their buildings and storefronts along Main Streets. Such improvements provide a benefit to the community as a whole, by preserving heritage features, protecting Main Streets, and reconnecting storefronts with the public realm. The CIP is applicable to the Main Streets within all the BIAs in the City of Windsor, except for the Sandwich Town and Downtown Windsor BIAs, which are under separate CIPs.

Building Facade Improvement Grant Program

Funding for the Building Facade Improvement Grant Program is broken down into three categories:

Category A (Beautification) –-aesthetic and minor functional improvements aimed at making the building facade and storefront more attractive and welcoming to tenants and customers

Category B (Restoration)—aesthetic, functional, and restoration improvements made to restore key features of the building facade

Category C (Replacement) — encourage work that will replace or reinstate key  features that have been lost or deteriorated beyond repair or are of a style that is no longer consistent with the building design.

Applicants can receive a grant for 50% of the costs for eligible building facade and storefront improvements up to a maximum of $30,000 per project. The amount can be increased up to $60,000 per project for larger buildings with multiple storefronts. The grant also applies to the side(s) and rear of buildings provided the building facade is visible from an adjacent street or public right-of-way or park, and as long as the storefront/facade facing the main street is improved at the same time.

Discussion:

Peter Rieveley, the owner of the property located at 5640 Wyandotte Street East, applied for the Building Facade Improvement Program for the existing commercial building (see Appendix A).

The building is located in the Olde Riverside Business Improvement Area (BIA), and is not listed on the City of Windsor’s heritage register. The one storey building includes two storefronts and is eligible for a maximum of $15,000 ($7,500 per storefront) for the front and $7,500 for improvements made to each side that is visible from the street. The applicant is also eligible to recover 100 percent of the costs associated with certain municipal fees such as Building Permit fees.