[Source: Cynthia Benin, Arizona Republic] — Business owners in Buckeye can receive up to $25,000 to renovate buildings for commercial use in the downtown area. The Core Area Revitalization Effort (CARE) presented by the Buckeye Main Street Coalition was approved by the Town Council last week, providing for some major changes to the current revitalization program. The new guidelines more than double the cap on funding previously set at $10,000, which could provide only for changes to a building’s facade but couldn’t fix more fundamental failings. “The problem with downtown is that many of the buildings aren’t up to town code,” said Main Street Coalition Interim Director John Bowers. “That’s why they’re empty.” He hopes the new program, which will require some legal work before the first grants are awarded, will launch projects to bring many of these buildings up to code and make downtown “a vibrant and viable business community.”
The proposal also narrows the boundaries that determine which buildings are eligible for funding. Only buildings east of Miller Road, north of Centre Avenue, west of 239th Avenue and south of the railroad tracks can receive financing, though businesses on lots fronting either side of these border streets also qualify. For grants more than $10,000, business owners are required to match 25 percent of the grant from their own pockets, and all funding recipients are required to occupy the building for at least one year, a stipulation designed to promote commitment to the area. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]