Celina Grant Money Still Available For Building Face-Lifts

Celina commercial building owners still have time to submit a grant application to improve their properties.

Clay County has some leftover funding from last year’s commercial facade grant program.

ThreeStar Director Doug Young said this is the third grant they have received in 10 years.

“The real goal is to build these buildings back up and bring these businesses to the downtown area. Right now we have very few empty buildings. We have a couple and we’re always looking for, to try to help someone go into business with one of those,” Young said.

At least five potential business owners are currently applying for the leftover grant money, Young added. Applications are submitted through the Chamber of Commerce.

A lot of the buildings over the past ten years have seen significant face-lifts. Young said many were built cheaply over the past century.

“When you look at our downtown area, ours were just basic buildings. And the fires and age has gotten a lot of them,” Young said. “The ones we have left, we’re trying to keep them and keep them up and keep them going.”

One of the applicants’ buildings is over 50 years old.

Young said they have to use the remainder of the grant by the end of the year. They hope to apply for another grant to improve East Lake Avenue.