DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION

  East Central Iowa COG

Last year, the City of Anamosa completed the first phase of a storefront remodeling project with help from the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) and a $500,000 CDBG-DTR grant. Following the success of that initial effort, ECICOG helped the City to secure a second CDBG-DTR matching grant for $650,000 this spring. In total, 23 addresses will receive façade work. This transformational effort has received enthusiastic local support.

  Region XII COG

Region XII COG assisted the City of Coon Rapids in applying to the CDBG-CV program for downtown façade rehabilitation. The Iowa Economic Development Authority awarded the grant in February 2022 to fund 8 buildings consisting of 9 facades (8 storefronts and one sidewall). The total CDBG award was $689,081 with municipal and owner contributions of $225,286 for a total project cost of $914,367. This project will help remove slum and blight from the city’s downtown district.

  Iowa Northland Regional COG

In 2020-2021, the City of Independence completed a downtown revitalization plan to assist with the development and improvement of downtown. As part of the process, the City began looking for opportunities to implement the plan. In the Spring of 2021, the City began working with the Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments on two Downtown Revitalization projects through the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s CDBG CV and DTR programs. As a result, the City applied and received two CDBG grants in the Fall of 2021 for a total of $850,000 grant funds and a total investment of $1,647,381 for the rehabilitation of 15 façades. The project will help remove slum and blight and enhance retail business in their downtown.

  Southern Iowa COG

 SICOG helped the City of Adair obtain a CDBG-DTR grant of $300,000 for 15 building facades, about half of the downtown building stock. Several of the participating buildings were vacant, including 320. The local funding from the City and building owners was $770,091 for a total project of $1,070,091. The project enhanced the main street corridor and removed slum and blight conditions. Only a few slum and blight properties were unimproved. 

Following the DTR project, a new owner, seeing the improvements, purchased the City-owned 320 Audubon with a vision of an insurance office on the main floor and either apartments or Airbnb's on the second floor. The owner and City again leaned on SICOG to apply for and secure a $100,000 Community Catalyst Building Remediation grant. The City and property owner added another $150,000 in investments to the interior. That work was very successful, and now the entire building helps meet commercial and residential needs for the downtown. In addition to the insurance office in the front, a small retail shop is in the rear.

  North Iowa Area Council of Governments

The project involves the development of the Vermilya Apartments (named after its early use in the 1930’s) located in the City of Mason City in a space that was formerly occupied by offices, including the NIACOG office location from several years ago. 4 apartments were developed including 3 that are reserved or low to moderate income households. The developer is Foxtrot Properties. The first floor was converted into a health foods market prior to the apartment development project. The project cost $1.5 million, and a CDBG Upper Story Housing Grant helped with $550,000 of expenses. The project also included solar panels as an alternative energy source.

    Metropolitan Area Planning Agency

   
The Cities of Carson and Macedonia in Pottawattamie County received a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) award from the Iowa Economic Development Authority to help finance the restoration of building façades in their downtown commercial areas. The structure of this project was the first of its kind in the state's CDBG program. Both cities, separated by less than four miles, were working independently on implementing their own downtown revitalization plans, but project partners proposed the idea of submitting a joint application to save costs and reduce duplicative efforts. Pottawattamie County agreed to act as the lead grantee and coordinating jurisdiction on behalf of both communities. With additional financial support from the Iowa West Foundation and participating building owners, the project resulted in the transformative rehabilitation of 13 building façades. The combined restoration investment in the two communities was $626,160. 

  East Central Intergovernmental Association

The City of Maquoketa received its second façade CDBG grant of $500,000 in October 2021 to continue improving main street. This grant is estimated to improve 10 facades. With the CDBG award of $500,000 with municipal and owner contributions estimated at $500,000 for a total project of $1,000,000. Construction will begin in the spring on this phase.

The City of Maquoketa received their first grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority in July 2018 under the CDBG program for façade rehabilitation of 8 facades. Total CDBG award was $500,000 with municipal and owner contributions of $397,270 for total project of $897,270. Both of these projects will help remove slum and blight and enhance retail business within the city. 

  Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission

 The City of Wapello received $52,850 in funding for a $96,985 rehabilitation project, which has been completed at 302 Van Buren Street. The funding was made possible through the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ Derelict Building Grant program. Impact 7G completed an ACM and LBP inspection in February of 2022 and Environmental Management Services of Iowa conducted asbestos-containing material abatement in March of 2022. Shafer Construction performed the deconstruction and rehabilitation of the structurally compromised roof in April and May of last year. Over five tons of material was diverted from a landfill (mostly native lumber material to be used to create pieces like tables or fireplace mantels). The building is currently owned by the City of Wapello; a museum detailing the City’s history has been considered, and there is also interest in using the first floor as a commercial space. The City has had such a good experience with the Derelict Building Program, that they recently worked with SEIRPC on applying for another property downtown on 2^nd Street.