Following on the successes of previous grants, the Downtown Courtenay Business Improvement Association is offering its Façade Improvement Grant program. It is open to applications from DCBIA members.
The grant encourages and assists commercial building and business owners to invest in façade renovations and storefront upgrades by providing matching grants, up to a maximum of $5,000, or $10,000 for a corner property, to cover a portion of renovation costs.
Last year, the BIA granted $10,000 to support the façade renovations of the building at the corner of Fitzgerald and Fourth, where the Broken Spoke, Primetek, Podlings and Cinnamon Salon are located.
“We were so pleased to receive the grant from the DCBIA to go towards this project,” says Phil Diede, property owner. “It means a lot to us as it was a comprehensive upgrade to the building, and the grant allowed us to go a little further with it than we would have otherwise.”
The Broken Spoke building is the latest to receive a grant since the program was introduced in 2013. The building at the corner of England and Fifth, where McConochie's Furniture is located, and the Codes Country Lanes building at Sixth and Duncan were the first grant recipients. Since then, grants have been given to Ski Tak Hut for a new sign and to Joe Formosa to upgrade the patio area at Mudsharks Coffee and Gladstone Brewing.
“Providing an incentive to building improvements that make downtown streets more interesting and attractive has become one of the big success stories for the DCBIA,” president Deana Simkin said. “We think the improvements accomplished since 2013 have proven how valuable the grant program is, and look forward to receiving this year’s applications. It is making a big difference to the look and feel of downtown.”
Moneys for the grant come from the BIA’s annual tax levy to property owners, administered by the City of Courtenay. Application deadline is April 30.
FMI: www.downtowncourtenay.com/about/facade/ or contact executive director Kim Stubblefield at 250-703-3790 or info@downtowncourtenay.com.