Putting new life into downtown

January 28, 2008
White Lake Beacon

Mike Lombard, who is one owner of Home Services of White Lake in downtown Whitehall, had been thinking of making improvements to his store facade. But, the costs were an issue.

This year, the business which specializes in pool supplies and services, finally made the modest improvements with financial help from the City of Whitehall’s Tax Increment Finance Authority (TIFA) Facade Grant program.

As part of Whitehall’s Cool Cities Blueprint plan for the downtown, being directed by Muskegon Area First, the TIFA board budgeted $25,000 for the facade grant program.

The grant program will provide a 50 percent funding match for exterior improvements with property owners up to $5,000 per building.

Home Services’ improvements were estimated to cost $3,400, so TIFA provided up to $1,700 out of the $25,000 fund.

The project allowed Lombard and his fellow owners, brother Bruce Lombard and Sue Britton to open up the front of the building located at 124 E. Colby with a large display window.

“The building used to be a car dealership so the front was all glass,” Bruce said.

He said the single pane glass resulted in major heat loss during the cold winters.

The business took out the large windows, then closed in the space and used smaller windows.

But, the new display window is more energy efficient with double-pane glass.

It provided more display space for viewing from the sidewalk, and it provided an extra bonus. “It brightened our inside retail space,” Bruce said.

Another part of the facade project was to remove a yellow overhanging sign which had removable lettering. That gave a more open look to the facade.

Whitehall’s TIFA and Muskegon Area First want to help other downtown property owners make improvements so they have scheduled two meetings to inform them on how they can assist.

Through the city’s Cool Cities Downtown Blueprint program, state and local government officials will be on hand at a Feb. 26 meeting to discuss what funding assistance is available for approving facades and upper-floor restoration.

The meeting will be from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Whitehall City Hall.

Tom Durkee of Michigan State Housing Development Authority’s (MSHDA) Community Assistance Team, Whitehall city Staff, and Rich Houtteman of Muskegon Area First will be on hand to educate attendees about available grants for downtown building rehabilitation and design assistance.

Durkee will share information about the Community Block Development Grant (CBDG), that qualifies upper-floor restoration for residential uses along with façade rehabilitation expenditures as eligible for grant funding.

City Staff and Muskegon Area First will assist property owners with questions about the TIFA Façade Grant Program and individual project questions.

This fiscal year TIFA has budgeted $25,000 for a matching grant program which will help with downtown facade improvements.

The program will match the property owner’s expenditures up to $5,000 per project. Pizza and Pop will be available for attendees.

And, on Feb. 12, at 5:30 p.m., property owners will be able to provide input in an overall downtown facade design plan which will be provided by Hooker DeJong Architects and Engineers. That meeting will be held in the Whitehall City Hall Garden Room.

In December the Whitehall Tax Increment Finance Authority (TIFA), contracted with Hooker DeJong to develop the plan.

City Manager Scott Huebler said Hook DeJong performed a similar overall design plan for Fremont’s downtown.

“The design for individual buildings won’t be mandated,” Huebler said. “However, it will provide a compatible design among the buildings.”

Architects from Hooker DeJong will outline the process of the design plan, and will meet with individual property owners.

More improvement

planned downtown

Two more Whitehall downtown businesses are going to take advantage of the Tax Increment Finance Authority’s Downtown Facade Grant Program.

At its noon meeting Thursday, the TIFA board approved funding the two projects.

The first project, nearly completed, is the replacement of two exterior display windows at The Corner House of Gifts, 223 E. Colby. The TIFA share of the project is $923.

The business’ application was denied by TIFA in December because the board didn’t believe a window replacement changed the facade.

TIFA member Mike Guinon said the business is in a house so it wouldn’t make sense to change the facade. He said replacing windows that won’t fog will help the business display product.

TIFA member George Byam, who said he was the one who moved to deny the request a month earlier, moved to rescind the earlier action and approve funding for the project.

TIFA also approved the biggest project so far in the program’s first year.

Pitkin Drug and Gift Shoppe, 101 E. Colby, is planning to replace 17 windows on the second floor. They plan, by March, to replace the old wood windows with vinyl clad windows which will have a taupe color. Six of the windows will face Colby Street and nine will face S. Mears Ave. Two windows are in the back on the alley.

Ryan Briegel, business manager and one of Pitkin’s owners, said the project is anticipated to cost $15,000. TIFA would fund up to $5,000 of the project.

TIFA also approved funding $603.75 toward an architectural plan for improvement to four buildings owned by Pitkin’s and half of The Local Pub, adjacent to those buildings. That is a 50 percent match for the $1,207.50 cost. The plan included facade work for the building occupied by Northland Insurance and Hooked on Hair, Pitkin Drug and Gift Shoppe, Gale’s Jewelry and Pitkin Sale Shoppe.

Montague's downtown

also getting a facelift

The City of Montague Building Facade improvement program, similar to that in neighboring Whitehall, has proved successful in restoring the downtown in its first three years.

In that time, the city has helped fund 12 projects ranging from a new exterior paint job to complete storefront restorations.

Montague offers to match the property owner’s funds up to $5,000 for the project, and in the first three years, the city’s Downtown Development Authority has budgeted a total of $75,000, $25,000 annually.

So far, the DDA has expended $33,772.92, but has appropriated $51,239.67. Some of the projects haven’t been completed, and so funding hasn’t been released.

Funded projects include: