A Façade Grant is being offered by the City of Sanford to owners or tenants of commercial properties on Main Street, between Lebanon Street and Roberts Street. This is an incentive to improve the outside appearance of the downtown.
Donor Name: City of Sanford
State: Maine
City: Sanford
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 01/31/2023
Size of the Grant: $25,000
Details:
Downtown is a collection of individual buildings that have an impact on each other. Everyone benefits from a single building improvement. Buildings which are not cared for will deteriorate. Encouragement, support and guidance extended to business and property owners will help build a revitalized downtown.
People enjoy conducting business in a downtown with well maintained buildings and interesting facades. Slower traffic speeds, pedestrian priority crosswalks, clean streets and sidewalks, all encourage window shopping. Landscaping and amenities such as benches encourage pedestrianism. The addition of human scale, safe lighting to visually attractive places promotes social activity and a night-life in the downtown. Create gateway elements at important downtown entranceways to entice people downtown. All sidewalks, public-use buildings, and public open spaces should be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Sometimes, uncovering old building facades can reveal hidden architectural treasures.
Funding Information
The maximum grant awarded is $25,000. A 25% minimum private investment match is required. This is a federally funded program through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible buildings must:
- Be utilized for ground floor commercial purposes.
- Be within the defined downtown, between Roberts Street and Lebanon Street.
- Be structurally sound and weather-tight.
- Be current on all local, state and federal taxes, (real & personal) and utilities (water and sewer) and there can be no liens on the subject property.
- The applicant, and/or owner cannot be the subject of any pending lawsuit, or judgment that could result in a foreclosure action.
Eligible Façade Activities
- Architectural /design costs (up to a Maximum of 10% of grant amount awarded)
- Façade replacement/restoration such as storefronts, display windows, doors, awnings,
- painting or stucco, re-pointing of brick, exterior lighting, decorative details, cornices/parapet walls, and signage.
- Handicapped access, including ramps, in conjunction with entrance improvements (no interior work such as bathrooms, ramps, or elevators)
- Preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration of historic facades
For more information, visit City of Sanford.
