improvements, based on the plans submitted is $200,000. Based on this calculation the increase in the municipal portion would only increase by $917 per year making the improvements ineligible for the grant. However, should the assessment value increase as a result of the improvements made by the applicants, Administration is seeking approval to award the tax increment grant according to the revised program details (i.e. with the $1,000 threshold).
Building Facade Improvement Grant Program
The City of Windsor Building Facade Improvement Program and Urban Design Guidelines for Main Streets CIP offers financial incentives to encourage property owners and businesses to make investments to improve the exterior appearance of 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 Ford City BIA 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. 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.
The development has undergone extensive beautification, restoration and replacement changes on the front facade and interior for the new ground floor retail unit and second floor office space. Improvements include brick cleaning and re-pointing, removal of the existing canopy and reconstruction of the façade entrance with a new storefront glazing system using black aluminum framing, new second floor windows with divided lite muttons, and a new concrete entrance. Improvements also include the removal of the unsafe rear addition. The project is eligible for a $15,000 grant for improvements to facade facing Drouillard Road.
Risk Analysis:
The approval of these grants does not carry significant risk, as there are sufficient funds within the capital project (Project ID 7181046) and Reserve Fund 156. The applicant will not receive any grants until all work is completed and inspected to the satisfaction of the Planning and Building Department. As a requirement of Section 28 (7.3) of the