Yorkville is looking at a grant program to help downtown property owners spruce up the front of their buildings.
Yorkville Mayor John Purcell and the City Council have sent a proposal to the Administration Committee to offer 50% matching grants to those taking part in the program.
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The purpose of the incentive is to encourage property owners and businesses to improve the exterior appearance of buildings and storefronts in the city’s two downtown tax increment financing districts, according to Yorkville Senior Planner Jason Engberg.
Eligible improvements would include exterior windows and doors and lighting fixtures. Submittals would be reviewed by the city’s Economic Development Committee prior to going to the City Council for approval.
These types of programs do give property owners incentive to improve the exterior of their buildings, Ald. Joel Frieders said.
Beyond encouraging property owners to make exterior upgrades, the program would encourage continuity in the appearance of downtown buildings, Frieders said.
“This is a good move to allow people to invest in their own property without the city investing thousands,” Frieders said.
The city would budget $50,000 for the program under the plan, Community Development Director Krysti Barksdale-Noble said.
Projects that would be approved must have a minimum budget of $1,000.
Ald. Chris Funkhouser did have some concerns with relying on the tax increment financing districts to fund the program.
He said that “$50,000 doesn’t seem like a lot but it starts to add up. The program does have its benefits but I do have reservations. If we are going to do this, I would rather we find a different revenue stream than the TIF.”
Yorkville created an incentive in 2012 that paid people as much as $10,000 to build a new house on an existing lot in the city. The program was developed in response to the declining housing market. The City Council in a 5-3 vote stopped that program in October 2017.
Ald. Ken Koch suggested the city manage the facade grant improvement program in a similar way.
“Every year we would take a vote on whether or not to extend it. I think this could be done the same way,” Koch said.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.