Rock Springs Main Street/URA Awards $9,930 in Façade Grants for Downtown Properties
Two Downtown Rock Springs property owners invested nearly $30,000 into improvements to their properties, with assistance from the Rock Springs Main Street/Urban Renewal Agency’s Façade Improvement Grant Program.
The Rock Springs Main Street/URA recently presented a $3,930 Façade Improvement Grant to Fernando and Floricela Antunez, owners of the property at 516 Broadway Street, currently home to Home on the Range.
The organization also presented a $6,000 grant for improvements to the property at 756 Pilot Butte Avenue, home to Maddy's Artisanal Ice Cream and More.
Together, the two grants total $9,930. When combined with the matching and additional private investment being made by the property owners, the projects represent nearly $30,000 being reinvested into two Downtown Rock Springs properties.
“These grants are a great example of how relatively small investments can help leverage much larger improvements Downtown,” said Maria Mortensen, chairwoman of the Rock Springs Main Street/URA. “We’re able to put approximately $10,000 into these two projects, but the end result is nearly $30,000 worth of improvements. More importantly, these property owners are investing in their buildings and demonstrating confidence in Downtown Rock Springs.”
The Façade Improvement Grant Program is designed to encourage property and business owners to improve the exterior appearance of Downtown buildings while preserving and enhancing the character of the historic commercial district. Eligible projects can include improvements such as exterior rehabilitation, masonry and stucco work, storefront improvements, windows, doors, awnings, and other enhancements visible from the public right-of-way.
Unlike many municipal improvement programs, funding for the Rock Springs Main Street/URA Façade Improvement Grant Program is raised privately.
Proceeds from Main Street fundraising activities and events — like the recent Sweetwater Blues n’ Brews — are reinvested into the Downtown district through programs such as the façade grants. That means attending an event, purchasing a ticket or supporting a Main Street fundraiser ultimately helps generate dollars that can be put directly back into Downtown properties.
“When someone buys a ticket to Blues n’ Brews or supports one of our fundraising efforts, there’s a bigger story behind that purchase,” Mortensen added. “Those dollars help us encourage private investment in Downtown. We’re able to take money raised through a community event and use it to help a property owner improve a building — and that investment benefits the entire community.”
The program has a long track record of leveraging private investment. Over the organization’s 20-year history, the Rock Springs Main Street/URA has awarded more than $300,000 in grants to Downtown property owners, helping support improvements to storefronts and buildings throughout the district.
Those grant dollars have, in turn, leveraged significantly more in private investment as property owners contribute required matching funds and often undertake additional improvements beyond those covered by the grants.
The program is one component of Rock Springs Main Street/URA’s broader efforts to encourage reinvestment, revitalization and economic vitality in Downtown Rock Springs.
Property and business owners interested in learning more about the Façade Improvement Grant Program, eligibility requirements or future funding opportunities may contact the Rock Springs Main Street/URA office at 307-352-1434.
