A drop-down fire escape from the second level of the Merchants Block building, which has 18 apartments at the southeast corner of Genesee and Water streets in downtown Waukegan, was replaced with an ornate steel staircase, giving tenants a safer exit in case of its needed.
“It’s the only way down in an emergency,” building owner Joseph Hughes said.
Jorge Lagunas, a manager of Toluca’s Restaurant on Washington Street in Waukegan, is pleased with the new stonework enhancing the exterior of the family eatery.
“It’s a great facelift,” Lagunas said. “A lot of people tell us it looks better.”
A row of vertical bricks just above the windows and front door of North Avenue Tap fits with the horizontal bricks above it. Building owner David Wilson said it supports the second-floor apartment above.
“The wood beam was all rotted out,” Wilson said. “It had to be replaced.”
The staircase, stone façade, and brickwork are all projects partially funded through the city of Waukegan’s Façade Improvement Project, which is now taking applications for its 2026 edition to improve the looks of businesses in the community.
Started in 2024, Noelle Kischer-Lepper, the city’s director of planning and community development, said $500,000 is budgeted for the fiscal year ending April 30 to help businesses throughout the city improve the outside of their buildings.
In the first two years, Kischer-Lepper said nearly $740,000 was spent improving commercial buildings, with just under $479,000 coming from the city and the rest paid by the individual businesses.
“This is part of economic development so we can help our current businesses grow,” Kischer-Lepper said. “A lot of attention is paid to the façade of a building. Customers will see it and get excited about what they see.”
City Planner Tyler Williams said in most cases, the city pays for 80% of the project, and the business owner covers the rest of the expense. In some areas where work is underway on infrastructure projects — priority areas — the city will pay a higher percentage.
Projects in priority areas, which are Washington Street east of Lewis Avenue and Glen Flora Avenue between North Avenue and Butrick Street, will receive a higher percentage from the city. Kischer-Lepper said funding can be up to 90% for Washington efforts and 85% for Glen Flora.
Williams said owners or tenants of commercial properties are invited to submit applications. If the tenant operates the business, the property owner must approve the plan in writing. The proposal then goes to the city’s Development Review Board for approval.
“This can include windows, doors, signage, tuckpointing, awning repair, anything on the outside of the building,” Williams said. “You’re not allowed to paint over brick or stone. They submit their invoices when the work is done and will be reimbursed.”
While there is no firm deadline other than the end of the fiscal year, April 30, Kischer-Lepper said once the $500,000 is committed, there will be no more until and unless the program is renewed in the fiscal year starting May 1.
Kischer-Lepper said she anticipates 10 projects of $50,000 each, but if some can be done for less money, there could be more buildings getting a façade facelift. Projects are considered and approved on a first-come, first-served basis.
Many of the projects undertaken during the first two years of the program were more decorative, like the stonework at Toluca’s or a new awning as part of the work at The Taproom on Genesee Street. Other efforts, though decorative, were necessary for safety, like the Merchants Block.
With the ground floor of the Merchants Block occupied by the Dandelion Gallery and other businesses, the second story features 18 apartments. It has always had two entrances — the front door and the fire escape. Hughes said he was looking for a solution for a long time.
“The Façade Program worked very well for me,” Hughes said. “The dropdown can be scary for some people. I applied very quickly. It was due for an upgrade, and this was a wonderful way to do it.”
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With a tired storefront and dated windows, Mohammed Zidani, the manager of Soto’s Furniture on Genesee Street, said a fresh look was becoming a necessity. When the company learned about the Facade Improvement Project, it found a way to get the new windows.
“It was $35,000, and the city paid $28,000,” Zidani said. “We have a lot more daylight coming in now. It is a fresh look.”
With wood rotting under the façade of The Taproom on Genesee Street, owner Tom LaBaron was able to get a lot more done than replacing the wood. The entire storefront got a makeover through the program.
“We got a whole new front,” LaBaron said. “We got a brand-new awning and more on the front. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without the city’s help.”
Though replacing the wood beam was the primary purpose for Wilson to seek assistance from the Façade Improvement Program, he said the entire front of the bar and grill has a fresher look.
At Toluca’s, Lagunas said the restaurant was already a cornerstone of the neighborhood, but he and his family wanted a fresher look. The $100,000 project also added exterior lighting. The city paid for half.