By MARGIE TRAX PAGE
Staff Writer
mtrax@starbeacon.com
GENEVA The efforts of city officials and local business owners has come to fruition with the approval of the citys preapplication for a $400,000 Downtown Revitalization Grant, Assistant City Manager Jennifer Brown said.
"All our work is starting to pay off. This preapproval means so much because out of 13 communities, only nine were granted preapproval and only six will actually be awarded grant money," Brown said.
Now the city and the Geneva Business Association is on the fast track down a long road toward the preservation and updating of its centuriesold buildings.
Brown said the city and business association have worked together to develop a marketing and development plan, all of which were requirements for grant preapproval.
"We still have a long way to go, but this news is very encouraging. Now we must inventory the properties, survey the structures and give each a rating and an estimated cost for improvements. It is a lot of busywork," she said.
The money is distributed through a reimbursement system. Business owners pay the full amount of the construction and are reimbursed with grant money. They will be aware of the percentage of the costs to be covered by the grant before construction begins. Geneva is asking for a maximum of $400,000 in funding, Brown said.
Mark Schupska, owner of Broadway Antiques, is ready for a new heating system for his 114 yearold building. The grant will help pay for the warm air and other improvements that Schupska hopes will keep the building standing for another 100 years.
"I have several projects in mind for the building. The heating system is very, very old and not very efficient. This building is a real piece of history and making it more comfortable and useable will certainly lengthen its life," he said.
The revitalization grant money can only be used for updating electrical systems, plumbing, windows, and maintaining or repairing the structure of a building. No cosmetic improvements will be considered, Brown said.
Geneva has benefited from this grant in 1993, as Rees Pharmacy, Honeybees Restaurant and Central Hardware have all taken advantage of the funding opportunity, Brown said.
Schupska used his grant money in the 1990s to completely overhaul his buildings electrical system and replace crumbling interior plaster.
"It is so important to enhance the buildings and preserve their historical integrity as well as their structural strength. These buildings are in use every day. Improving the buildings chance to survive is important to the city and its history," Schupska said.
The business association, city officials, and representatives from Key Bank will meet soon to discuss financing options for the balance of the matching funds, Brown said.
Though Geneva still has some work to do in the grant process, Brown said with the help of the Geneva Business Association, the city is poised to collect the restoration money and continue to pursue other available funding for historic preservation.
"I am pretty excited about this opportunity and what it can do for the city," Brown said.
