City’s Façade Improvement Program Gives Facelift to Three Buildings & Six Storefronts on Congress Street

Portland, Maine - Thanks in part to the City of Portland’s Façade Improvement Program, three buildings and six storefronts on Congress Street have been, or are in the process of, getting a facelift. The City’s Economic Development Department created the program, and collaborates with the Planning & Urban Development to administer it. The funding, which helps to leverage private investment, comes from the City’s Community Development Block Grant through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

”The Façade Program produces such tangible results,” said Greg Mitchell, Portland’s Economic Developer Director. “This is an effective program to stimulate private sector investment. Thanks to the many property and business owners who have partnered with the City to rehab their storefronts, the experience of Congress Street continues to get better and better.”

Once this second round of the Façade Program on Congress Street has been completed, the public
investment will total about $185,000. These public funds will have leveraged close to $400,000 of private investment for improvements to 16 storefronts. The goal of the Program has been to enhance Congress Street for everyone’s enjoyment -- residents, visitors, businesses and their employees. The grants provide an incentive for building and business owners to invest in rehabilitating their storefronts, and replacing deteriorated signs and awnings.

THE FAÇADE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

The Strand at 565 Congress Street has four newly renovated storefronts. The extensive work on the building involved new storefront systems, new siding to match the previously rehabbed Salt Institute section of the building, a new entrance canopy, new signs and a cleaned granite band just above the storefronts. The Façade Program provided a maximum $20,000 incentive grant for this project. It leveraged a substantial investment from the property owner which far exceeded the public funding portion.

“The outcome is terrific,” noted Peter Pachios, one of the building’s owners. “It was a pleasure working with the City on this valuable program to accomplish a now enhanced appearance for the building and the neighborhood.”

A new striped awning and a new sign will soon complete the storefront project at 486 Congress Street. New doors, panels and moldings were installed, replacing some that were deteriorated and others that were incompatible with this historic building. There is also a fresh coat of paint and a new tile threshold. Once the project is finished, the grant provided for this renovation will be about $11,000, matched in private investment dollars by the building’s owner, Donna Barthe.

“I'd been hoping to renovate the storefront for a long time,” said Donna Barthe. “The City's Facade Program financially enabled me to renovate as well as guided me through the complexities of restoring it historically. I feel very fortunate to be part of this wonderful program.”

At the Mechanics Hall at 519 Congress Street, restoration and repair has just begun to the storefront level and main entrance area with upgrades to masonry, wood, tile and metal. A $20,000 grant is helping to make this project possible.