Smithville Gets $300,000 Grant For Downtown Facade Work

The Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber Of Commerce looking for downtown businesses wanting to improve their building looks.

Chamber Of Commerce Director Suzanne Williams said funds from a $300,000 facade grant can help owners improve everything from doors and windows to signage. Williams said the city is grateful to the Tennessee Department Of Economic and Community Development for the opportunity.

“Just being able to see a beautiful building just makes people want to come in,” Williams said. “The downtown is already-, we’ve had so many great people, business owners, property owners who’ve invested so much already.”

The grant requires a match from business owners. Part of the money will go to new signage, gateways, and streetscapes for the downtown.

“We’ve been working on our downtown for about ten years now,” Williams said. “And just this $300,000 is going to make such a huge difference for us.”

Williams said the city should be receiving their contracts for the effort around January, after which facade work will begin.

“We just can not wait to see all of the positive things that will happen because of this,” Williams said. “And our business folks are beyond excited and grateful.”

Williams said if all goes well, she hopes work will begin sometime in March.