WATERVILLE, ME, January 29 – Central Maine Growth Council (CMGC) has opened the application process for its Façade and Building Improvement Grant Program (FBIGP) in downtown Waterville.
FBIGP was established to assist property owners and commercial tenants with the restoration, renovation, redevelopment, and repair of commercial buildings in Waterville’s downtown district. The grant program aims to encourage new and existing property owners and businesses to invest in their commercial storefronts, awnings, and signs, while restoring the original character of historic buildings and providing a catalyst for others to improve the visual appearance of their privately-owned buildings.
“The Growth Council is excited to provide this new program that invests directly in businesses and properties in downtown Waterville,” stated Garvan D. Donegan, CMGC’s director of planning and economic development. “We have received substantial interest already and we’re excited to see the transformation that will result.”
CMGC may be reached at (207) 680-7300 or at director@centralmaine.org; interested grant applicants may also discuss the program with CMGC at an upcoming FBIGP public workshop. Program information, workshop details, and grant application materials are available at www.centralmaine.org/facade.
FBIGP grant applications will be due on March 1st, and awarded projects are expected to begin in the spring 2019 construction season. The grant program, funded by Colby College and the Bill and Joan Alfond Foundation for a total of $60,000 in funding, provides a reimbursement of up to fifty (50) percent of the total estimated project budget.
“The Facade and Building Improvement Grant Program joins the Opportunity Zone, free Downtown Waterville Wi-Fi service, and the federal BUILD grant as a vehicle for visual transformation and increased business investment in downtown Waterville,” explains James LaLiberty, Esq., member of the FBIGP advisory committee.
FBIGP empowers Waterville’s downtown business and property owners to join the revitalization by highlighting the historic character of their respective buildings. Interested grant applicants are encouraged to review the program materials online (www.centralmaine.org/facade) and to attend the upcoming workshop at 5:00 pm on February 4th in Colby College’s Chace Community Forum in the Bill and Joan Alfond Commons at 150 Main Street in Waterville.
Central Maine Growth Council
CMGC is the leading public/private catalyst and resource for economic development in Central Maine. The growth council is dedicated to fostering a robust regional economy through successful collaborative partnerships among businesses, governments, academic institutions, health care facilities, arts and cultural agencies, and residents primarily in the communities of Waterville, Winslow, Fairfield, and Oakland. The benefit is a highly desirable place in which to enjoy an outstanding work-life balance.
Last modified: January 29, 2019
