The Jefferson Avenue corridor just west of the downtown will benefit from a $1.25 million grant from the
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan that will be administered by the
Detroit Economic Growth Corp. The program is intended to increase the retail-readiness of selected buildings in the target area, which includes both sides of Jefferson between I-375 and McClellan as well as the blocks south of Jefferson to the Detroit River.
Program participants can receive 50 percent matching grants to
reimburse for the cost of installing eligible interior and exterior
improvements up to a maximum of $100,000 for buildings and $30,000
for parking lots. "Anything to make the buildings and space more tenant-ready," says Scott Veldhuis of the DEGC.
Eligible improvements include awnings and signage, windows and doors, removal of non-historic elements and preservation of historic elements, electrical and HVAC improvements and roof repair. The
program also offers up to $5,000 in conceptual design and cost
estimating assistance for projects by licensed architects.
An application will soon be available and a stakeholder's meeting will be held.
Veldhuis hopes to wrap the program up in two years and that $1 million of the grant monies will be spent directly on building improvements.
Source: Scott Veldhuis, DEGC
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh
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