Downtown facade projects OK'd

Four downtown properties were selected Monday to receive funding for exterior improvements by the Portland Downtown Façade Committee.
The committee reviewed four applications requesting $21,242.50 from the façade fund, generated through the downtown Tax Increment Financing district and Economic Development Income Tax dollars.
The grants cover 50 percent of the project cost, with the other 50 percent being funded by the property owner.
The four applications submitted by Fisher Realty and Auction, 113 W. Main St.; Blue Flame, 224 N. Meridian St.; Todd Penrod and Mitch Sutton, 120 N. Commerce St.; and the Jay Community Center, 115 E. Water St; were all approved.
Fisher Realty will re-frame and insulate walls under storefront windows, replace windows and re-frame them and tuck point the north and west walls of the building. The total cost of the project is $17,700.
Blue Flame will repair and replace bricks on the southwest corner of its building and fix the building’s roof, which is causing damage to the brick wall in that area. The project cost is $7,600.
Penrod and Sutton, who own the building that currently houses Jay County Community Corrections, are planning to re-mortar the front of the brick building at a cost of $4,500.
And the Jay Community Center will replace its existing LED sign with a new LED sign at a total cost of $12,685.
The total cost of the four projects is $42,485.
“It’s well within our budget,” asked committee member Joe Johnston. “We’ve got four good projects.”
Committee member Kristi Sturtz said she received about 10 requests for information during the application period, but said that several property owners likely did not apply due to financial restrictions caused by repairs needed after the Feb. 28 flood.
The board, however, was pleased with the four improvement projects received and approved all four requests. Sturtz said she will contact the owners.
“The program is certainly moving ahead with the success we thought it would,” said board member and Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier.
In other business, Sturtz updated board members on the status of the seven projects that were selected in the 2010 funding cycle.
Six of the seven projects were completed. Strutz said due to some leadership changes within The Fraternal Order of Eagles, 320 N. Meridian St., the organization withdrew from the program as it decides how to approach a renovation of the building’s balcony and façade.
The total cost of the six completed projects was $80,327.55.
In other business, the funding committee:
•Elected officers for 2011. The board retained the same officers from 2010 — Brooke Aker, chairperson, and Christy Corle, secretary.[[In-content Ad]]