7 Utica businesses to receive funding for improvements – Utica Observer Dispatch

S. Alexander Gerould @OD_Gerould

UTICA Several downtown Utica buildings are going to look a little different.

At a recent meeting of the citys Scenic & Historic Preservation Commission, board members approved several Certificates of Appropriateness for seven building owners to make exterior improvements to their properties.

The work, which will be done by Bonacci Architects, is part of the citys Faade Improvement Loan Program. The program is focused on rehabilitating blighted commercial buildings within commercial thoroughfares that are adjacent to residential neighborhoods.

The city received approximately 20 applications for the program.

"For the past several years, the city has offered a facade grant program for businesses along largely Bleecker Street from Genesee Street to Albany Street," said Brian Thomas, the city's commissioner of urban and economic development. "This past year, the mayor asked that we change our focus and focus on Genesee Street essentially from Oriskany Boulevard to Oneida Square."

The city has allocated $90,000 in 2016-17 funds with additional funds likely to be allocated in the 2017-18 program year for the loan program, according to a request for proposal for architectural services sent out by the city. The program is a federally funded program through theU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Community Development Block Grant program.

"We didn't limit the amount of people that could participate," Thomas said. "There's a limit on the dollars that are available."

Forgivable loans of up to $22,500 will be awarded based on a rating system, according to the request for proposal. In order to receive the full $22,500, the property owner must commit a private match of at least $7,500 for a total project budget of $30,000. Any cost overruns beyond the $30,000 will be the responsibility of the private property owner, according to the request.

Project components eligible for funding, according to the city's website, include things such as exterior painting, repairing or replacing windows, awnings, signs and display-area lighting.

Items not eligible include work completed prior to project funding, interior improvements or improvements not seen from a publicly owned space, security systems and business operational costs.

Black River Systems at 162 Genesee St. is one of the businesses taking part in the program.

Michael Krumme, the company's vice president, said they are looking to use the program to help replace the window that's in the front of the building. He said they wouldn't be able to fix it without the program.

"We're right on the Busy Corner, sort of a historical area and that window's been missing pieces of it ever since we moved in," Krumme said. "It's uninsulated and leaks and this is going to help us fix that."

Follow @OD_Gerould on Twitter or call him at 315-792-4995.

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7 Utica businesses to receive funding for improvements - Utica Observer Dispatch