News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Applications for Sparta’s downtown revitalization grant program has reopened.
Sparta-White County Chamber of Commerce President Marvin Bullock said the initiative funds downtown businesses to restore storefronts.
“It’s an incentive. It doesn’t pay for everything, but it’s an incentive for people to get the facades painted on the buildings,” Bullock said. “A good number of the business owners or building owners have taken advantage of this, and as a result as you drive through Sparta you get a lot of bright facades.”
Bullock said the program works as an reimbursement grant scored by the Historic Committee. Bullock said businesses in the historic district get an extra point, but others outside the district can still take advantage.
“This has been going on now for a few years,” Bullock said. “I believe it was originally an idea of our Mayor Jeff Young, and it was a brilliant one. There’s basically some money that we get in that can be divided up amongst several different buildings downtown that need some updating.”
Bullock said applicants will need to submit an actual paint sample with the application. Once approved, a business should keep their receipts of work to be paid back up to $600. Applications are due April 13th by 5:00 p.m.
“They’re trying to keep the ambiance of what the buildings would have looked like in the early 1900’s,” Bullock said. “They go through the application process and write a little narrative about why they think it would be an improvement and turn that in.”
Projects must be completed by September 30th. Applications can be found at www.spartatn.gov/downtown-revitalization-initiative-grant-2022.
