(Stanton) A local effort to enhance Stanton’s historic downtown building facades received the first grant of a new project administered jointly by ITC Midwest and the Iowa Rural Development Council.
The community of 689 is celebrating its sesquicentennial this year, and local leaders want to restore downtown building facades. Jenna Ramsey, Stanton Community Development Director, says more than a dozen Main Street building owners showed interest in restoring their storefronts. So the community reached out to the Power of Connection Program for help and received a $5,000 grant. “This City of Stanton is honored to receive this grant,” said Ramsey. “This award is crucial to move our Downtown Facade Renovation project forward with architecture design and will be key for us to raise funds for our goals for completing this project.”
Outside funding is required, and the City of Stanton, local communications provider FMTC, statewide fiber network Aureon and numerous local donors also stepped up with contributions.
The grant program, launched late last year by ITC and IRDC, is intended to help fund feasibility studies, strategic planning, and non-construction/equipment elements of a rural project. Hiring architects and an artist to do the conceptual rendering of façade improvements is an eligible expense.
For more details about the project, contact IRDC Executive Director Bill Menner at director@iowardc.org or call 641-990-4757.
(photo: courtesy of Jenna Ramsey)