Cristie ThomasMarietta Main Street, a local nonprofit in downtown Marietta, officially announced the launch of Build Up Marietta, a new facade improvement grant program offered by Marietta Main Street with the support of the Marietta Community Foundation intended to further beautify their commercial district.
“This program is due in part to the hard work of our Design Committee and their focus on beautifying downtown. We hope that Build Up Marietta opens the door to new partnerships with property owners and business owners, as well as new opportunities for property maintenance through quality design by helping offset some of the financial burden,” says Cristie Thomas, Executive Director of Marietta Main Street.
Build Up Marietta is a grant program that will be administered by Marietta Main Street where business owners and/or property owners in downtown Marietta can apply for up to $3,000 in matching funds for facade improvements. Facade improvements include exterior painting, exterior brick maintenance, new or replacement awnings, lighting, new or replacement signage, door repair, window repair, and other facade projects that increase the value of a building.
“The appeal of a building’s façade is significant not only to the visitor experience in downtown Marietta, but also the profitability of the businesses housed in that space. Build Up Marietta is just one step towards a few goals Main Street has had for a long time: filling our vacant storefronts, driving revenue for existing businesses, increasing residential occupancy, and overall facilitating a stronger affection for downtown from locals and visitors alike,” says Thomas.
The vision of Build Up Marietta is a vibrant, revitalized, visually-appealing downtown with historic structures that have been preserved and adapted to modern-day usage. This program is meant to pair financial resources with local mentors on restoration of historic properties, facade improvement, business enhancement, and design for awardees of Build Up Marietta funding.
The new facade improvement grant program will accept submissions on a quarterly basis, and all applications will be juried by a group of individuals who have a working knowledge of construction, design, historic preservation, and community development. The submission dates for 2017 are July 1 and October 1. All applications for funding must be submitted no later than one of those two dates. All notifications of funding approval will be announced within (30) days of each submission date.
Build Up Marietta will not fund new projects or projects already under construction, the purchase of equipment, interior renovations, or projects where the outcome is temporary. All grant submissions must be for projects in the C4 District of Marietta.
For more information, please contact Cristie L. Thomas at info@mariettamainstreet.org or by calling 740-885-8194. To access the Build Up Marietta facade improvement program grant application, visit www.mariettamainstreet.org.