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by Sara 

$100,000 available for storefront image improvement

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November 2, 2011 in Latest News in Magnolia

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The city of Seattle is working with its own investment organization to make $100,000 available for neighborhood?fa?ade improvement projects.

The city?s Office of Economic Development has partnered with Investment Fund LLC, its new market tax credit entity, to present the funds to a neighborhood with the best idea for a project that would help the neighborhood?s overall image.

Business owners can apply for the funds on their own, but are encouraged to coordinate with their?chamber, merchants association or business improvement area. Projects already underway are also welcome to pursue the additional funding as long as the projects meet the program?s criteria. Some of that?criteria is as follows: fa?ade renovations, improved signage, awning replacement and painting. The deadline to submit a proposal to the OED is 5 p.m., Monday, Nov. 14.

 

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Sara

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  1. From the city website:? “Improvements occur in business districts serving low and moderate income residents.”? Hard to see how Magnolia would qualify.? By the way, is this tax money?? I don’t know where else it would be coming from.? If so, what in the world???Given the desperate budgetary situation, is this really a?priority?? Shouldn’t businesses by paying their?own way for stuff like this??

  2. Oh wouldn’t it be great if we could clean up the mess north of the US Bank with a community mural? It’s an eye sore.?

    Anyone have any insight into this? I hear it is the Ko Security people who own the building and have let it go untended and a place for taggers.

    1. Great minds…

      Check into who owns the security company. There was an informative thread on the Mag Voice blog a while back about this property owner.

  3. I have an idea. Why doesn’t the chamber submit something that vastly improves the fronts of the two boarded up stores between the hardware store and BofA? Since the property owner refuses to fix up his premises and will not rent the space out without forcing the renter to incur the cost of fixing it up, we might as well spend the $100K on a huge mirror to put in front, or to create a beautiful mural or a hanging fake painted scene, where people are walking along the sidewalk, shopping at those two stores, enjoying their lively and lovely neighborhood, rather than enduring the waste of space, disgusting mildew smell, and apparent lack of concern for public health and commerce those stores currently provide for our community.

    1. I agree that those two storefronts could use a sprucing up. ?That was the first thing that came to mind when I read about the improvement project. ?Additionally, perhaps the owners would be willing to rent out the space and give Magnolia some additional storefronts after the improvements.

  4. It does not look to me like the Village could qualify, but there are area of? Magnolia that might qualify.?? We have a marginal business district along BN inter Bay facility and further down the street.??? It would be good if we as a community could support doing something to help them.?? Perhaps develop a railroad theme.? A rising boat floats all ships and what is good for part of Magnolia is good for all of us and promotes business and higher property prices for all of us.??? How about using $$ to hire an architecture firm to come up with ideas to spruce up the area?

  5. City bureaucrats are the WORST arbiters of deciding who should receive funds like this.? (If people could see actually view this process at work, you’d have nightmares.)

  48. How about a “Henry” mural south of Ace hardware.? At least we would smile as we walk by.

  49. Better idea, the owners of the stores can pay for it themselves and the money can then go to correctly funding schools. ?I cannot believe that the city has the funding for this and still cuts the school budget year after year. ?Priorities people!! Kids need to come first and?education is the key…..????

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