Program Overview

The City of Toledo, Department of Economic Development hereby announces the availability of $280,000 in funding for the Facade Improvement Grant Program. The program is designed to incentivize property owners to comprehensively enhance the facade of their commercial, industrial, or mixed-use buildings.

The grant reimburses 50% of eligible expenses incurred during a comprehensive facade improvement. A facade is defined as the principal face(s) of a building that is on a public street. The minimum reimbursement is $10,000 and the maximum is $40,000.

Eligible projects result in the comprehensive redevelopment of a building’s façade. Eligible buildings must be occupied by a business, have no active code violation citations, and be located in the city of Toledo. Projects must be complete, with necessary permits received, final inspections complete, and all documents required for reimbursement submitted by December 2, 2024.

The grant is subject to a two-year period of compliance and reporting. The grant is collateralized by a restrictive covenant that prevents the sale of the property without approval from the City of Toledo until December 31, 2026.

The application is open from March 15, 2024, to April 17, 2024. Applications will be reviewed and scored by the City’s Incentive Advisory Committee (IAC), using the evaluation criteria contained in this notice. The IAC consists of eight independent citizens that provide oversight of the City’s incentive programs. Upon completion of review, the IAC will recommend the top-scoring applications to the Mayor. The Mayor shall have the sole and absolute discretion to award funds.

The program is part of the City’s Vibrancy Initiative, which is designed to enhance the city’s vitality by supporting revitalization efforts that will create jobs, reduce blight, and preserve and improve structures in our community. A full list of Vibrancy Initiative programs can be found here.

Eligibility

Eligible projects result in the comprehensive redevelopment of a building’s façade. Projects must be complete, with necessary permits received, final inspections complete, and all documents required for reimbursement submitted to the Manager of Development by December 2, 2024.

Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Applicant is in good standing with governmental entities (i.e. current income taxes, property tax, utilities, fees, and have no active code violation citations).
• Applicant owns the building for which they are applying.*

*If the applicant does not own the building for which they are applying but does have the building under contract, the applicant is eligible to apply for the grant. However, grants will not be awarded until the applicant owns the building for which they are applying.

Eligible Buildings

Eligible buildings must:

• Be located in the City of Toledo
• Contain a first-floor commercial or industrial business, or have a committed first-floor commercial or industrial tenant. Occupying businesses must be registered with the City of Toledo.
• Have no active code violation citations

Eligible building uses include:

• Commercial use (non-residential)
• Industrial use
• Mixed-use (integrated first-floor commercial and upper floor residential uses)

Ineligible Buildings

Buildings with an exclusively single-family residential, multi-family residential, or storage use, or which contain the following businesses are not eligible:

• Payday loan businesses
• Pawn shops
• Firearm or other weapons dealers
• Adult entertainment
• Franchise and chain businesses
• Self-storage

A building may not receive more than one Facade Improvement Grant in its lifetime.

Eligible Expenses

The grant provides funding for a comprehensive enhancement to a building's facade. A facade is defined as the principal face(s) of a building that is on a public street. Eligible projects include replacement, repair, or addition of at least two of the expenses below.

Eligible expenses include:

• Building facing materials (such as brick, siding, or decorative features)
• Windows
• Doors
• Gutters and down spouts
• Stairs
• Ramps
• Sidewalks on private property
• Exterior lighting (including lighting directed on the building, but not attached to it)
• Exterior painting
• Awnings
• Canopies
• Non-commercial artist mural approved by The Arts Commission
• Walk-up service window
• Permanent patio or deck that complies with the City’s Outdoor Dining Guide and Encroachment Permit requirements

Roofing expenses are non-reimbursable, but are eligible toward an applicant's match amount when accompanied by a comprehensive facade improvement that utilizes at least two of the expenses listed above.

Ineligible expenses include:

• Paving (except for sidewalks on private property)
• Landscaping
• Fencing (except for those on a permanent patio or deck)
  

All enhancements must be located on private property and comply with zoning and building codes. Any eligible expense incurred prior to the execution of the Facade Improvement Grant Agreement, or work performed without required permits, is ineligible for reimbursement.