Downtown Micro-Grants approved for building improvements

Two buildings in downtown Newton will soon be getting a facelift thanks to the Newton Downtown Micro-Grant program. The first two grants for the program were approved by city council on Monday.

“It is a good first step, it’s exciting to see,” councilwoman Evelyn George said.

Shawn and Vicki Wade were approved for two projects on their office complex building on the southwest corner of the square at 201 First Ave. W. The first project includes individually mounted letter signs on the painted panels to highlight different businesses located within the building. A modern style font will be used to tie into the Mid-20th century modern character of the building. A total of up to $695 was approved for that project.

The second project for the building consists of painting panels located in between the light brick of the building. The panels will be painted in a hue slightly lighter than the building to the south that balances the modern style of the building and the neighborhood context. The couple will receive up to $1,162 for the painting project.

The second grant was awarded to J. Paul Sandholm, owner of Magnum Automotive, for renovation and painting projects on his building at 106 E. Third St. S. Sandholm will receive up to $5,000 for historic façade renovations including cleaning and repair of masonry work on the building, the installation of new windows and a new door.

The windows and door will restore the original opening to the building and provide a more historically accurate appearance. The door will also be fitted with a transom window that is trimmed in dark bronze.

To complete the project, up to $1,500 was awarded for paint work on the north and south brick walls to resemble the original color of the tile brick.

Each project was approved by the Newton Downtown Grant Review Board prior to going before council. All projects within the grants awarded must be completed before Sept. 20.

The Downtown Micro-Grant program was created to provide funds to downtown businesses for improvements to the exterior of the buildings. It encourages downtown owners to reinvest in their property and business through a 1:1 cash match which is required for those awarded funds.

Projects must meet the established Downtown Historic District Design Guidelines and be approved by the Newton Downtown Grant Review Board. The board was established to review each applications in detail and work with city staff and the applicant to hone the proposal to program specifications.

The grants are paid for using program funds totaling $100,000 from the 2015 bond issue.

In other business:

• A half-time groundskeeper, half-time recreational supervisor position was approved to become a full-time groundskeeper position.

• The HR specialist/city clerk position was approved to be re-titled to administrative services manager with a $802 annual pay increase.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com