Tag: OCED

Fairport to offer grants for business facade improvements

The village of Fairport Local Development Corp. has expanded its reimbursement program to help Fairport village businesses impacted by the pandemic make necessary capital improvements.

FLDC has distributed $80,000 in grants through its Local Investments for Fairport’s Transformation (LIFT). Some 40 businesses have received grants for PPE, takeout supplies and other pandemic-related expenses.

The LIFT program will now be expanded to help owners of commercial properties or businesses make improvements that enhance the attractiveness of Fairport’s commercial corridor. An additional $70,000 will be committed to the new Sign, Façade and Street Frontage Grant Program. Grants of up to $10,000 will provide reimbursement for costs related to signage, awning, façade or street frontage improvements, officials said.

“The impacts of the pandemic on our small-business owners have forced many to utilize their limited capital resources to sustain their operations, precluding required maintenance and desired improvements,” said FLDC board Chairman Kevin Clark. “The Sign, Façade and Street Frontage Grant Program will help with those investments and underscores our commitment to ensuring the village of Fairport’s position as a premier community offering a diverse and vibrant business district for residents and visitors alike.”

More information can be found on the Village of Fairport Office of Community & Economic Development website.

[email protected] / 585-653-4021
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Fairport businesses to be assisted during Liftbridge project

A nearly $9 million Liftbridge project, coordinated by the state Department of Transportation, will extend the service life of the historic bridge and improve the lifting mechanisms to provide reliable and safe operation during canal navigation season. (photo provided)
A nearly $9 million project will extend the service life of the historic Liftbridge and improve the lifting mechanisms to provide reliable and safe operation during canal navigation season. (photo provided)

Businesses impacted by the planned Fairport Liftbridge rehabilitation project may receive assistance to remain open during construction, the Fairport Office of Community & Economic Development said this week.

Fairport OCED on Wednesday said it had established a $150,000 Liftbridge Impact Fund for businesses in the Village of Fairport affected by the 2019-2020 rehab project. The organization plans to reach out to local business owners and community groups to solicit input on areas of focus and program development, officials said.

“Fairport OCED commits its resources, expertise and energies to creating local economy that is healthy and vibrant,” OCED board member and village trustee Ken Rohr said in a statement. “The funds will be available to help mitigate the impact on our local businesses to ensure their continued success during this project.”

The nearly $9 million Liftbridge project, coordinated by the state Department of Transportation, will extend the service life of the historic bridge and improve the lifting mechanisms to provide reliable and safe operation during canal navigation season. The state DOT estimates the bridge will be out of service 13 to 15 months beginning in September 2019.

OCED also has committed $500,000 to the $1.9 million Fairport Bicentennial Gateway project, which will upgrade and enhance the banks of the Erie Canal west of the liftbridge. And additional $30,000 has been earmarked for proposed improvements to the Albert H. Knapp Rotary Pavilion at Fairport Junction.

[email protected] / 585-653-4021
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Fairport resident receives grant to fix front porch

Front Porch Grant recipient Paul Kurzdorfer, seen here with Fairport Village Trustee Ken Rohr. (photo provided)
Front Porch Grant recipient Paul Kurzdorfer, left,  with Fairport Village Trustee Ken Rohr. (Photo provided)

The Fairport Office of Community & Economic Development has awarded its first Front Porch Grant.

Deland Park B resident Paul Kurzdorfer received the town’s first $250 matching grant, designed to help village residents to renovate, repair or upgrade their front porches. The grant enabled Kurzdorfer to upgrade the materials chosen for the project, resulting in more attractive, structurally stable front steps.

“The Village of Fairport is a traditional ‘Front Porch Friendly’ community with walkable neighborhoods,” OCED board member and village trustee Ken Rohr said in a statement. “The front porch is a great place for entertaining and getting to know your neighbors. Our matching grant program will make it more affordable for homeowners to renovate or upgrade their porches to enhance their homes and neighborhoods.”

OCED collaborated with the Landmark Society on the grant program, which was inspired by the society’s Five to Revive program. The front porch was put on the Landmark Society’s 2018 Five to Revive list because of the contribution front porches make to the built environment.

Porches are especially vulnerable to the deteriorating forces of weather and they require special attention to maintain and repair, Landmark Society officials said.

“It is critical for the long-term preservation of historic homes and the viability of communities that porches receive significant attention,” Landmark Society Executive Director Wayne Goodman said. “The Landmark Society is delighted to help residents of Fairport however we can as they use this welcome grant to help repair and restore front porches in this historic community.”

The residential front porch matching grant program is being piloted in the northwest quadrant of the village. OCED plans to roll out the program in other areas of the village within the next year.

[email protected] / 585-653-4021
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Front porches to get some attention in Fairport

architecture-chair-chairs-992727The Fairport Office of Community & Economic Development is offering village residents a matching grant program to help renovate, repair or upgrade their front porches.

A collaboration between OCED and the Landmark Society of Western New York, the front porch matching grant will receive initial funding through the Fairport Urban Renewal Agency. The $20,000 initial funding will award qualifying residents matching grants of up to $2,000.

“The Village of Fairport is a traditional ‘front porch friendly’ community with walkable neighborhoods,” said village trustee and OCED board member Kenneth Rohr. “The front porch provides a great place for entertaining and getting to know your neighbors. Our matching grant program will make it more affordable for homeowners to renovate or upgrade their porches to enhance their homes and neighborhoods.”

The program will be piloted in the Deland Park neighborhood in the northwest quadrant of the village. The neighborhood is primarily owner-occupied traditional American Foursquares, representative of a typical early 20th century neighborhood. OCED expects to roll the program out in other areas of the village within the next year.

“The Landmark Society is delighted to help residents of Fairport however we can as they use this welcome grant to help repair and restore front porches in this historic community,” said Wayne Goodman, executive director of the Landmark Society.

The Landmark Society put front porches on its 2018 priority list because of the clear contribution they make to the built environment, officials said. Porches are especially vulnerable to the deteriorating forces of rain, wind and snow and they require special attention to maintain and repair.

“It is critical for the long-term preservation of historic homes and the viability of communities that porches receive significant attention,” Goodman said.

[email protected] / 585-653-4021
Follow Velvet Spicer on Twitter: @Velvet_Spicer