RDC, Main Street hope to keep Stellar energy going

Hoping to maintain the momentum the $19 million Stellar Grant has provided for Greencastle’s downtown, city officials and Main Street Greencastle (MSG) are collaborating on a new Downtown Development Grant (DDG).

The Redevelopment Commission (RDC) got its first look at the grant, designed to increase the aesthetic appeal and property values of commercial properties within the Courthouse Square Historic District at its recent meeting at City Hall. No formal action was taken on the proposal to provide grants within the district.

Working with business and property owners, the DDG is designed to stimulate investment through external improvements “that preserve and care for the historic and commercial architecture of the core of downtown Greencastle.”

Grants will be awarded each calendar year and will be chosen by a committee composed of Main Street board members.

“Mike’s done a lot of research on this,” Mayor Bill Dory said of Main Street Executive Director Mike Richmond. “He went to a number of Main Street communities.”

Those places have included Delphi, Vincennes, Wabash and Carmel.

Richmond explained that small grants -- 75 percent of the first $5,000 in project costs for a maximum of $3,750 -- could be awarded for signage or painting, adding or repairing awning. Meanwhile, 50 percent reimbursable grants up to $50,000 will be available for more extensive structure work such as facade restoration, a new roof or sprinkler system installation.

The DDG is to be funded by the Greencastle Redevelopment Commission and is designed to encourage the continual development of the downtown and other commercial areas of Greencastle.

In order for a business or property owner to be eligible, the following requirements must be met:

-- The project must be located within the defined area determined by MSG.

-- Primary use of the building must be commercial.

-- The property owner shall not be delinquent on any property taxes, have no delinquent utility bills and no other liens or fines imposed on property within the city.

“Mainly we wanted to continue the work Stellar started,” Richmond said of the state program that announced Greencastle as one of its first two repicients in 2011, adding the DDG effort could provide “an ongoing upgrade.”

Richmond said $5,000 was “the break point” at the other Main Streets he studied. “It could be adjusted if they felt it wasn’t enough,” he added.

“Not without this board’s approval,” City Attorney Laurie Hardwick interjected.

RDC member Gwen Morris asked what the total would be for the DDG grant effort.

“We can do $200,000 the first year,” Mayor Dory said. “We’ll see how that goes, see how much interest there is downtown. We could expand it to other areas.”

The footprint for the area of implementation incorporates the downtown and goes east to City Hall and south to take in Seminary Street businesses.

“In essence, it’s the commercial district,” Dory said.

The committee overseeing the DDG effort, Richmond noted, is expected to include Main Street representatives, an RDC person and likely someone from the Heritage Preservation Society to help assure the project meets architectural and other guidelines.

“You need to have a pretty stringent criteria to protect the integrity of the downtown,” Morris suggested.

More details still need to be worked out before the collaboration is presented for approval, Mayor Dory said.

“Stellar was great,” new RDC member Brian Cox said, “but it’s time to rejuvenate some of those things.”

While no formal action was taken by the RDC, the general consensus was to keep the idea moving forward.

The City Council, in its most recent EDIT plan, has approved $200,000 for the inaugural program.

In other business, the RDC approved putting the proposed new 24-space Columbia Street parking lot (northeast corner of Columbia and Indiana streets) out for bids.

Morris, Cox, Lottie Barcus and President Erika Gilmore were present for the January meeting with Gary Lemon absent. A vacancy exists on the board with longtime member Drew Brattain not seeking reappointment to another of the one-year terms.

The next meeting of the RDC is set for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23 at City Hall.