Downtown Facade Enhancement, Add new

The Downtown Facade Enhancement Program is a new initiative by the City of Bowling Green to show its commitment to assist in preserving the beautiful and historic buildings of downtown Bowling Green.

The Facade Enhancement Program, offered by the City of Bowling Green, is a reimbursement grant that provides 50 percent matching funds up to $20,000 for eligible downtown exterior improvement projects.

Grant funds are available on a first come first server basis. If any funds are still available by September 1st, property owners may re-apply for additional funds, but priority will be given to those applying for the first time. If the funds are spent in full, any remaining applications will be added to a waiting list. Applicants will be contacted the next year, as long as the funds are allocated, to gauge their interest in moving forward with the improvements.

Eligible Improvements

Eligible improvement projects include exterior improvements to the facade of an eligible downtown building (an eligible building is any commercial or mixed-use building located in the Downtown Special Improvement District) These improvements include:

Awnings
Masonry work: brick cleaning, tuck pointing, replacement
Painting
Repair, restoration or appropriate replacement of exterior windows and doors
Repair or replacement of roofing system
Fire escapes or exterior upper floor access
Any other visible exterior improvements

NOTE: All improvements and projects are subject to approval by the Planning Department, which may include consultation of a member of the Historic Preservation Commission for the purpose of maintaining historical features as much as possible.

Ineligible Improvements

The Downtown Facade Enhancement Program will not fund interior improvements, operating funds, HVAC repair, plumbing repair, sidewalk repair, furnishing, equipment, commercial signage, (unless part of the historic structure, which will be determined at the discretion of staff), and landscaping.

General Clarifications:

The general purpose of this program is to improve the appearances of downtown properties, especially those visible from the public right-of-way.
Historical features of the facade should remain intact as much as possible (i.e. the City will not reimburse for any request that removes ornate historical features, such as lower or upper cornices, ornamental window trims, or storefront display windows).

Applications

All grant applications must be submitted to the Planning Department with the following information:

APPLICATION FOR DOWNTOWN FACADE ENHANCEMENT GANT

The City of Bowling Green, in an effort to encourage the maintenance of historic facades in the downtown, has allocated funds for a reimbursement grant that provides 50% matching funds up to $20,000 for eligible downtown exterior improvement projects.

Project Address

Building Owner Name

Building Owner Address

Building Owner Phone Number

Building Owner Email

Proposed Project Details

Estimated Total Project Cost

Amount Grant Request

Project Timeline

Building Use

Date

Signature (Type Your Full Name)

Upload the Following:

Current photos of proposed work area

Rendering/Drawing of proposed work to scale, including color scheme

Itemized cost estimate of proposed work by a qualified third party. If the total amount of any portion of the work exceeds $3,000, you will need at least three quotes to ensure competitive pricing, unless otherwise documented.

Status

Application Review Process

Planning Department staff will review the applications and reach out with any questions

If awarded

Planning Department staff will notify owners in writing of the grant amount. Please note this is a reimbursement grant, which will require a copy of paid invoice(s) and pictures of the completed improvements prior to payment issuance. Staff will also verify the work was completed.

Questions: Planning Department, (419) 354-6218, planning@bgohio.gov

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