Whitehall to 'put on a happy face'

May 06, 2007

White Lake Beacon

Dressing up the downtown Whitehall may get a little easier, as the Tax Increment Finance Authority board begins offering a matching grant program for façade improvements.

Whitehall city manager Scott Huebler said a matching grant program of up to $5000 per application is to be made available through the Tax increment Financing Authority Board(TIFA).

“That program is subject to funding by the City Council,” said Huebler. “But we do have that funding built into the new budget.” The city is holding budget hearings later this month, with a new budget to be approved by June 1.

The façade program will consist of $25,000 per year to take effect in the 2007-2008 fiscal year. Rich Houtteman, with Muskegon Area First, noted in a press release issued last week that formal action to enact the program took place at the TIFA business meeting, April 26.

Projects aiming to improve the exterior facades on downtown commercial properties with the TIFA District may be eligible for funding.

The program is attached to a set of design guidelines that describe the types of quality improvements the program hopes to fund, contributing to the improvement of downtown Whitehall’s streetscape. Those design guidelines were among the decisions made as a result of extensive research provided through consultant, Hyett Palma, as they helped the city develop its Cool Cities: Blueprint for Michigan Downtowns.

Huebler said applications for the façade program will be available at Whitehall City Hall. Approvals for projects aiming to improve the exterior facades on downtown commercial properties within the TIFA District will be reviewed and approved by the TIFA Board.