Grants could aid preservation

Some downtown property owners may get help in funding changes to their buildings.

Members of the Portland Historic Preservation Commission reviewed possible guidelines for the creation of a Downtown Façade Funding Program on Wednesday night. The 50/50 matching grants would be available to aid in the costs of exterior building improvements and lighting, new signs, awnings, minor roof repairs and architectural design work.

Kristi Sturtz of Sturtz Public Management Group, who acts as an advisor to the commission, said she plans to ask the Portland Redevelopment Commission and the Portland Economic Development Income Tax Advisory Committee for $25,000 each to create the façade grant program.

The city council would have to approve the use of EDIT funds for the façade program, and Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier would appoint a Downtown Façade Funding Committee to review grant applications. The committee would include one member each of the redevelopment commission and the historic preservation commission.

Much of the downtown historic preservation district also is located in the city's tax increment financing district. The TIF district also includes the Wal-Mart Supercenter and surrounding areas. One of the goals city officials stated in the creation of the TIF district was to use the increase in assessed valuation generated by other parts of the district to improve the look of the downtown area.

The matching funding cap per project would be $10,000, with applications accepted early next year.

Those who are awarded the grants must retain ownership of the building for five full years after the work is completed. If the property is sold before that time, a portion of the remaining matching funds must be repaid to the city. Sturtz said this clause would ensure that buildings are being improved to enhance the city, rather than benefit the property owner.

Commission members Barry Hudson, Pat Sheffer, Emily Roberts and Christy Corle decided to discuss the proposed guidelines further at the next commission meeting, which is scheduled for Nov. 18 at 5:30 p.m. Commission members Milo Miller Jr., Don Gillespie and Jane Spencer did not attend the meeting.

Also Wednesday, commission members made a decision on how they want to further educate the public about the commission's guidelines and goals and the boundaries of the downtown historic preservation district.

After a lengthy discussion about whether or not to take out advertisements in the newspaper, on the radio or on billboards, Corle suggested that some face time with property owners might be effective.

"How about we split up the list (of properties) and deliver the brochures ourselves," she suggested. The commission currently has some brochures detailing the basics of the guidelines and the boundaries of the district.

The commission members agreed that this would be a good way to communicate with property owners. Also, it would give the property owners a better idea of who to call when they have questions about changes to the facades of their buildings.

Commission members also voted to take out a billboard ad at a cost of $450 for one month, and to run ads on the radio for three months at a total cost of $315. The ads will run once a day. The content of the radio ads and the billboard ad were not decided by the commission on Wednesday.

Before voting, Roberts asked Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier, who attended the meeting, how much the commission could spend on advertising.

Hosier said the commission members should put together an advertisement plan that includes the cost and submit it to him for approval. "I'll make sure money is available for you," he said. The commission does not have its own budget, so city funds will be used for advertisement.

In other business, commission members heard a request for a certificate of appropriateness for solar panels to be installed on top of a building at 201 E. Main St., which is owned by SolarTech.

Neither Sturtz nor Hosier had information about whether the panels would be visible from the street, where the panels would be situated on the roof or the size of the panels. Hosier said the panels are being added for a new laboratory. No one from SolarTech attended the meeting.

Commission members decided to preliminarily approve the certificate of appropriateness request, depending on whether or not the panels would take away from the historic integrity of the building. Joe Jarzen, who serves as an advisor to the commission, will make the final decision on the certificate of appropriateness application. He did not attend the meeting.[[In-content Ad]]