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facade improvement programdowntown front royal revitalization
program design december 2016
The Town of Front Royal will submit a Community Devel-opment Block Grant application to the Commonwealth of Virginia in March 2017 to help fund improvements in Downtown Front Royal. Any CDBG grant awarded must be applied to a designated project area for the purpose of eliminating physical blight and blighting influences, addressing economic blight; or improving public infra-structure or tourism assets. In Front Royal, a portion of the grant funds will be used to assist commercial property owners within the designated project area with rehabil-itating the exteriors of their buildings and making other exterior improvements that enhance the downtown en-vironment and eliminate negative impacts on adjoining residential property.
faÇade improvement gUidelineS
Eligible Participants: Eligible participants include com-mercial (income producing) property owners within the defined Downtown Front Royal Project Area. Buildings outside of the project area are not eligible to partici-pate.
Eligible Improvements to Building Facades: Exterior re-pairs and improvements are eligible if they are made to the front façade of buildings, and are visible from a pub-lic street. Side and/or rear facades are also eligible if the work is visible from a public street, and if substantial work is also proposed to the front façade. Improvements may include all vertical surfaces, gutters, downspouts, doors, windows, attached signs, exterior lighting, canopies, awnings, masonry cleaning and repair, and painting. In-eligible work includes any repairs/improvements to the interior, electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems, roofs, structural elements, nonpermanent fixtures, and new construction.
Application and Approvals: An application to partici-pate in the Facade Improvement Program is submitted to the Town of Front Royal and approved by an Advisory Board. The Advisory Board will be appointed by Town Council and include in its membership non- benefit-ing Project Area business and/or building owners, oth-er business leaders, and key Town staff involved in the project. If the work is to be done by a contractor, the work will be bid out by the Town to a qualified list of con-tractors with the lowest responsive bidder receiving the work. Building owners may choose to have a contractor of their own choosing perform the work, or if the building owner is a contractor, their company may perform the work. In either case, CDBG funds can only be used for documented material cost. The approval of participat-ing contractors and awarding of construction bids will
be made by the Advisory Board. All work must comply with local, state, and federal regulations including com-pliance with the Davis-Bacon Act that sets certain Labor Compliance standards and the payment of prevailing wages as determined by the Department of Labor.
Design Assistance: The Town will provide design assis-tance through a Town approved architect. The prepa-ration of appropriate plans and the cost of bidding jobs or materials will be done at no cost to the commercial property owner.
Funding Available: A property owner within the project area is eligible for a grant with a 5-year lien restriction for up to: 1) $15,000 for the cost of improvements to a prima-ry building facade; 2) an additional $2,500 per addition-al store-front on a primary facade with multiple business-es (maximum of two additional store-fronts); and $5,000 for non-primary facades with no more than $20,000 be-ing provided per commercial property, regardless the number of facades or bays. Owners will be expected to also cover all costs over the maximum eligible amount calculated for their buildings. All assistance is based on available funds and Advisory Board approval.
Loan Pool: The Town of Front Royal will partner with a lo-cal bank to establish a low interest loan pool, which will be used for privatively funded improvements that will be matched with CDBG resources.
Security: The funding provided for each Facade Im-provement will be in the form of a grant structured as a five-year deferred loan, secured by a deed of trust and deed of trust note that is forgiven 20% each year af-ter completion of the improvements, provided that the owner maintains ownership of the property and contin-ues to utilize or lease the building. The property may be sold during the deferment period, but the lien amount would be transferred to the new owner.
Match Required: Owners will be required to match dol-lar for dollar the cost of improvements to be construct-ed via this Program through improvements to the site or building (interior and exterior). For property owners that have done their own improvements on buildings, the match is calculated on the basis of receipts for materi-als plus documented hours of work performed times the prevailing wage rate per the Department of Labor for the wage classification/ skill(s) utilized. To claim a high-er wage rate as a skilled tradesman, the owner would have to be licensed/certified in that trade, otherwise unskilled labor rates will apply. Previous improvements since September 2015 are eligible as match.
Town of Front RoyalPO Box 1560Front Royal VA 22630
information for property owners in the revitalization area
Contact Information: Jeremy Camp, Director of Planning and ZoningProgram AdministratorPO Box 1560Front Royal, VA [email protected] Felicia Hart, Community Development DirectorPO Box 1560Front Royal, VA [email protected]
Downtown Front Royal Revitalization ProjectProgram information for property owners
9-11 South Royal AvenueThis example drawing of facade improvements shows the removal of a fixed canopy; repair of doors and windows; painting; and new lights, awnings, signs, and planters.
403 East Main StreetRebuilding storefront trim and paneling, the addition of a sign band, relocation of the existing projecting sign, and new aw-nings highlight the storefront area on this example facade improvement design. On the upper facade, adding trim and accent colors highlights the color palette.
Downtown Front Royal Project AreaThe revitalization area focuses on Main Street, Royal Avenue, Chester Street, and Jackson Street. Properties high-lighted in yellow are eligible to participate in the program.
Map of project areaE MAIN ST
LEE
ST
E STONEWALL DR
E JACKSON ST
CHESTER ST
CLO
UD
ST
S R
OYA
L AV
E
N COMM
ERCE AVE
CH
UR
CH
ST
WATER
ST
CR
ESC
ENT
ST
N R
OYA
L AVE
MANASSAS ST
BLU
E R
IDG
E AV
E
HIG
H S
T
PEYTON STREET
W MAIN ST
W 1ST ST
W JACKSON ST
S COMM
ERCE AVE
W STONEWALL DR
LAURA VIRGINIA HALE PL
HAM
ILTO
N CI
R
PEYTON ST.
MO
SBY LN
LURA
Y AV
E
FLET
CH
ER S
T
WATER
ST
Town of Front Royal, VirginiaDOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION AREA /
Map KeyDowntown Revitalization Parcels
Property Boundaries
PREPARED BY THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYALDEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & ZONING
102 E. Main Street - Front Royal, Va. 22630
Darryl G. Merchant, Cartographer
Rev NOVEMBER 2016
200 0 200100 Feet
Scale in Feet
E MAIN ST
LEE
ST
E STONEWALL DR
E JACKSON ST
CHESTER ST
CLO
UD
ST
S R
OYA
L AV
E
N COMM
ERCE AVE
CH
UR
CH
ST
WATER
ST
CR
ESC
ENT
ST
N R
OYA
L AVE
MANASSAS ST
BLU
E R
IDG
E AV
E
HIG
H S
T
PEYTON STREET
W MAIN ST
W 1ST ST
W JACKSON ST
S COMM
ERCE AVE
W STONEWALL DR
LAURA VIRGINIA HALE PL
HAM
ILTO
N CI
R
PEYTON ST.
MO
SBY LN
LURA
Y AV
E
FLET
CH
ER S
T
WATER
ST
Town of Front Royal, VirginiaDOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION AREA /
Map KeyDowntown Revitalization Parcels
Property Boundaries
PREPARED BY THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYALDEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & ZONING
102 E. Main Street - Front Royal, Va. 22630
Darryl G. Merchant, Cartographer
Rev NOVEMBER 2016
200 0 200100 Feet
Scale in Feet
How to Sign Up!
property owners that are interested in using facade improvement program funds need to complete a participation agreement form and submit it to the town by January 31, 2017. this is not a legally binding agreement, but is needed for the town to apply for fund-ing through the virginia department of Housing and community development.
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