In a continued effort towards city beautification and increasing tourism, Alpena’s Downtown Development Authority has accepted a $400,000 federal grant to improve and restore city facades.
On a regular basis, the DDA is only able to allocate up to $10,000 per project. With the help of the grant, the Façade Grant Program will be able to compensate up to 50% of the funds needed to complete projects within their jurisdiction during enrollment periods.
Priorities are being directed towards historical renovation projects, but any commercial or mixed-use business in need of a lift is able to apply.
The DDA's executive director, Anne Gentry, highly encourages businesses to apply for this opportunity.
“They look cleaned up and renovated. It's more attractive for a business to relocate in there, so that's a huge boost. And then of course businesses that might be located in a historic building already, if it's if it's cleaned up and looks nice, more people are going to want to go in there and support it. So that's really kind of what we're hoping to see.” Gentry said in an interview with WCMU.
Along with heightened tourism, this program is also going to bring in jobs to help boost the local economy, Gentry said.
Application deadlines are February 23 and May 24, 2024, with approvals being sent within two weeks of the deadline.