Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority grants help lead to $125,000 worth of facade improvements
The Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority recently awarded $40,000 in facade improvement grants to businesses in the city’s downtown districts.
That has helped spur an estimated $125,000 in investment aimed at sprucing up the exteriors of 13 businesses.
Work on the projects could begin within several weeks.
Haab's owners plan to repaint the exterior to highlight the cornices and other architectural features.
Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com
“This was a real good program, as far as the results that we’re going to get with it,” DDA Director Tim Colbeck said. “It will have a big visual impact in the business district.”
The DDA offered funds for half the cost of facade improvement projects with a maximum match of $2,500. But most businesses that applied were seeking the grants to supplement much larger investments, with the largest being two estimated $26,000 projects in vacant storefronts at 230 W. Michigan Ave. and 126 W. Michigan Ave.
The program made available $20,000 for downtown businesses and $10,000 each for the West Cross corridor and Depot Town.
A wide range of businesses were awarded grants, including Tom’s Party Store, Olde Towne Gold and Coin, the Ypsilanti Food Co-op, Wolverine, Red Rock, several vacant storefronts in need of remodeling and more. No money was awarded to DDA board members’ businesses.
David Kabat is co-owner of Haab’s, which received $2,500 for improvements through the program. The owners are spending approximately $6,000 to repaint the exterior in a way that will highlight the 150-year-old building’s unique architectural features.
“It actually ended up being perfect timing because we said we wanted to paint the top half of the building, then a week or two later we saw the article on AnnArbor.com that said the DDA was offering matching grant funds. It just worked perfectly for us,” he said.
The DDA, in partnership with the Eastern Leaders’ Group, also recently awarded $30,000 in West Cross building rehabilitation and facade grants to businesses in the West Cross corridor and is offering another $30,000 in fiscal year 2012 through that program.
The city also received around $900,000 in grant money for the “Cross Street corridor non-motorized enhancement project.” Plans call for the creation of a streetscape on Cross Street, and several other renovations are underway at the former Cross Street Station and Ted’s Campus Drugs building.
Additionally, Eastern Michigan University and the city completed the reconstruction and beautification of College Place. Mayor Paul Schreiber, who serves on the DDA, said he and business owners are seeing positive signs, especially in the West Cross corridor, which was a once thriving part of town that fell into disrepair.
“That’s where the action is right now as far as infrastructure improvements,” he said. “When government is being forced to cut back, what dollars we are spending now have to be matched to help build infrastructure.”
Kabat said he sees improvements throughout the business districts and believes the money spent through the facade improvement program will have a significant impact.
“I think it helps tremendously,” he said. “The city has been doing a lot of the street work and work in the community, but this is the individual owners putting forth money and trying to make the appearance improvements, so I think it’s going to help the city tremendously.”
Comments
Andrew Jason Clock
Tue, Sep 6, 2011 : 10:13 p.m.
A few examples from the A2 DDA website. -Encourage appropriate public and private infill projects to increase commercial activity. -Support strategies to retain and strengthen local retail businesses. -Participate in efforts to attract new retail, businesses, and services to downtown that support residential needs. -Encourage an appropriate mix of local retailers and regional/national retailers, as it strengthens downtown Ann Arbor's ability to draw retail shoppers. Collect and disseminate information about the downtown environment and commercial opportunities to support property owner efforts to attract a diversity of attractive businesses. -Work with the City of Ann Arbor, the Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce, and Spark to encourage the retention of existing businesses and the attraction of new businesses to downtown. -Identify downtown areas that are undergoing significant change or distress, and work with area stakeholders and property owners to develop strategies aimed at maintaining and strengthening commercial environments. -Promote Ann Arbor's unique identity as a compelling business asset. Preserve, develop, and market those things that make Ann Arbor a special place as this is crucial to retaining current businesses and attracting new businesses to downtown. The A2 DDA also provides funding grants or partner ships to to the Ann Arbor Summer Festival, The Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair, The State Street Art Fair, and a handful of other events. So, you see LC, its not that our DDA can't do projects to attract business, visitors & residents, its that the board chooses not to. Renee, you are right, the DDA can't make people move into downtown, but they could be helping. The board just chooses not to. Joe, you are very right, Ypsilanti City Council needs to mandate a change in mission for the DDA. And please note, I think that our DDA employees do a great job, considering what they are up against.
joe golder
Tue, Sep 6, 2011 : 3:55 p.m.
@ LC downtown Ypsilanti may be a field of dreams, but to the many who have invested into the downtown the build it and they will come doesn't cut it Andy couldn't be more right. The DDA, council, and mayor need to put together a committee that will promote ypsi and work hard to change its image. I believe EMU has to be a bigger player in supporting our community! EMU sponsoring events downtown that would bring more students, staff, and visitors off campus would help greatly. They would love to see more townies sitting in the seats at football games but fall way short in my opinion when it comes to putting feet on the sidewalks of our downtown.
joe golder
Tue, Sep 6, 2011 : 6:05 p.m.
Steve, There are many great people doing a great job promoting Ypsilanti. More needs to be done. I would like to see a more regional approach. Downtown Ypsilanti becoming a success will be a driver behind the success of East Michigan ave corridor and Water Street.
Steve McKeen
Tue, Sep 6, 2011 : 5:22 p.m.
Aren't you describing the job of the Chamber of Commerce? Or the Convention and Visitor's Bureau? Or a merchant's association? Or a community development group? Aren't there a lot of groups already in place that should be 'marketing' Ypsilanti?
Rene
Tue, Sep 6, 2011 : 3:55 p.m.
According to the International Downtown Association and best practices from around the country (including the Ann Arbor DDA) halping to create and sustain an downtown that is clean, safe, and attractive are three of the best things a DDA can do to help attract businesses and customers. DDAs can't make people rent space and open businesses but they can help invest in the downton to make it more viable and attractive through things like facade improvement programs. And ideally, as is the case with a matching grant program, they use tax dollars to leverage private investment in the district.
Think!
Tue, Sep 6, 2011 : 3:53 p.m.
<a href="http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(sjrlm45515jrkx550smdcoj4))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectname=mcl-act-197-of-1975" rel='nofollow'>http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(sjrlm45515jrkx550smdcoj4))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectname=mcl-act-197-of-1975</a> The scope appears to be pretty broad.
LC
Tue, Sep 6, 2011 : 12:44 p.m.
Andy, you are totally wrong in your assessment of what DDAs are supposed to do. DDAs are about bricks and mortar projects. Look at the Ann Arbor DDA website to see what they are working on: Projects in 2010/11 include the following: * Grants for alternative transportation programs such as improved transit service, bike amenities, and go!passes for downtown employees * Construction of the South Fifth Avenue underground parking structure and application of additional elements to enhance safety, pedestrian linkages, traffic flow, and flexibility of the site. * Implementation of the Fifth and Division Improvement Project to make these "complete streets" that accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists * Distribution of Downtown Energy Saving Grants to enable businesses access to free energy audits * Benchmarking downtown activity and vitality * Continued implementation of the DDA's Public Parking & Transportation Demand Management Strategies Plan Nothing in there suggests sidewalk sales or festivals.
Andrew Jason Clock
Tue, Sep 6, 2011 : 12:14 p.m.
This is a great program and is making a great impact on the DDA district. Now if the DDA board would just get its collective head out of its behind and accomplish something beyond fixing streets and buildings. Look at Ann Arbor. They are looking at ways to actively attract business, and promoting events to attract customers for those businesses, like 90% of the DDA's in existence. Can anyone tell me honestly that Ypsilanti's downtown isn't in desperate need of that sort of help? We can paint up downtown a pretty as we please, but until the DDA and City Council start doing things to fill those streets and buildings, its pretty pointless.
A2comments
Tue, Sep 6, 2011 : 10:44 a.m.
Haab's learned of the DDA program from AnnArbor.com? Kudos to this site, but shouldn't the DDA have contacted businesses, especially established ones like Haab's, directly?