Highland seeks to assist local businesses with facade improvement program

Highland businesses in need of renovations will now be able to get a little help from the city in a new program added to the next fiscal year’s budget.

The facade improvement program is part of the city’s push to help existing businesses, according to Economic and Business Recruitment Coordinator Mallord Hubbard.

Highland leaders recognized many of their business incentive programs were focused on bringing in larger, new developments that require a hefty investment, and thought that the current businesses might be getting left behind, Hubbard said.

The city has invested in downtown with programs such as the streetscape renovation program, replacing sidewalks and streetlights with newer, more attractive designs. But they wanted to do more, Hubbard said.

“We tried to hone in on where we could effectively deploy incentives for our existing businesses,” Hubbard said. “We wanted to give that extra little push to some of our businesses who might be making the decision whether to repair a storefront.”

Approved two weeks ago by the city council, the new facade program provides up to 25% of the cost of repairs and renovations to the exterior of a business building, up to $10,000. It can’t be used for roofs, parking lots, plumbing and other such repairs — only for doors, awnings and other aspects of the building’s exterior, and the total cost of the project must be at least $10,000.

The city council allocated $50,000 for the first run of the program, but Hubbard said they really don’t know how much to expect as they open applications.

“We could be bombarded with applications and maybe need to revisit the funding, or we might be slow on the front end,” Hubbard said. “So far I’ve heard nothing but enthusiasm for it.”

Applications open this week, Hubbard said.

“I hope we do get quite a bit.,” he said. “It would instantly give us an indication out of the gate that this is an in-demand program.”

More information on the facade improvement program can be found on Highland’s website, https://www.highlandil.gov/economic_development/incentives.php, or by contacting Hubbard at city hall.