Iowa City building improvement grants return for likely last time

IOWA CITY - One business's decision to opt out of Iowa City's building beautification program has opened the door for others to apply for $30,000 in community grants.

Tracy Hightshoe, Iowa City community development coordinator, said officials with Joe's Place, 115 Iowa Ave., had been granted $30,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds from the Building Change Program for this fiscal year, but were unable to proceed with plans for renovations.

So until the June 12 deadline, establishments in the downtown and Northside Marketplace seeking facade improvements have the chance to apply for the funding in what Hightshoe said is likely the last time grants will be offered through the program.

'This will most likely be the last time,” she said, adding that in its short run, the program has been immensely successful. 'For about $300,000 in city funds, we've leveraged approximately $1 million in downtown improvements.”

In fiscal year 2013, roughly $84,000 in CDBG funds generated $276,000 in renovations to Active Endeavors, Bo James and Quintons. In the same year, about $84,000 in Economic Development funds allowed for nearly $262,000 in projects for the GrossSix Building, Pancheros, Chait Galleries and Yacht Club.

Last year almost $48,000 in CDBG funds went to Atlas Restaurant's $119,000 in updates.

This year's $85,000 in funds are going to Yotopia, Martini's, Sports Column Bar, Cold Stone Creamery and MC Ginsberg with officials estimating the grants to lead to almost $294,000 in projects.

Kris Ackerson, Iowa City community development planner, said he has already heard from businesses interested in the grants and that city staff will ultimately determine how to distribute the funding.

'It just depends on what kinds of applications we get,” he said. 'It could be used up with one large project or a bunch of smaller ones.”

In addition to the grants, officials with Hills Bank and Trust, MidWestOne Bank and University of Iowa Community Credit Union will continue to provide interest-free loans to downtown projects for facade renovations, entryway modifications and accessibility improvements, fire safety upgrades and upper level renovations to make use of underutilized space.

Ackerson said a positive side effect from the Building Change program is the potential to see it spread throughout downtown.

'If a property owner sees their neighbor investing in their property, they're more inclined to take on a project of their own,” he said. 'It has a spillover effect.”

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