Courtesy / City of Portland
Before the facade makeover, this was the view of the State Theatre's marquee.
Updated: October 22, 2019
Coming attractions: Portland relaunches program for building facade makeovers
Photo / Maureen Milliken
The State Theatre marquee on Congress Street in Portland has been restored to its original design through a city facade program.
By Staff
Portland business and property owners in need of financial help to spruce up their building facades are being invited by the city to apply for the Facade Improvement Program, which is being relaunched.
The new round of funding will focus on commercial storefronts along Washington Avenue from Congress Street to Gould Street Common, and along St. John Street from Congress to D Street, according to a news release Monday.
Because not all available funding was distributed in the program's most recent round, the city is encouraging commercial property and business owners in these areas to apply for the facade grants.
The program provides grants between $500 and $20,000 to rehabilitate commercial storefronts or to replace signs and awnings of poor quality. Grants must be matched by at least an equal private investment.
To date, the program has provided $209,000 in grants and $470,000 in private funding for Portland facades, according to the release.
"The best news is that nearly $700,000 has been invested in improving commercial storefronts in these targeted areas of the city," said Nelle Hanig of Portland's Economic Development Department. "This has certainly contributed to more vibrancy in our commercial districts."
Program details
Funding has previously gone to the State Theatre, at 609 Congress St., including the restoration of the original marquee, and 612 Congress St., the site of Chinese restaurant Sichuan Kitchen. Both are in Portland's Congress Square neighborhood.
The Facade Improvement Program is jointly administered by Portland's Economic Development Department and the U.S. Department of Planning and Urban Development, and the funds come from a HUD community development block grant.
Applications for the next funding round are due by 3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26. Commercial applications may be emailed to nrh@portlandmaine.gov or dropped off in Room 308 at Portland City Hall, 389 Congress St.
More information about the program, along with application forms, are available online.
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