News Photo by Steve Schulwitz A newly remodeled Clem’s Bait and Tackle in Alpena was busy on Saturday as ice fishermen dropped into the store for gear and bait. The store utilized the Alpena Downtown Development Authority facade grant program to help pay for the renovations.

ALPENA — Since the early 2000s, the Alpena Downtown Development Authority has offered grants to business owners in the district to help them improve the exteriors of their businesses.

Now, local business owners will have a chance to apply for one of the facade grants that will pay for 50% of approved improvements.

On Friday, DDA executive director Anne Gentry said applications for grants are being accepted for the next round of facade funding. She said two years ago, the Michigan Economic Development Corp. gave the DDA about $400,000 that was passed on to local business owners for exterior improvements to their stores, restaurants, and offices. She said the MEDC has more money available and she is seeking projects to submit to the state for approval.

Gentry said businesses who want to take advantage of the grants can submit a request, along with details and cost estimates to have the work done. She said applicants must also provide proof of funding for 50% investment into the project the business owner is required to pay and the information will be forwarded to the MEDC for consideration.

The deadline to submit a grant application is Jan. 30.

“We have three or four projects that are already interesting, but we can include as many as we like,” Gentry said. “If people are interested in renovating the front of their building, replacing windows or doors, brickwork, adding awnings, or any transformative project, we would love to include those projects for funding.”

Many downtown businesses have taken advantage of the facade grant program and many buildings that were looking tired and in need of some investment look nearly new today. Gentry said recent improvements to Clem’s Bait and Tackle, the Old Polish Corner, and Players Pub and Grub, which are complete or still ongoing, were made possible because of the grant program. She said this spring, improvements will be made to Alpena Agency, Smigelski Kielbasa, and other businesses.

When the facade grant program first began, grants no higher than $5,000 were offered. Because of the demand for the grants, and the difference the improvements to the buildings had optically in the city, the amount was bumped up to $10,000 a handful of years ago. Now, Gentry said, with the support of the MEDC, larger sums of money for bigger and more costly projects are available.

“The largest one we have given was a little over $90,000,” she said. “That is 50% of the total cost, so a business owner completed $180,000 worth of improvements for only $90,000.”

The maximum amount the MEDC will approve for a project is $500,000, Gentry said.

“A lot of business owners have said they have wanted to make improvements, but didn’t want to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars,” she said. “Lowering the cost of their investment, through the grants, has been really impactful.”

Gentry said people who are interested in the grant program or have questions can contact her at the DDA office for more information.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@TheAlpenaNews.com. Follow him on X @ss_alpenanews.com.