2020 Façade & Building Improvement Grant Program Downtown ...€¦ · Overview + Required Design...

2020 Façade & Building Improvement Grant Program

Downtown Waterville, Maine

Welcome! Here are a few Zoom tips to keep this

workshop running as smoothly as possible:

● All attendees will be muted by the hosts.

● You can unmute yourself by pressing the

microphone icon found at the bottom of your

screen.

● Please use the “Chat” feature at the bottom of

your screen to submit questions to the host.

1

Workshop Overview

Agenda

1. Roll Call

2. Program Summary

3. FBIGP Guidance & Eligibility

4. Priorities

5. Funding Amounts + Budget Form

6. Timeline

7. Design Guidelines

8. Downtown + Opportunity Zone

9. Review FBIGP Application

10. Q+A

Thank you to our workshop sponsor, New

Dimensions Federal Credit Union!

Created by CMGC | 2020

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Guidelines & Eligibility + FBIGP Map

● FBIGP funding may only be made to a

commercial or mixed-use property located

within the defined Downtown District.

● All applications will be reviewed by the

FBIGP Advisory Committee

● The applicants will be reimbursed for the

amount of the grant award only upon

completion of the project.

● Reimbursement will not be made for work

completed prior to grant application approval

● Applications Due Date: April 1

● Targeted Project Completion: October 2020


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Guidelines & Eligibility (cont.)

● Property Owner and/or Tenant in FBIGP Green Zone

● Grants will be offered for up to 50% of the total cost of the improvement project and

therefore must be matched at a ratio of 1:1.

● Labor performed by the business/property owner may not be counted as part of the match.

● Recipients of Small Project Grants will still be eligible to apply for a Façade Improvements

grants; however, the maximum will be $10,000 minus the amount of the Small Project

Grant. Applicant may be awarded in more than one grant category, but the total funding may

not exceed the maximum funding category amount.

● The grant applicant may be the property owner or the tenant.

● A tenant must have the property owner’s signed approval of the proposed building

improvement.


4

FBIGP Advisory Committee

● Joy McKenna, MaineGeneral; Vice Chair Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce Board

● Shannon Haines, Waterville Creates!

● Brian Clark, Colby College

● Lisa Hallee, Bill & Joan Alfond Foundation

● Chris Gaunce, Central Maine Motors Auto Group; Chair of CMGC Board

● James M. LaLiberty, Jabar LaLiberty & Dubord, LLC; Chair Waterville Creates! Board

● Daniel Bernier, The Law Office of Daniel J. Bernier, LLC; MMCC Board


5

Eligible Activities - High Priority

● Signage

● Awnings

● Storefront improvements

● Restoration of original/historical

windows, doors, and trim where possible

● Repair or replacement of windows,

doors, and trim

● Cleaning and/or painting of wood

surfaces

● Cleaning and/or repointing of surface

brick or stone

● Re-painting of brick, stone or cement

● Removing paint from brick or stone

● Exterior lighting

● Removal of “modernization” efforts

and/or inappropriate non-historic

alterations/ additions

● Murals and art & design elements

● Improvements visible from the

Concourse parking area


6

Eligible Activities - Low Priority

● Cleaning and repair or installation of

approved siding

● Roofing visible from street-level

● Removal or repair of fire escapes

● Landscaping

● Screening for trash receptacles

● Security cameras

● Outdoor seating

● Interior lighting


7

Ineligible Activities

● Interior repair of any kind

● Purchase of commercial property/equipment

● New construction

● Renovations started prior to approval for grant


8

FBIGP Scoring Criteria

● Compliance with the Suggested Design

Guidelines (15 points)

● Potential impact on the attractiveness of

the building/business (15 points)

● Priority of eligible activity (20 points)

● Potential impact on the attractiveness of

the downtown streetscape as a whole

(25 points)

● Financial feasibility (10 points)

● Long-term value/viability/project

endurance (15 points)

Each Facade & Building Improvement Grant Program application will be scored according to the

following criteria:


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FBIGP Funding Amounts

I. Small Project Grants

Description: Projects could include signs, awnings,

small paint projects, etc.

Maximum Grant Amount: $2,500

Match Ratio: 1:1

II. Facade Improvement Grants

Description: May be used for a variety of façade

improvement activities, including painting, window or

door repairs or replacements, signage, awnings,

storefront restorations, and other activities outlined

under the “Eligible Projects” section of the Program

Guidelines.

Maximum Grant Amount: $10,000

Match Ratio: 1:1

III. Special Projects & Building

Improvement Grants

Description: Projects could include a variety of

activities including structural improvements,

redevelopment and innovative projects.

Maximum Grant Amount: Funding is determined

on a case-by-case basis.


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FBIGP Project Budget Form

2020 FBIGP Project Budget Form - please submit with application form

DESCRIPTION OF IMPROVEMENTS

(Please break down by activity, such as painting, sign, awning, etc.)

Grantee

Amount

FBIGP

Amount

TOTAL

COST

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Total

Total Project Cost


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2020 FBIGP Project Timeline

2020 FBIGP Project Timeline

# Objective

2020 Responsibility

Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct CMGC Grantee

1 Attend Workshop 3/19 x x

2 Review FBIGP Program Materials x

3 Application Due 4/1 x

4 Award Announcements 4/10 x

5 Initiate Project x

6 Project Completion 10/1 x

7 Reimbursement x x


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FBIGP Project Checklist

❏ Attended FBIGP Workshop

❏ Completed FBIGP Grant Application

Form (and attached any available

photos, design sketches, and/or cost

estimates)

❏ Completed FBIGP Project Budget Form

❏ Signed FBIGP Applicant Agreement and

Disclosure Statement

❏ Comply with the Required FBIGP

Program and Design Guidelines

X


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Design Guidelines


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Overview + Required Design Guidelines

● Planned improvements must preserve

the architectural integrity of the building

and adhere, where possible, to the

original design of the façade.

● Only appropriate means of cleaning

buildings will receive funding.

Sandblasting of historic buildings is

inappropriate due to its destructive

nature.

● Vinyl and aluminum siding are

inappropriate materials for covering

historic structures and the use of those

and similar inappropriate façade

coverings will not be funded. Created by CMGC | 2020

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Why (Historical) Design Standards?

● Creates a consistent and uniform design aesthetic that is

respectful & supportive of Waterville historical

downtown features

● Design guidelines help establish a common

understanding of preservation principles and standards

● Historic downtowns & buildings are finite and are key

parts of the community’s identity, livability, and

economy

● Allows grantor and/or grantee to combine FBIGP

funding with federal / state level downtown

revitalization programs (e.g. CDBG), which require

compliance with historical preservation design

standards

Ex. 1 Silver St., Waterville - major historical

renovation project + new signage


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Historical Design Example #2

Hamilton, New York - Unutilized pair of commercial

buildings updated with new color and facade

improvements (Photo Credit Amy Facca)

Improvements: color, cornice, siding, windows,

doors, awning, detailing and other signage


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Desirable Materials

● Fieldstone or random rubble

foundations appearance above

grade

● Brick masonry (red face) on

exterior walls

● Cast, molded or formed metal

hardware for doors and sign

brackets

● Weather-resistant woods for

bulkheads and framing

● Fiberglass replications (cornices

and lattice work)

● Detailed replications

(bulkheads/kickplates)

● Structural glass (for display

window rehabilitation)

● Windows and doorways should

be encased with trim, and the use

of decorative trim is preferred


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Undesirable Materials

● Vinyl or aluminum siding

● Asphalt, wood or fiberglass

bundled shingles

● Structural metal panels

● Corrugated metal panels

● Plywood or plastic sheathing

● Canvas

● Reflective or tinted glass

● Detailed finish exterior insulation

systems such as brick-like Dryvit

● Vinyl windows

● Glass block, heavily tinted or

mirrored glass, and manufactured

sheathing


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Signage

Flush mounted signs are sign boards or

individual die-cut letters placed on the face

of the building. Many downtown buildings

have a recess or horizontal molded band

designed to accommodate the sign.

CMGC strongly encourages business and

property owners to take advantage of these

existing sign bands when mounting new

signs.

Signs can go a long way toward enhancing the attractiveness of downtown. The most common

types of signs found on downtown establishments are flush mounted, hanging, and window.


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Signage, cont.

Hanging signs are hung from sidewalk

coverings or mounted perpendicular to

the sidewalk. These signs are the most

visible to both pedestrian and vehicular

traffic.

Window signs are also pedestrian-

oriented. They are commonly designed

so that the majority of a display area is

open for pedestrian window-shopping.


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FBIGP + Waterville

Opportunity Zone


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Is Waterville’s Opportunity Zone for you?

❏ Do you typically file a 1031 (Re: IRS Internal

Revenue Code, a deferred exchange)?

❏ Do you have capital gains? If so, are you seeking to

reduce your tax liability?

❏ Does your business and/or property have investment

partners/stakeholders?

❏ Are you raising capital for your business or

property?

❏ Are you filing for any state or federal programs,

incentives, grants, and/or loans?

If you can answer “yes” to any of the above questions, you

may benefit from utilizing Waterville’s Opportunity Zone.

Visit www.centralmaine.org/waterville-opportunity-zone

Additional Contacts + Resources:

Garvan Donegan, Elm City Opportunity Fund LLC -

Investment Fund Manager

Jim Cardosi, Wipfli - Fund Tax AdvisorCreated by CMGC | 2020

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Comments + Questions


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2020 Façade & Building Improvement Grant Program Downtown ...€¦ · Overview + Required Design...

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