Seven downtown Bowling Green businesses are getting city money to fix up their buildings. Bowling Green, Kentucky's city commissioners approved the first round of the new Downtown Improvement Grant, which the city calls the DIG Grant, last week, the Bowling Green Daily News reported.
The city is putting in $21,500 this round. Because every grant is a 50-50 match, the owners are paying their share in cash, and Downtown Development Coordinator Telia Butler told commissioners the first round represents $87,500 in private investment.
What's getting fixed
The approved projects are mostly the outside of the building:
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- a historic facade restoration at 904 State St. ($3,000 from the city)
- window replacement and an exterior refresh at Candle Makers on the Square ($3,500)
- landscaping and parking lot work at Shake Rag Barbershop ($3,000)
- exterior improvements at White Squirrel Brewery ($3,500)
- an outdoor mural at Mellow Mushroom ($3,000)
- soundproofing for a classroom used by Food School at the Houchens Industries Small Business Accelerator ($2,500)
- pop culture statues at Atomic Kitchen ($3,000)
Recipients have one year to finish their projects, according to WBKO's report when the program launched this summer.
Far more demand than money
Twenty-four downtown businesses asked for a combined $110,000. The program has $40,000 for the whole year, and the city held roughly half of it back for the next round.
The rules are simple. A project has to cost at least $2,500, and the city's share tops out at $7,500. The business pays half, and the city reimburses the other half. "So a $5,000 project still becomes that amount in half for them," Butler told WBKO. Murals, accessibility upgrades, signs, restoring parts of historic buildings and safety improvements all qualify.
Who can apply next
The business has to be downtown, which the city draws generously: "between Barren River and 13th Avenue or between Kentucky Street and Chestnut Street," as Butler put it. The city plans another round in February and wants the DIG Grant to become a regular program.
For downtown property owners who missed the fall round, that means a second shot at splitting the bill on a new storefront, windows or a facade repair in a few months.
Sources
- BG announces first recipients of downtown grant funds, Bowling Green Daily News
- Bowling Green launches downtown improvement grants to invest in local businesses, WBKO
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