Hamilton Downtown Association (HDA), in partnership with the City of Hamilton and the Downtown Hamilton Business Improvement District, announces they have received a Montana Main Street grant from the Montana Department of Commerce in the amount of $50,000 to create a Façade Improvement Program for the revitalization of the historic downtown core. Hamilton’s Façade Improvement Program will offer supporting grants to offset costs related to façade improvements undertaken by landowners and businesses.
Hamilton’s Façade Improvement Program is a partnership between HDA, the City of Hamilton, and the Downtown Hamilton Business Improvement District. To improve and maintain downtown Hamilton’s historic character and visual appeal, the Façade Improvement Program is intended to encourage the restoration and rehabilitation of eligible downtown properties. Improved building appearances enhance the overall attractiveness of the district for new businesses and visitors, and for people who live, work and shop in the area. To make these improvements more affordable for businesses and property owners, the program provides 1:1 matching grants up to $7,500.
HDA manages the Program, and plans to continue the Program beyond this initial state award with community support through donations to the newly created Hamilton Downtown Foundation.
“We are looking forward to adding a program that will have such a positive impact on our small business community and historic downtown,” said Robin Pruitt, Executive Director, Hamilton Downtown Association. “We have such a unique asset in our downtown district, and already such a strong and thriving small business community to build on. We are grateful for this opportunity to broaden the scope in which the Hamilton Downtown Association can assist our business members to continue to build our economic vitality. Not only do building improvements increase the sense of pride in our business community but also increase property values, improve the marketability of space within the buildings and draw business and residents to the area. We feel like this will be the catalyst for tremendous economic growth for our community.”
Building owners with properties located in Hamilton’s Historic Downtown Area are eligible to apply for Facade Improvement funding. The Historic Downtown Area is defined in the City of Hamilton’s Building and Site Design Guidelines and can be found online: Façade Improvement Grant Program — Hamilton Downtown Association (visithamiltonmt.org). Building tenants may apply for Façade Improvement funding with approval of the building owner. The building owner must guarantee the grant.
Eligible improvements include: rehabilitation or compatible reconstruction of storefronts, masonry repair and repainting, mural installation, preservation of historic painted “ghost signs,” or paint removal, repair and replacement of architectural details or materials, or of critical façade structural elements, removal of non-historic elements from façades (metal siding, non-historical false façades, etc.), removal of highly tinted windows and openings and/or installation of clear windows and openings, window repair or replacement (removal of historic windows is not recommended), awning or canopy repair, removal, or replacement, store and restaurant signage (new signs or rehabilitation of historic signs), or removal of signage such as abandoned and non-contextual signs, improvement to outdoor plazas or patios that serve as a public entrance to a commercial use, or any other improvement that is not an ineligible activity and is approved by the FIG Committee.
Hamilton Downtown Association is accepting the first round of applications on its website
(www.visithamiltonmt.org) through August 18. After the first round of funding the call for applications will occur twice annually in July and January. Applications are reviewed by a volunteer committee of downtown stakeholders who will review completed applications and determine if review by other public agencies is needed. The committee may also impose special terms or conditions of financial assistance. Recommended applications will be forwarded to the HDA Board of Directors for final approval.
“We are excited for the City of Hamilton to partner with HDA to initiate a local Façade Improvement Program,” said Mark Rud, Assistant Planner, City of Hamilton. “These grants can make a tremendous difference in the feasibility of historic district reinvestment, and research from similar programs around the state has shown tremendous benefits for commercial districts that we believe we can replicate and exceed here in the Bitterroot Valley. We look forward to seeing HDA continue this program beyond Montana Main Street’s generous initial funding, and to the continued revitalization of Hamilton’s historic downtown.”
The Montana Main Street Program, established in 2005 and currently serving thirty-seven communities across the state, is a collaborative effort between the Community MT Division and the Montana Office of Tourism at the Montana Department of Commerce. The program helps communities strengthen and preserve their historic downtown commercial districts by focusing on economic development, urban revitalization, and historic preservation through long-range planning, organization, design, and promotion. Using the National Trust Main Street Center Four Point Approach to downtown revitalization, the Montana Main Street Program provides a range of services and assistance to communities striving to enhance economic and business vitality while maintaining local historic integrity, quality of life, and sense of place. Such goals are best met by uniting larger community ideas and efforts with program organization, coordination, and resources. The Montana Main Street Program offers technical assistance and expertise to member communities and awards competitive grant funding to communities actively working on downtown revitalization, economic development, and historic preservation.
Established in 2011, the HDA invites any business, individual, or non-profit located within the Hamilton trade area to join the Hamilton Downtown Association, and to participate in HDA events and programs. HDA works collectively with the local community to re-invest in and maintain the vitality of the Hamilton business and non-profit community to contribute to the vitality and well-being of our community through the Hamilton Downtown Foundation. Learn more about the Hamilton Downtown Association at www.visithamiltonmt.org.