is lacking public use and general visibility. Due to the lack of defined guidelines, each proposal will be evaluated on case-by-case basis for its visual significance and general improvement of its historic character. A final determination will be made by City Council for consistency with the intent of the program. As is the case with all current grant requests, there is no guarantee in any one year that a grant will be awarded for a rear facade improvement. Attachment C indicates the timing for each type of grant, and updated scoring priorities are included as Attachment D. Scoring priorities emphasize significant visual improvements. Ultimately, awarding a grant up to the maximum value ($23,000) is at the discretion of the City Council, and Council will consider the proposed scoring guidelines to assist in making decisions as to the awarding of grants. GRANTS FOR MAINTENANCE: City Council determined in September that the following items be included as "maintenance" that is eligible for funding, for any facade of a contributing historic building: Repair of exterior walls - external repair only. This includes the repointing of brick walls and structural repair Foundation repairs Roof repair/replacement - external repair only Ineligible maintenance work described in September includes: internal building activities (including plumping, electrical and HVAC systems), external work for signage, paint, window replacement, lighting, external stairways, or facade redesigns are not otherwise eligible as an improvement grant project. For example, replacement of a compliant window would not be eligible for an improvement grant nor for a maintenance grant as it does not have visual significance and does not relate to the general maintenance of the structural conditions of the building. However, if a compliant window is an original window, a rehabilitation grant to repair it may apply. Separately, if the window is non-compliant as a blocked-in window it may be eligible for a traditional improvement grant to remove non-compliant elements. An application requirement for a maintenance grant requires assessment of the structural conditions of the building to ensure that an adequate scope of work is proposed to ensure the work has lasting value supporting the integrity of the building. Up to $2,000 for structural evaluation is available this program. ADMINISTRATION: The grant program has two distinct application periods: fall and spring. Fall and spring have historically had two different eligibility requirements with new facade improvements allowed in the fall, and the spring would allow for second grants. Additionally, Council recently created a category of rehabilitation grants that can only be applied for in conjunction with a traditional facade grant in the fall, but can be applied for independently in the spring. The different periods of eligibility are 2 designed to facilitate new front facade improvements with a priority of access to the grant funds in the fall and for the spring round to utilize unspent funds, if any, to do additional projects. Per Council's direction from September, the proposed changes to Other Facades and to Maintenance will only be available in the spring, maintaining the program priority for front facades in the fall. After consideration of the proposed changes, staff has decided to break out the applications for fall and spring into separate applications for ease of use. Each application will relate only to the time period of the request. The building maintenance grant will also have a separate application, as its requirements are so distinct. Staff believes the approach of having multiple applications will assist the property owners in understanding the types of facade work that can receive a grant and the timing to apply for each type. Attachment C outlines the funding periods for which each category of grant is available. Staff has not proposed any policy change regarding requesting successive grants. There is no limit for applying in successive years for a new grant, but the priorities state a consideration of priority for buildings that have not had a grant within the past five years. Because grants are to be implemented with 6-12 months of approval, a property owner cannot stack or bank grant awards over multiple years for the same project. PUBLIC OUTREACH: Staff provided a preliminary draft to the Ames Main Street Executive Director January 16 in anticipation of the Council meeting date for January 28. Staff asked specifically for input regarding the scoring priorities and any additional comments regarding implementation of Council's direction from September. Staff consulted with the Executive Director of Ames Main Street, Travis Toliver, about the program changes and made updates in response to his suggested clarification. A statement from him is attached (Attachment E). ALTERNATIVES: 1. Approve the changes to the Downtown Facade Grant Program for eligibility and timing 2. Approve, with modifications, the changes to the Downtown Facade Grant Program 3. Deny the changes to the Downtown Facade Grant Program. CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: Over time, owners of Downtown buildings have requested that funding be made available to facades not facing a street and for building maintenance. The attached revised guidelines and program eligibility criteria respond to the direction provided by the City Council to expand eligibility to non-front facades and to allow for certain maintenance activities to be eligible. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1, as described above. 3 ATTACHMENT(S): Attachment A - Facade Grant Eligibility Area.pdf Attachment B - National Register Historic District.pdf Attachment C - Projects by Grant Applicaton Round.pdf Attachment D - Grant Scoring.pdf Attachment E - Ames Main Street Letter of Support.pdf Attachment F - Updated Facade Grant Eligibility & Terms.pdf Attachment G - Maintenance Grant Eligibility & Terms.pdf 4 Attachment A Eligibility Map 5 Attachment B Downtown Ames Main Street National Register Historic District 6 Attachment C Projects by Grant Application Period The table below outlines when funds are available for the various grant categories. The program is funded at the beginning of the fiscal year (beginning in July). The funding emphasis of the Downtown Façade Grant Program is therefore placed on the traditional grants. Grant Type Fall Spring Traditional Y Y Rehabilitation* Y (with Traditional) Y (Standalone) Other Facades* N Y Maintenance* N Y * Applies only to buildings that are contributing resources to the Ames Main Stret National Register Historic District. 7 Downtown Façade Grant Scoring Project Total Address: Score: The Primary purpose of the Façade Grant program is to improve the visual quality of buildings as they relate to streets and in some cases maintain and rehabilitate the historic materials of contributing historic resources. More significant changes that provide a notable improvement to existing conditions are viewed as a higher priority than minor changes that do not create or expand the traditional retail character of Downtown. There is no minimum score requirement for a grant award, but the following categories help to distinguish each grant application as it relates to the purposes of the program. The Council will make final decisions about funding based upon priorities of the program and the significance of the proposed façade improvements. VISUAL IMPACT Score: Points (50 maximum) ▪ Improvements apply to more than one story on one façade ▪ Improvements apply to more than one 25-foot-wide bay on one façade ▪ Improvements will create more visual significance because: - key, highly visual elements of the building are being improved - the building is prominently visible due to its location (e.g., it serves as a focal point from a street, is at a prominent intersection, or is larger than other buildings around it) - Front Facades improvements located along a street are the highest priority for traditional facades, rehabilitation of character defining features of a historic building, non-traditional building front facades, secondary or rear façade improvements for historic buildings, maintenance of historic buildings - Removing ground level non-compliant elements, such as non-brick façade materials and reopening windows and doors that have been filled in (with wood, brick, or glass block), is a high priority along with historic rehabilitation of character defining features such as transoms and original wood windows. - Improvements that do not enhance windows and doors for trade type uses and only minor elements such as adding awnings, additional façade materials, etc. are of a lower priority for grant funds. - Restoration of building integrity and stability that ensures the preservation of existing historic building character is higher maintenance priority to lower impacts routine maintenance. FINANCIAL IMPACT Score: Points (30 maximum) ▪ The grant leverages significant private investments that exceed the minimum the minimum dollar-for-dollar match ▪ The project includes improvements being made to: - ensure public safety Attachment D Grant Scoring 8 - establish or preserve the building’s structural integrity - resist water and moisture penetration - correct other serious safety issues ▪ The project is part of a larger project that improves other exterior or interior parts of the building ▪ The project helps to make use of space that has been unoccupied or used only for storage ▪ The project creates additional trade or entertainment restaurant use opportunities on the ground floor ▪ Projects for buildings that have not had an improvement grant or maintenance grant within 5 years for the same type of grant will be given priority EXTENT OF IMPROVEMENTS Score: Points (20 maximum) Base the number points granted in this category on the number of elements from the Downtown Design Guidelines being improved (see graphic on back of this sheet). More improved elements deserve more points. HISTORIC DESIGN Score: Points (20 maximum) ▪ Project includes historically appropriate materials and restoration techniques ▪ Project goes beyond basic rehabilitation and re-establishes a more historically accurate appearance than other projects Parapet Parapet Panel Upper Floor Windows Stringcourse Transom Area Recessed Entrance Display Windows Kickplate/Bulkhead Upper Facade Storefront Elements of a Historic Façade in Downtown Ames 9 304 Main Street, Ames, IA 50010 | 515.233.3472 | AmesDowntown.org Ames Main Street advances and promotes Downtown Ames as the heart of the Ames community. January 23, 2025 Mayor Haila and Members of the Ames City Council, On behalf of Ames Main Street, we are writing to express our enthusiastic support for the proposed enhancements to the Downtown Façade Grant Program as outlined in the attached report. These changes, which include eligibility for rear façade improvements and roof repair or replacement, represent a meaningful step forward in preserving and revitalizing the unique historic character of Downtown Ames while enhancing its functionality and appeal for both businesses and the community. Over the years, the Downtown Façade Grant Program has played a critical role in fostering economic growth, improving aesthetics, and supporting property owners in maintaining the integrity of their buildings. By broadening the program’s scope to include rear façade improvements, the City Council is acknowledging the vital importance of enhancing all visible aspects of our historic structures, particularly those that face alleys, public parking lots, or other right-of-way spaces. These areas are key to creating a welcoming and cohesive downtown environment that benefits all who live, work, and visit Ames. The inclusion of roof repair and replacement under a new maintenance grant category further strengthens the program’s impact by addressing one of the most critical components of struc tural integrity. Historic buildings are a cornerstone of our downtown identity, and ensuring their long -term viability is essential to maintaining the character and charm that draw people to our city center. We applaud the collaborative efforts that have gone into refining this program, including the involvement of property owners, city staff, and community stakeholders. This partnership approach reflects the shared commitment to making Downtown Ames a vibrant, accessible, and thriving destination. Ames Main Street strongly believes these enhancements will incentivize property owners to invest in their buildings, ensuring our downtown remains a hub of activity, innovation, and pride for years to come. We are grateful for the City Council’s leadership in championing initiatives that not only honor our community’s history but also position us for a prosperous future. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of these important updates to the Downtown Façade Grant Program. Ames Main Street stands ready to support their implementation and to continue collaborating with the City Council in advancing the vision for a vibrant Downtown Ames. Sincerely, Travis Toliver, IOM Executive Director, Ames Main Street 10 Downtown Façade Grant Eligibility & Terms 1. Eligibility Requirements • Eligible participants include the owners and/or tenants of buildings located inside the boundaries of the project area for the Downtown Design Guidelines, which contain Office Uses or Trade Uses as defined by the Ames Zoning Ordinance. • Ineligible participants include the owners and/or tenants of residential structures and buildings owned by the government, churches and other religious institutions, to the extent prohibited by State and Federal guidelines. • Concurrence of the property owner is required, in writing, before improvements proposed by the tenant can be considered for approval. • Improvements must be made to one or more of the façades of a building and the design of such improvements must comply with the current Downtown Design Guidelines. • For Historic Façades, grant money will be provided for replacing existing compliant elements only when the proposed project also includes replacing non-compliant elements with compliant elements. This is distinguished from Rehabilitation Grants. • For other existing buildings whose design is not consistent with the Historic Façades as described in the Downtown Design Guidelines, grant money may be provided for additions or alterations that comply with the section “Other Buildings” in the current Downtown Design Guidelines. • Grants may be offered if all non-compliant elements of the entire façade or of all façades intended to be improved are not to be improved under one grant project. However, the improvements must contribute to a project that, when complete, will be generally consistent with all design standards. To determine this, an application must include elevation plans for all façades intended to be improved showing how they are intended to look when complete. • For all projects for which all improvements will not be completed under the grant, the scope of proposed improvements for the grant shall be visually significant in the context of how the whole building is intended to look when all improvements to the façade are complete. The City may approve a grant based upon a proposed improvement’s contribution to the finished product, and may deny a grant for improvements that, while compliant in part, are not visually significant in terms of how the overall building is intended to ultimately look when all improvements to the façade are complete. • If a project is phased, a grant shall be offered only to those improvements that are done in correct sequence of construction. For example, a finished project may require installing or changing windows, in some cases siding is installed after windows are in place. In such cases the windows would need to be replaced before grant monies may be expended on siding materials. Attachment F 11 2 2. Terms of the Grant Agreement • Accounts and Records. The grant recipient shall maintain books, records, documents, and other evidence pertaining to all costs and expenses incurred and revenues acquired under the grant to the extent and in such detail as will properly reflect all costs, direct and indirect, of labor, materials, equipment, supplies, services, and other costs and expenses of whatever nature for which payment is made with the proceeds of the grant. The grant recipient will retain these records for three years from the date City makes payment of the grant. • Administrative Costs. No grant proceeds shall be used for administrative expenses. • Amendments. These Program guidelines, terms and conditions may be amended from time to time by the Façade Program Coordinator for reasons of operational efficiency or unforeseen circumstances that may arise or conflict with applicable City or State regulations affecting the administration of the Program. • Amount of the Grant. The maximum amount of the grant will be $23,000. (Exceptions may be approved by the City Council on a case-by-case basis.) • Complaint/Dispute Resolution Process. Any dispute arising between the grant recipient, property owner(s), consultant(s), or contractor(s) regarding the grant application, its terms and execution of work under the grant will be resolved through the Façade Grant committee and the Façade Program Coordinator. The decision of the Façade Grant committee will be final and binding on all parties. • Cost Sufficiency. The City does not make any warranty, either expressed or implied, that the proceeds of the grant available for payment of the costs of the project will be sufficient to pay any specific portion of the costs that will be incurred in that connection. The City is under no obligation to advance funds in addition to those specified in the grant approval by City Council. • Disbursement of Grant. Grant funds shall be disbursed to the grant recipient only upon the satisfactory completion of the project in accordance with a design for the project that has been approved by the City. The amount of the payment to the grant recipient will be one-half of the total cost of the work approved for the grant as documented by the bills submitted by the grant recipient, but shall not exceed the total grant amount approved by the City Council. • Fees of a Design Professional. When included in the grant application, the City shall make a grant of up to $2,000 to reimburse the grant recipient for the documented fees of a design professional other than the grant recipient or family member of the grant recipient. The applicant may also be eligible for Main Street Iowa Design Assistance. Contact the Main Street Cultural District for further information. 12 3 • Inclusions and Omission. The requirements and regulations for Program administration outlined in the grant design guidelines, terms and conditions are designed to supplement and amplify the provisions as set forth in the applicable zoning and building code regulations administered by the City of Ames. These regulations, utilized together with the grant guidelines, terms and conditions, provide the basis for Program administration. The lack of any item to be included in these guidelines, terms and conditions shall not relieve or release the grant recipient(s), property owner(s), consultant(s), contractor(s) or City from the responsibilities under the provisions outlined in the applicable zoning and building codes and Program guidelines, terms and conditions. • Matching Funds. The grant recipient’s expenditures for the project from sources other than the proceeds of the grant shall equal the amount of the grant proceeds. • Notice to Proceed. After the City has approved all design elements, all required permits and received the W-9 form, the City will issue a Notice to Proceed. No work funded by the grant shall proceed until on or after the date of the Notice to Proceed. No reimbursement from grant funds will be made for work carried out before the date of the Notice to Proceed. • Permits. All pertinent permits must be obtained and all work must comply with City, State, and Federal regulations. • Report of the City Building Official. The City Building Official shall determine if the work conforms to all applicable codes and regulations, and that any and all pre-existing code defects in the building façade have been corrected to conform to all appropriate codes. • Request for Payment. The grant recipient shall submit to the City on a form provided by the City a listing of all bills for the materials and work completed and a statement that all work under the approved grant has been completed and that the listing is complete. The grant recipient shall also submit evidence as may be reasonably required to substantiate all payments that are requested, such as lien waivers or conditional lien waivers. • Statement of Work and Services. The grant recipient will perform the work in a satisfactory and proper manner, as determined by the City conforming to the approved application, project budget, and project schedule. • Tax Payer Identification Number. After City Council awards grants, all grant recipients are required to provide to the City a copy of Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification. The City will only issue a Notice to Proceed after it receives the W-9 Form. • Time of Project Completion and Fund Request. The work approved for the grant shall be completed within twelve months of the date of the “Notice to Proceed.” The grant recipient shall request grant funds only after the project has been completed in accordance with the approved application. • Use of Grant Funds. The grant funds shall not be spent on any other purpose(s) than the activities approved in the application. • Failure by the grantee to comply with the terms of eligibility may result in forfeiture of award. 13 4 Downtown Façade Grant Review There are two façade grants: 1. Modifications to bring façades into compliance with the Downtown Design Guidelines. 2. Rehabilitation of historically significant, character-defining features. Requirements for Downtown Design Guidelines Façade Grants ▪ The building must be located downtown within boundaries established by City Council. ▪ The ground floor must be Office Uses or Trade Uses as defined by the Ames zoning ordinance. ▪ The façade design must comply with the Downtown Design Guidelines. ▪ Improvements to historic façades shall include replacing non-compliant elements with compliant elements. Maintenance is not eligible for grant funding (see Downtown Building Maintenance Grant for possible maintenance eligibility). ▪ Residential structures and buildings owned by the government, churches, and other religious institutions are not eligible. ▪ No façade grant shall exceed $23,000. ▪ The Ames Planning Division shall administer the Grant Program and prepare eligibility requirements, terms, and application forms as necessary for effective implementation. Downtown Design Guidelines Program Logistics The following process for review of applications for façade grants provides time to inform all potential applicants of the opportunity, to work with applicants, applicants to prepare submittals and for staff to review applications and report to City Council. Two grant periods will be planned for each fiscal year. First Grant Period For this first grant period, preference for grant awards will be given to: - façades that have not received any previous grant funding - front façades Action Steps: ▪ Staff will inform all property and business owners of grant availability, process, and deadlines. ▪ Staff will work with applicants to define the project, ensure that it meets the guidelines, and assure that it is feasible and can be completed within the time frame. ▪ Applications will be accepted in the summer, as early as June. ▪ Staff will review and score applications and report to City Council in July or August for awarding grants. ▪ Projects may then start in the fall and be potentially completed before the holiday shopping season or completed the following year. Second Grant Period If the entire budget is not committed in the first grant period in each year (fall), a second grant period will begin in the spring. While façades on Main Street and façades for which no previous grants have been awarded will still receive first preference in this second grant period, all downtown grant requests will be considered and potentially approved if funds remain after all first- preference proposals are awarded. Grants for façades that do not face a street are eligible in the second grant period. There are no separate design guidelines for these ‘other’ façades. Grant awards will be prioritized for 14 5 those façades that are visible from public streets and the municipal parking lot north of the railroad tracks. Due to the lack of defined guidelines, each proposal will be evaluated on case-by-case basis for its visual significance and general improvement of its historic character. A final determination will be made by City Council for consistency with the intent of the program. Requirements for Rehabilitation of Historically Significant, Character-Defining Features ▪ The work must retain and restore the architectural feature related to the building’s historic significance. Examples include original windows, transoms, decorative cornices. Maintenance activities of a building are not eligible. ▪ The architectural features must relate to the front façade. ▪ The building must be a contributing structure to the National Register Ames Main Street Historic District or otherwise an individually listed Historic Resource on the National Register. Rehabilitation Program Logistics Two grant periods will be planned for each fiscal year. First Grant Period The Rehabilitation Grant may only be applied for in conjunction with work eligible for the standard grant. A property may be awarded a total of $46,000 for one façade ($23,000 for compliance with Downtown Design Guidelines and $23,000 for rehabilitation of historically significant, character- defining features). Only one Rehabilitation Grant may be approved for a property in this round. Action Steps: ▪ Staff will inform all property and business owners of grant availability, process, and deadlines. ▪ Staff will work with applicants to define the project, ensure that it meets the guidelines, and assure that it is feasible and can be completed within the time frame. ▪ Applications will be accepted in the summer, as early as June. ▪ Staff will review and score applications and report to City Council in late summer for awarding grants. ▪ Projects may then start in the fall and be potentially completed before the holiday shopping season or completed the following year. Second Grant Period A Rehabilitation Grant applies to historically significant, character-defining features by themselves, and need not be in conjunction with other work. Grants can be awarded independently for significant features, for a maximum of $23,000. Conditions of Grant Approval ▪ Grantees must receive a notice to proceed from the City prior to starting work. ▪ Grantees must apply for a notice to proceed within 9 months of the approval of the grant. ▪ Construction must be completed within 1 year of issuance of the notice to proceed. ▪ Any required building code and/or safety improvements to a structure must be completed before grant work proceeds or before grant funds are paid. ▪ If a grantee does not move forward with a project consistent with the Program’s Eligibility and Terms, including the program logistics, the award will be considered forfeited. 15 6 The table below outlines when funds are available for the various grant categories. The program is funded at the beginning of the fiscal year (beginning in July). The funding emphasis of the Downtown Façade Grant Program is therefore placed on the traditional grants. Grant Type Fall Spring Traditional Y Y Rehabilitation* Y (with Traditional) Y (Standalone) Other Facades* N Y Maintenance* N Y * Applies only to buildings that are contributing resources to the Ames Main Stret National Register Historic District. 16 Downtown Building Maintenance Grant Eligibility & Terms 1. Eligibility Requirements • Eligible participants include the owners and/or tenants of buildings located inside the boundaries of the Downtown Ames National Register Historic District. Only those buildings that are contributing resources to the Historic District may receive grant funding. Buildings must contain Office Uses or Trade Uses as defined by the Ames Zoning Ordinance. • Ineligible participants include the owners and/or tenants of residential structures and buildings owned by the government, churches and other religious institutions, to the extent prohibited by State and Federal guidelines. • Concurrence of the property owner is required, in writing, before improvements proposed by the tenant can be considered for approval. • The following are eligible activities for Maintenance Grant funding: exterior walls, foundations, roofs. The purpose of the grant is to provide assistance with maintaining historic buildings. Other changes or maintenance (such as to windows or plumbing) may be done at the sole expense of the building owner/tenant. • The applicant must obtain a written inspection from an Iowa-certified architect or engineer attesting to the need for the project. Grant money will be provided for needed building maintenance and not for cosmetic changes. • For exterior walls, eligible activity includes repointing of mortar, repair to clay brick, stabilization of masonry, and repair to architectural features such as cornices, lintels, sills, and other decorative features that contribute to the building as a historic resource. • For foundations, eligible activity includes stabilization of masonry, which could include repair to masonry bricks and mortar or bracing of masonry wall with steel or other supports. This work could take place along the exterior portion of the foundation or in a basement. • For roofs, eligible activity includes replacing and repairing the exterior of the roof, ensuring that the roof is watertight. Ineligible activity includes only repairs to interior components of a roof: rafters, trusses, or joists. • If a project is phased, a grant shall be offered only to those improvements that are done in correct sequence of construction. For example, a finished project may require installing or changing windows, in some cases siding is installed after windows are in place. In such cases the windows would need to be replaced before grant monies may be expended on siding materials. Attachment G 17 2 2. Terms of the Grant Agreement • Accounts and Records. The grant recipient shall maintain books, records, documents, and other evidence pertaining to all costs and expenses incurred and revenues acquired under the grant to the extent and in such detail as will properly reflect all costs, direct and indirect, of labor, materials, equipment, supplies, services, and other costs and expenses of whatever nature for which payment is made with the proceeds of the grant. The grant recipient will retain these records for three years from the date City makes payment of the grant. • Administrative Costs. No grant proceeds shall be used for administrative expenses. • Amendments. These Program guidelines, terms and conditions may be amended from time to time by the Façade Program Coordinator for reasons of operational efficiency or unforeseen circumstances that may arise or conflict with applicable City or State regulations affecting the administration of the Program. • Amount of the Grant. The maximum amount of the grant will be $23,000. (Exceptions may be approved by the City Council on a case-by-case basis.) • Complaint/Dispute Resolution Process. Any dispute arising between the grant recipient, property owner(s), consultant(s), or contractor(s) regarding the grant application, its terms and execution of work under the grant will be resolved through the Façade Grant committee and the Façade Program Coordinator. The decision of the Façade Grant committee will be final and binding on all parties. • Cost Sufficiency. The City does not make any warranty, either expressed or implied, that the proceeds of the grant available for payment of the costs of the project will be sufficient to pay any specific portion of the costs that will be incurred in that connection. The City is under no obligation to advance funds in addition to those specified in the grant approval by City Council. • Disbursement of Grant. Grant funds shall be disbursed to the grant recipient only upon the satisfactory completion of the project in accordance with a design for the project that has been approved by the City. The amount of the payment to the grant recipient will be one-half of the total cost of the work approved for the grant as documented by the bills submitted by the grant recipient, but shall not exceed the total grant amount approved by the City Council. • Fees of an Engineering or Architectural Professional. When included in the grant application, the City shall make a grant of up to $2,000 to reimburse the grant recipient for the documented fees of an engineering or architectural professional other than the grant recipient or family member of the grant recipient. The applicant may also be eligible for Main Street Iowa Design Assistance. Contact the Main Street Cultural District for further information. 18 3 • Inclusions and Omission. The requirements and regulations for Program administration outlined in the grant design guidelines, terms and conditions are designed to supplement and amplify the provisions as set forth in the applicable zoning and building code regulations administered by the City of Ames. These regulations, utilized together with the grant guidelines, terms and conditions, provide the basis for Program administration. The lack of any item to be included in these guidelines, terms and conditions shall not relieve or release the grant recipient(s), property owner(s), consultant(s), contractor(s) or City from the responsibilities under the provisions outlined in the applicable zoning and building codes and Program guidelines, terms and conditions. • Matching Funds. The grant recipient’s expenditures for the project from sources other than the proceeds of the grant shall equal the amount of the grant proceeds. • Notice to Proceed. After the City has approved all design elements, all required permits and received the W-9 form, the City will issue a Notice to Proceed. No work funded by the grant shall proceed until on or after the date of the Notice to Proceed. No reimbursement from grant funds will be made for work carried out before the date of the Notice to Proceed. • Permits. All pertinent permits must be obtained and all work must comply with City, State, and Federal regulations. • Report of the City Building Official. The City Building Official shall determine if the work conforms to all applicable codes and regulations, and that any and all pre-existing code defects in the building façade have been corrected to conform to all appropriate codes. • Request for Payment. The grant recipient shall submit to the City on a form provided by the City a listing of all bills for the materials and work completed and a statement that all work under the approved grant has been completed and that the listing is complete. The grant recipient shall also submit evidence as may be reasonably required to substantiate all payments that are requested, such as lien waivers or conditional lien waivers. • Statement of Work and Services. The grant recipient will perform the work in a satisfactory and proper manner, as determined by the City conforming to the approved application, project budget, and project schedule. • Tax Payer Identification Number. After City Council awards grants, all grant recipients are required to provide to the City a copy of Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification. The City will only issue a Notice to Proceed after it receives the W-9 Form. • Time of Project Completion and Fund Request. The work approved for the grant shall be completed within twelve months of the date of the “Notice to Proceed.” The grant recipient shall request grant funds only after the project has been completed in accordance with the approved application. • Use of Grant Funds. The grant funds shall not be spent on any other purpose(s) than the activities approved in the application. • Failure by the grantee to comply with the terms of eligibility may result in forfeiture of award. 19 4 Downtown Building Maintenance Grant Review Requirements for Downtown Building Maintenance Grants Only those buildings that are contributing resources to the Ames Main Street National Register Historic District are eligible for a Maintenance Grant. The following maintenance work is eligible for grant funding: ▪ Repair of exterior walls – external repair only. This includes the repointing of brick walls and structural repair. ▪ Foundation repairs. ▪ Roof repair/replacement – external repair only. The following work is ineligible for grant funding: ▪ Internal building activates (including plumping, electrical and HVAC systems), ▪ External work for signage, ▪ Paint, ▪ Window replacement, ▪ Lighting, external stairways, or ▪ Façade redesigns are not otherwise eligible as an improvement grant project An application requirement for a maintenance grant requires an assessment of the structural conditions of the building to ensure that an adequate scope of work is proposed to ensure the work has lasting value supporting the integrity of the building. This grant is only eligible for the second grant period in the spring. Conditions of Grant Approval ▪ Grantees must receive a notice to proceed from the City prior to starting work. ▪ Grantees must apply for a notice to proceed within 9 months of the approval of the grant. ▪ Construction must be completed within 1 year of issuance of the notice to proceed. ▪ Any required building code and/or safety improvements to a structure must be completed before grant work proceeds or before grant funds are paid. ▪ If a grantee does not move forward with a project consistent with the Program’s Eligibility and Terms, including the program logistics, the award will be considered forfeited. The table below outlines when funds are available for the various grant categories. The program is funded at the beginning of the fiscal year (beginning in July). The funding emphasis of the Downtown Façade Grant Program is therefore placed on the traditional grants. Grant Type Fall Spring Traditional Y Y Rehabilitation* Y (with Traditional) Y (Standalone) Other Facades* N Y Maintenance* N Y * Applies only to buildings that are contributing resources to the Ames Main Stret National Register Historic District. 20