[Durham INC] Durham Seeks Grant Applicants for Retail and Building Improvements

Tue Jan 11 12:12:56 EST 2011

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:  January 11, 2011

Durham Seeks Grant Applicants for Retail and Building Improvements

Feb. 18 Deadline to Submit Applications for Third Round of Grant
Opportunities; 

Application Assistance Session Jan. 27

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

The City's Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) is now
accepting applications for 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 center or beauty salon. 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; and 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 City's OEWD is also hosting a second voluntary pre-proposers
conference on Thursday, January 27, 2011, at 6 p.m. in the City Hall
Committee Room, located on the second floor of City Hall at 101 City
Hall Plaza, Durham. The focus of this application assistance session
will be on potential projects in the CDA outside of the Downtown
Development Tier, but information will be made available for potential
projects in other areas. This application assistance session is the
final group-setting opportunity for those who may have questions or need
clarification on various aspects of these grant opportunities. 

The deadline to apply for both grants is Friday, February 18, 2011, 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 Friday, March 25, 2011.  

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)
implements a comprehensive and responsive business development strategy
that supports business formation, retention, expansion, relocation, and
employment opportunities created by the business development strategy.
OEWD also works with community partners to ensure that Durham residents
have opportunities to be placed and retained in these employment
opportunities. To learn more, visit the City's website at 
www.DurhamEconomicDevelopment.org. 

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