Hamtramck rolls out long-term facade improvement program

The Hamtramck Downtown Development Authority is offering façade improvement matching grants to businesses within its district, which straddles Jos. Campau and stretches from Denton north to Carpenter.

Property and business owners are encouraged to apply for a grant that will match their qualified exterior improvement expenses dollar-to-dollar reimbursement of up to $10,000. The DDA has $144,000 to work with, and executive director Marcia Gebarowski says that when that funding runs out in two to three years, they will seek out more. "We want to keep this program funded, keep it going for as long as we get good responses from businesses that want it."

The DDA design review committee will meet whenever an application is received, ensuring a prompt response to interested parties. The review committee will be tasked with oversight and ensuring that a project is able to be completed in a six-month timeframe. Gebarowski explains that a proposed project could be held until the following spring if the committee believes it is too late in the year for the proposed work to be completed.

The DDA will be providing participating projects with free architectural services as part of the grant package. The façade improvement project is being supported by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, National City, Huntington and People's State Banks and the city of Hamtramck.

Interested building and business owners are encouraged to contact Gebarowski at 313.870.0346 or [email protected].

Source: Marcia Gebarowski, Hamtramck DDA
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh