Eighteen Iowa communities (including Clearfield, Lenox, Stanton and Stuart) are getting grants of 100-thousand dollars from the Iowa Economic Development Authority to redevelopment of buildings under the Community Catalyst Program. Jim Thompson oversees the new program which has a simple goal. “Communities select a building that’s in need of remediation that will not only serve as an economic catalyst — thus the name — but also serve as an example to other property owners that are adjacent. To be able to see that economic activity can happen, even in the smallest of towns,” Thompson says.

The program is open to all communities, but the rules require 40 percent of the grants to go to those with populations of less than 15-hundred residents. Fifty percent of those size communities that won grants in this first year. “Smaller communities have less capacity,” Thompson says, “and it’s not just always in dollars. Sometimes it’s in administrative function and in leadership. So, we have been really working hand-in-hand with these communities as applicants for these buildings.” Fifty-three communities applied for the program and 18 received the maximum 100-thousand dollar award.

“One unique thing about this program is that it did not require any local match — although it was scored competitively against the other applicants based on their match,” Thompson says. “So, it didn’t’ have to be just a cash match. We also allowed communities to come up with an in kind contribution.” He says communities provided the in-kind match in a lot of ways, such as waiving building and other permit fees.

He says they allowed the communities to be creative and some are supplying trucks and labor to help renovate the buildings. Thompson says some of the projects are already in the works and are paying off. He says the program saves old buildings that may’ve been torn down and turns them into something that creates new things.

The communities have two years to complete the projects. Locally:

• The City of Clearfield received a grant to rehabilitate300 Broadway, for a 1st floor rehab to entice business development 2nd floor apartment and 2 rentable overnight rooms. The total project cost is estimated at $190,000.
• The City of Lenox received a $100,000 grant to rehabilitate the Bunn Jewelry Building Mexican Restaurant & Woodworking Shop with four apartments upstairs (a $571,000 project)
• The City of Stanton received $100k to rehabilitate the Historic Mason Building Mixed Use Renovation Adds Downtown Living & Additional Business Spaces (a $284,000 project)
• The City of Stuart received a grant to rehabilitate the Hotel Stuart: 1st floor restaurant Upper level hotel suites (a $761,964 project)

And, the City of Mapleton received a community technical assistance planning grant of five-thousand dollars ($5,000).

(Radio Iowa)