In rating the application for grant funding under this program, the Committee will give more consideration to the projects that best meet the objectives of the grant program.
The objective of the Downtown Façade Rehabilitation Program is to make a significant impact in the aesthetic character of downtown by improving the primary facades of the buildings within the Main Street Taxing District. This objective will be achieved by providing grant assistance to property and business owners for the rehabilitation of facades using the Secretary of the Interior Standards and Guidelines to ensure that historic buildings are returned to their original design or that they retain their historic integrity or that non-historic buildings blend into the historic streetscape that is downtown Vicksburg. The end result of this project will be to enhance the character of the downtown area thereby enticing more people to visit the area, which will increase sales revenue, sales tax, and property values and eventually decrease the number of vacant buildings within the district.
Therefore, the priority for grant funding shall be in the following order.
1. Complete first story restoration - returning a storefront to its original/historic appearance or in the case of a non-historic building - making overall improvements that make the building better fit the character of the historic downtown.
2. Removing contemporary siding to reveal original windows on the second or upper floors and replacement of those windows with windows matching the original ones, and the reconstruction of a cornice, window hoods, etc.
3. Partial restoration of the first-floor storefront, i.e. replacement of windows or doors with appropriate ones, removing inappropriate siding, installation of transom panels, etc.
4. Partial restoration of the second or upper story, i.e. replacing non-historic windows with approved windows.
5. Installation of an awning.
6. Painting
Note: Based on the availability of funds, members of the Main Street Program will receive primary consideration for rant money according to the priority list above.
