Crossville announced Thursday as a recipient of a $300,000 Downtown Improvement Grant, the first time the community applied for and received the money.
City Manager Valerie Hale said the city applied for the grant to help improve the look of the downtown area, as the economic and community benefits would help increase quality of life. Hale said the grant will help the city revitalize the vacant buildings downtown, promoting local activity and bolstering pride in the community.
“When we applied for the grant, we polled the downtown business owners and asked them what they would be interested in,” Hale said. “Now that we’ve received the grant, there will be an application process where those property owners have to apply for the projects. And the property owners will be responsible for 25 percent of the cost.”
Hale said she hopes the improvements to the downtown will boost foot traffic and sales, supporting small businesses and increasing property values. Hale said funds for certain activities can be applied for, though approved projects include exterior improvements, building signage, paint, awnings, lighting, brick repairs, windows, doors and entryways.
Hale said it is important that the city receives the funding to help the local business owners improve their shops, as all of the downtown businesses are small business owners.
“This will help them because they are small businesses, which typically don’t have resources such as the name brand chain stores do,” Hale said.
Hale said the funding will improve the overall downtown area in a broader sense, enhancing local safety and supporting local businesses by investing in the area.
“As the city manager, we are thankful to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development for this opportunity,” Hale said.
Hale said the this would create a more walkable, welcoming space for residents to enjoy.