[Durham INC] Durham Seeks Retail & Building Improvement Grant Applicants

[Blalock, Amy]

CITY OF DURHAM

Office of Public Affairs

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

 

 

News Release

 

For Details, Contact:

Amy Blalock

Sr. Public Affairs Specialist

(919) 560-4123 x 11253

(919) 475-7735 (cell)

Amy.Blalock at durhamnc.gov

 

For Immediate Release:  October 12, 2010

 

Durham Seeks Grant Applicants for Retail and Building Improvements

November 12 Deadline to Submit Applications for Second Round of Grant
Opportunities

 

DURHAM, N.C. - Durham businesses interested in creating or expanding a
business in downtown Durham or targeted areas inside the city limits
should take note that a second round for two grant opportunities is now
available through the City of Durham.

 

The City's Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) is now
accepting applications for the Merchandise-Based Retail Incentive and
Building Improvement Grants. The OEWD's Merchandise-Based Retail
Incentive Grant, specifically targeted for the Downtown Development Tier
and select neighborhoods inside the city limits, will provide economic
development incentives to eligible projects that support the creation,
retention, or expansion of businesses within the Downtown Development
Tier, including Parrish Street.  

 

Eligible projects within the community development area (CDA) outside of
the Downtown Development Tier, including targeted corridors; or within
targeted areas in the urban growth area (UGA) are also encouraged to
apply. The targeted corridors inside the CDA are Angier Avenue and
Driver Street; West Chapel Hill Street; Mangum Street; Fayetteville
Street; East Main Street; and Holloway Street. The targeted areas within
the UGA are Wellon's Village, North Roxboro Road, and Avondale Drive.

 

In order to be eligible for this grant, the project property must be a
street level, merchandise-based retail business or certain professional
or personal services such as a childcare centers or beauty salons. The
applicant must be the owner of the property or have a fully signed lease
and a letter of approval from the property owner supporting the proposed
improvements. The business must be open at least five days a week, eight
hours a day. Organizations that are not eligible to apply are religious
organizations; government agencies or offices; businesses or private
clubs that exclude minors as patrons; or residential projects.

 

Grant recipients are eligible to receive up to $15,000 in matching funds
from the City for a project that meets eligibility criteria and scores
high enough in the competitive evaluation process. Only funds spent on
work performed after City approval of the grant are eligible for
reimbursement. 

 

The OEWD's Building Improvement Grant requires that eligible applicants
own the building at the time of application and the project must be
private property and non-residential. Capital investment improvements
must be on an existing building having vacant spaces for the purpose of
improving and/or upgrading the interior and exterior, to make the first
floor more rentable or "retail/restaurant-ready." Grant parameters
include the following: If the project is within the Community
Development Area outside the Downtown Development Tier, the minimum
total project capital investment must be at least $187,500. If the
project is within the Downtown Development Tier, the minimum total
project capital investment must be at least $225,000. If the project is
within a Targeted Portion of the Urban Growth Area, the minimum total
project capital investment must be at least $300,000.  

 

To assist applicants with identifying whether proposed projects are
located within eligible geographic areas for both grants, a
state-of-the-art mapping application has been developed by the City's
Geographic Information Systems' Division. The application is available
on the City's website at 
http://gisweb.durhamnc.gov/durhammaps/oewd/viewer/index.html. 

 

The deadline to apply for both grants is November 12, 2010, by 5 p.m.
Funding requests of $50,000 or greater will be subject to City Council
approval. All efforts will be made to evaluate and determine funding
requests less than $50,000 within 45 days of the submission deadline.
The City anticipates notifying applicants of their award status by late
December 2010.  

 

For a complete description of the grant application guidelines,
application process, and mapping application visit the City's website at
www.DurhamEconomicDevelopment.org. Interested applicants for proposed
projects outside the Downtown Development Tier should contact Peter
Coyle, cultural and business initiatives coordinator with the City's
OEWD, via e-mail at Peter.Coyle at durhamnc.gov. For proposed projects
within the Downtown Development Tier, contact Joy Mickle-Walker,
coordinator of downtown development & marketing with the City's OEWD,
via e-mail at Joy.Mickle-Walker at durhamnc.gov. 

 

About the Office of Economic and Workforce Development

The City of Durham's Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD)
seeks to increase the city's tax base through several revitalization
initiatives, including new development efforts in the central city area.
The department also identifies and recruits companies in target
industries, prepares Durham residents for these opportunities and places
Durham residents to fill these positions created by the recruitment of
companies. For more information, visit 
www.DurhamEconomicDevelopment.org.

 

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