PORT ANGELES — While the citizen-driven project to spruce up downtown continues, the city of Port Angeles is considering funding a program that would provide owners with money to improve the outside of their commercial properties.
That idea — along with the “Our Community at Work: Painting Downtown” project going on now — comes from recommendations provided by the American Institute of Architects, said Nathan West, city economic and community development director.
A seven-member team of planners and architects with the AIA visited Port Angeles from March 16-18 on a grant the city had been awarded from the organization.
That team was in town to assess the vitality of the city’s downtown and corridor along First and Front streets and help to plan for the city’s future.
Fund for businesses
West said the facade improvement program that he is proposing would involve the city providing a loan or paying to improve the outside of the city’s business locations.
“Essentially, if a project came in and met the eligible requirements, they would request a match from that fund,” he said.
“It could either come in the form of a grant or loan. It has yet to be determined.”
The City Council will consider allocating $115,992 of the city’s Housing Rehabilitation Project Fund to pay for the facade improvement program for commercial properties when it meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday in City Hall, 321 E. Fifth St.
The fund would be provided by federal community development block grants.
Details of the program, such as what improvements would be eligible for funding, are unknown.
“We are hoping to bring that to the July 21 council meeting,” West said. “We are still evaluating what the best way to do that is.”
The facade improvement program — along with four other planned programs — would result in the expenditure of the rest of the city’s housing rehabilitation fund, except $60,000 set aside for “emergency rehabilitation projects,” according to West’s memo to the council.
West said that by obligating those funds to certain projects, including unknown “emergency” projects, the city can apply for more community development grants.
“It’s kind of a win-win scenario,” he said. “We are pulling the money to create that facade improvement program, and second, we are creating an opportunity to apply for additional grants.”
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
