City of Albany Small Business Facade Improvement Program Third Round Launched

September 4, 2018

Click Here For Program Applications & Guidelines

Click Here To View The Announcement’s Press Release

City of Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, joined by Capitalize Albany Corporation, the Albany Community Development Agency and the City of Albany Capital Resource Corporation, announced the Round III launch of the City’s Small Business Facade Improvement Program. Applications are available for the third round of a matching grant program that helps small businesses throughout the City reinvest in their properties. The program can provide matching grants to small businesses and/or commercial property owners for exterior renovations. Up to $100,000 in matching grants will be made available this fall. Applications and the program’s guidelines can be found at www.CapitalizeAlbany.com/Grants.  

 

Previous rounds of this small business program have been tremendously successful. To date the program has leveraged more than $500,000 in new investment. Administered by Capitalize Albany Corporation, the Program’s third round is made possible by funding from the City of Albany Capital Resource Corporation and with continued support from the Albany Community Development Agency.

The Program’s third round announcement was made in Albany’s West Hill neighborhood at 16 Judson Street, a building previously marked with a red X to indicate its intensely blighted condition. Building owner Dileep Rathore has plans for it to become the “Neighborhood Fresh Market.” The investment into the building’s façade, supported by a matching grant as part of the Façade Program’s 2nd round, is part of a larger vision for the property as interior renovations are also beginning in order to transform the property into a storefront that will improve access to healthy foods — organic and fresh produce in West Hill and for residents of surrounding neighborhoods. Its interior and exterior renovations are taking shape simultaneously with completion planned for early fall.

The Program is not only designed to support and provide critical assistance to small businesses citywide — the Program encourages new investment in City of Albany identified Neighborhood Strategy Areas and the creation of low barrier to entry level jobs for City of Albany and Capital Region residents. In an effort to increase employment opportunities for local residents, the City of Albany’s office of Youth & Workforce Services will be available to work with awarded applicants on identifying localized talent for their expanding small businesses.

The Program’s fall 2018 funding window is open as of September 4 and will close on October 19, details on the spring 2019 funding window will be provided at a later date. Details on eligible improvements can be found in the application. An overview of improvements or renovations  eligible to receive support include decorative or functional improvements such as exterior signs, lighting, energy conservation, windows, awnings, storefronts and entrances, doors, brickwork, painting, repair to decorative details, cornices, correction of code violations, removal of non-historic materials, and upgrades of blighted buildings. Grants can also support renovations to improve compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Improvements to interiors or sidewalks are not eligible improvements.