Downtown Bettendorf Organization Awards First Round of Façade, Interior Improvement Grants
Four Downtown Bettendorf businesses will share in more than $30,000 awarded through the new Façade Improvement and Commercial Interior Improvement grants by the Downtown Bettendorf Organization (DBO).
The Downtown Bettendorf Organization
DBO announced these grant recipients and projects:
Façade Improvement Grants
- Tango Salon, 836 State St.; Leeann Themas, business and property owner; new façade work including milling headers, filling potholes and blacktopping the parking lot.
- ADSQ, 321 17th; Steve Cotton, business and property owner; will sealcoat a parking lot at 17th and Grant streets, remove a rock garden in front and add new pavers on two sides of the building.
Interior Improvement Grants
- Adventurous Brewery, 1040 State St.; Jon Manatt, business owner, and Barron Sexson, property owner; remodel the building’s front section to add a tasting room.
- The Bulldog Arms, 1716 State St.; Josh Howat, business owner, and Paul Goettsch, property owner; new air conditioning system.
The grants mark the first round awards of the new pilot program, said Ryan Jantzi, DBO Executive Director. The program, which will distribute a total of $50,000 a year, replaced the city-run façade grant program. The new program is funded by a $25,000 contribution from both the city and Downtown Bettendorf’s Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District (SSMID). The SSMID is managed by DBO, an affiliate of the Quad Cities Chamber.
The $30,757 awarded will leverage a total of $170,418 of façade and building improvements across the four downtown properties, Jantzi said.
Themas applauded DBO for her facade grant. “It is a great program to assist businesses with property improvements, and a possible incentive for some to locate to Downtown Bettendorf,” the Tango Salon owner said. “A new parking lot improves infrastructure and adds curb appeal to property. It’s a win-win for my business and downtown.”
Jantzi said nearly $20,000 still is available to help other businesses looking to improve their buildings. Funding is available to any business or property within the SSMID’s boundaries, which is described as “point to point” from Martha’s Point on the western edge to Premiere Auto on the east end and from the Mississippi River north roughly to Brown Street, which runs behind K & K Hardware.
Businesses and property owners interested in either grant can apply for up to $15,000 or 50% of the project’s total cost – whichever is less. Grant applications are available here.
About Downtown Bettendorf Organization:
The Downtown Bettendorf Organization (DBO), a division of the Quad Cities Chamber, mission is to administer and operate programs for the general improvement and redevelopment of Bettendorf’s Central Business District and to enhance its aesthetic appearance and economic future for the community and citizens of Bettendorf. DBO was founded to provide a unified voice for stakeholders and downtown Bettendorf business owners who are committed to the future of Downtown Bettendorf. downtownbettendorf.org
