Façade improvement programs have become a popular economic development strategy, deployed nationwide in communities as diverse as Excelsior Springs, Missouri (population 11,555) and Henderson, Nevada (310,390) – and in Butte, Helena, and Miles City, Montana.
The appeal of the approach seems irresistible: Commercial building owners put up half the cost of exterior improvements, and that sum is matched by the city or another funder. Store signs are updated, building fronts get fresh coats of paint, and bricks get repointed – and a downtown commercial area gets a collective facelift. In Kalispell, 28 grants totaling $87,940 since 2013 have catalyzed investments in façade improvements of $388,781, according to Pam Carbonari, executive director of the Kalispell Downtown Association.
But so far, it hasn’t gone that way in Boulder. The City invited applications in June for $50,000 in façade improvement incentives, supported by the Boulder Development Fund. It had planned to select and fund initial projects in July, with the work commencing in August.
As of this week, the number of applications received by the City from Main Street businesses interested in repairs, painting, and signage was…zero.
“I’ve thought about it,” said Ellen Rae Thiel at the Boulder Heritage Center. “But it’s a matching grant, and we don’t have the funds to match it.”
The expense is one hurdle, other local business owners agreed: The match is helpful, but that incentive is capped at $5,000. That leaves Cory Kirsch, owner of Hardware Hank’s still looking at a big tab to replace the old windows above his store: One estimate came in at $20,000.
Another barrier is the scarcity of contractors able to do the work. Steve Strieb, owner of Boulder Cash 56, said the Main Street building that houses the liquor store could use brickwork, the incentive “could be lucrative.” But “finding someone who knows how to do the work, and can get it done, that’s tough.”
Boulder is acting to broaden eligibility for the program. The original incentive was open only to businesses. At its October 21 meeting, the City Council will vote on a recommendation by its Planning Board to allow other Main Street entities, including private homeowners, to apply for grants.
That may well spur some activity. Jefferson High School, says superintendent Tim Norbeck, is interested in installing a large sign at the intersection of Main Street and West 4th Avenue, helping visitors find their way to the entrance around the corner and highlighting community events. The school hasn’t yet sought bids for that work; Norbeck said he’ll investigate the expense if the grant eligibility is expanded.
Meanwhile, the window for commercial applications remains open, and some Boulder businesses say they may yet apply. “It’s about timing,” said Kirsch. “The application is sitting on my desk. I’m eventually going to do it.”
