St. Cloud Economic Development Authority Considering Two Downtown Exterior Improvement Grant Applications

(KNSI) – Think of it as addition by subtraction.

The St. Cloud Economic Development Authority will consider two applications to help area businesses remove landscaping or entryways to help spruce up their facades and make them more attractive to customers. The applications are part of the Downtown Exterior Improvement Grant program.

Opportunity Services at 1717 W. St. Germain Street is spending $10,000 to remove all shrubs and rock along the building’s base. The company hopes to replace them with a decorative boulder, flowers, grass, and stone. It also wants to swap out deteriorated brick and add trim. The grant would cover half of the total cost, or $5,000.

Hyve, LLC, at 110 10th Avenue North, will demolish the existing brick awning and put up an aluminum sunshade, as well as other minor aesthetic tweaks. The dirt ground out front would have concrete laid on top of it with planters added. The business also wants to hang a new front door. The total project cost is estimated at nearly $43,000. The grant request is for $13,913.

The EDA meets on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. at city hall. The improvement grant program was recently amended to allow for demolition. It has previously been used only to add to facades, like new awnings at Dolsie’s Lunch Box Grille, Waldo’s Pizza, or Wimmer Opticians.

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