Earlier this week, Governor Larry Hogan announced the awardees from the Fiscal Year 2021 application round for state revitalization programs administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. Among the grants announced are two awards — totaling $225,000— for projects sponsored by The City of Frederick.
Facade Improvement and Building Reuse Programs
$100,000 Awarded for Continuation of Existing City Programs
Façade Improvement Program
Administered through the Downtown Frederick Partnership, Golden Mile Alliance, and East Frederick Rising, the program provides a one-to-one match on qualified exterior building improvements up to $10,000 (up to $23,500 in the Golden Mile area).
Administered through the Downtown Frederick Partnership, the program addresses the high costs of installing sprinklers in historic buildings. The owner of a commercial, multi-family residential or mixed-use building must be seeking a new water connection of up to 4 inches to the City water main in an existing Downtown building greater than 50 years old.
The competitive program, administered through the Downtown Frederick Partnership, offers a matching grant to selected interior capital improvement projects to businesses located in Downtown Frederick.
Frederick's Façade Improvement and Building Reuse programs have a legacy of effectively leveraging private investment to improve historic and underutilized buildings across the City. To date, the programs have enabled more than 100 façade improvement projects across the City and prompted over $1.4 million in rehabilitation investments. The projects, in turn, have promoted re-tenanting and significant local job creation.
Frederick Arts Council Project
$125,000 for renovation of a historic building for Use By the Frederick Arts Council & Community
Last year, the Frederick Arts Council celebrated the initial repositioning & opening of its downtown Arts Center at 5 E 2nd Street. The new space provides the Arts Council with further downtown street-level space and a larger community presence. The Arts Center houses resident organizations, public arts projects, offices for FAC team members, and will serve as a venue to hold arts events and exhibitions for the local community.
Built in 1871, the historic building formerly served as a church. The $125,000 grant will help fund key building safety and accessibility improvements for the revitalization project — including the installation of a new sprinkler system, elevator, and electrical upgrades.
Learn more about the new Arts Center and the Frederick Arts Council here.
Interested in learning more about local incentive programs for your own project? Explore our website here or contact our Department at business@cityoffrederickmd.gov.