July 19, 2007 at 8:02 a.m.
Small Cities Development grant gives jump start to Taylors Falls projects
Small Cities Development grant gives jump start to Taylors Falls projects
Taylors Falls city officials, working with the county's HRA/EDA Executive Director Chris Eng, landed a Small Cities Development Grant from the State of Minnesota in spring 2006. The Drive In and mini-golf are the first business sites utilizing this program.
Owner Wade Vitalis said work was done this spring and he's very pleased with how everything turned out. He was able to accomplish needed remodeling and add aesthetic improvements in cooperation with the city. The entire experience was very positive, he mentioned.
The outcomes are positive too.
An area that was a sea of hot asphalt has been transformed into a tranquil outdoor-seating oasis. Vitalis also incorporated kitchen improvements that allows staff to better-handle the quantity of customers at this landmark eatery.
The mini-golf course also looks great, with an operating "mill" pumping cool water throughout the nature-themed 18 hole course, along with new fencing. The city did work along the mainstreet edge of the property that ties the site together nicely with the streetscape.
Taylors Falls was allotted $308,550 through the Small Cities Grant program, explained Eng, which goes towards rehabbing rental units and commercial sites.
The goal is to do seven commercial projects and 10 rental units.
HRA/EDA Director Eng encourages more Taylors Falls property owners to participate. The city has undertaken efforts to spruce up public land, he said, and if private property owners would get involved and make rehabilitation happen, Taylors Falls could really accomplish something.
The grant regulations require the funds to be committed to projects by September 2007, so interested people should contact Taylors Falls city hall or call Eng at 674-5664 as soon as possible. "This is money that's held at the state (Department of Employment and Economic Development)," Eng explained. "If it isn't used it isn't a case where Taylors Falls just gets to keep it.
"And, I doubt there'll be another grant coming along anytime soon," Eng added. DEED generally spreads its popular Small Cities program around areas of the state and there's a big demand for the program.
Small Cities grant dispersements require the property owner contribute a third of the project budget, takes a loan on a third at zero interest and the grant --as a no interest loan --covers one third of project costs and is forgiven after 15 years.
Funds can be used for code corrections, energy conservation, plumbing, structural repair, accessibility improvements and lead or asbestos removal.
The RiverBank is contributing to helping make this program a success. Below market rate loans (2 or 3 percent) are available to businesses participating in the Small Cities Grant. This can reduce a project cost to the owner on top of the grant-funded portion covered by the state.
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