EASTON MAIN STREET INITIATIVE

EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA

2011 DESIGN CHALLENGE GRANT PROGRAM and GUIDELINES FOR

BUILDING FAÇADE IMPROVEMENTS

Purpose and Scope

In order to encourage rehabilitation of building facades and improve signage in the central business district, the Easton, PA Main Street Program is able to use funds from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to assist property owners in paying for improvements.

Eligible buildings must be located in the Main Street Area for 2012, which is indicated on the map below in blue. Any exterior improvement will be considered for the grant including paint, maintenance, signage or façade repair.

Additionally for 2012, “signage” will include fabric banners, if firmly attached with appropriate brackets at both top and bottom, to the subject building.

Available Funds

This grant program will match fifty percent of any outlay by the owner or tenant, up to $5,000, which may include architectural consultations, if needed. For example, if the owner pays a contractor $2,000, they may receive an additional $1,000 in funding from the grant program. This will enable the applicant to afford better signage, more improvements or obtain design advice from a professional. This is a reimbursement program, meaning that the owner must pay for the work first and then submit all invoices to the Main Street office for repayment. Reimbursement for signage is limited to $1,500.

Eligibility Requirements

Tenants and business owners are encouraged to apply for assistance even if they do not have any ownership in the building. The tenant/applicant must receive written permission of the property owner to be submitted with their application. The property owner and tenant may apply for funding for separate work on the same building. For example, the building owner may wish to replace windows, while the tenant may wish to replace signage. Any applications made for improvements on the same property by the same person must be at least two years apart.

Applications will be evaluated on a point system, taking into consideration the following criteria:

  • Location
  • Aesthetic Impact
  • Business Impact
  • Historic Impact
  • Significance of Grant
  • Use of Building
  • Ownership
  • Project Amount
  • Use of Design Professional

Corner properties with two facades may be eligible for additional funding. Please indicate this on your application.

Businesses must agree to display a small placard with the Main Street Program’s information in their front window for up to three months. The applicant agrees to release any pictures or publicity items resulting from the Program which includes their property.

The Main Street Design Challenge Grant may be combined with the Greater Easton Partnership’s Façade Loan Program where applicable.

If the building owner or tenant is proposing to do the improvements themselves, the Main Street Program will reimburse the applicant for materials only, and must submit estimates of material prices. All properties owners must also be up to date on the payment of their city, county and state taxes.

All designs must be in keeping with the Easton Historic District Guidelines. A Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) from the Historic District Committee (HDC) must be attached to your application. If the COA is pending approval, the Main Street Design Committee may approve the grant application contingent on approval of the project by HDC. A complete set of these guidelines can be accessed in the Main Street office, the Codes and Zoning Office on then 3rd floor of City Hall or on line at

Projects with a total cost of more than $25,000 cannot be considered due to various state regulations.

Participating Architects

The following architects participate in the Main Street Consultation Program and may be used for help in the design of the façade project. Main Street will provide $500 towards the services of these architects.

William Dohe

R & D Architecture

230 Ferry Street

Easton, PA18042

610-253-5220

Steven Glickman

24 N. 4th Street

Second Floor

Easton, PA18042

610-253-6536

Jeff Martinson

Martinson Group, Inc.

204 Bushkill Street

Easton, PA18042

610-252-9030

Guidelines and Application Process

  1. Contact the Main Street office, at 610-330-9940 to answer any questions you may have.
  1. Arrange for three bids to be given for the work being done along with a timetable for completion.
  1. Obtain a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic District Commission, located on the Third Floor of City Hall.
  1. Obtain proof of compliance with all taxes and permits for the work. The Codes Office can be reached at 610-250-6724.
  1. After completing the application in full, schedule a meeting with the Main Street staff to discuss the design and bids received. Please bring the application, all quotes from contractors, and all supporting documentation.
  1. Once the preliminary meeting is finished and the application has been deemed complete, the application will be submitted to the Design Committee for review.
  1. If approved, work must begin within 90 days from receipt of grant approval and must be complete within 6 months from that date. ANY modifications to the original design must be brought to the attention of the Main Street office. Designs that deviate from the original without prior approval risk their reimbursement status.
  1. When all work is completed and contractors are paid, please forward receipts for work completed to the Main Street office for payment. Members of the Main Street Committees and Staff will inspect the work for compliance with application details.

APPLICATION FOR MAIN STREET FAÇADE

DESIGN CHALLENGE GRANT

Applicant name: ______

Business Name:______

Property Address: ______

______

Mailing Address: ______

______

Phone:______Email:______

Building owner’s name and contact information if different from above:

______

______

______

BUILDING INFORMATION

Building’s Primary Use (please indicate number of residential units if mixed use property):

______

______

Current Tenants if Owner: ______

______

Is Building Fully Occupied? ______

Development Plan for Building:

______

______

______

If Tenant, Lease Expiration Date: ______

Application is for:

______Signage (Please indicate sign type)

___ blade (projecting) with lighting

___ blade without lighting

___ painted window sign with lighting

___ painted window sign without lighting

___ awning or canopy with lettering

___ flat, wall or fascia

______Exterior improvement

______Code compliance

______Other

2.) How long has this business been in operation?

___10 or more years

___between 3 and 10 years

___less than 3 years

3.) Building use:

___ Retail/restaurant storefront

___ Commercial storefront

___ Commercial property/ mixed use

4.) Was a design professional consulted on this project? yes ___ no ___

If yes, please provide contact information:

______

______

______

Proposed Dollar Amount for completed project: ______

Timetable for Completion:

______

______

______

______

Do you plan improvements in addition to those that will be covered by the grant?

If yes, please explain:

______

______

______

______

Please include with your application:

  1. Current photograph(s) of building
  1. Cost Estimates
  1. Completed Application
  1. Letter allowing exterior improvements if not the building owner
  1. Applicable diagrams, sketches, pictures, etc.
  1. Any additional information you may feel helpful in evaluating your application.