A pair of Economic Development Program grant applications were approved Tuesday, Sept. 7, at the regular meeting of the City Council, sprucing up two more buildings on Third Street in downtown West Liberty.
The city approved a proposal by owners of the New Strand Theatre at 111 East Third Street, Mac Howes and Deb Lowman, for a new roof on the 100-plus year old building. “The oldest active movie theate in the state of Iowa needs a new roof to prevent any further damage to the interior and to allow continued property improvement projects,” the owners wrote in their proposal to the council, asking for $14,850, half of the estimated #9,700 cost for the project.
“A new roof will allow for a West Liberty staple to continue to operate and allowing continued improvement and seating expansion to proceed,” the proposal read. The nearly 5,000 suare foot roof will get a fabric reinforced repair and the contractor, Friendship Roofing and Coating of Kalona, said additional work will need to be done to mesh the top pitch with the lower roof.
A portion of the work will be completed by the owners. Four other bids were received on the project.
Mixed-use property of rental, residential and office at 125 East
Third Street, owned by council member Jose Zacarius was also the subject of a grant proposal. The building presently houses Jose Salgado Insurance Agency, Shanghai Chinese restaurant and Frausto Photography and hopes to add a Massage Therapy Studio.
The owner asked for a grant totaling $3,747.50 for the project on the10,800 square foot building that would include some interior and exterior painting, sewer line work and a new air conditioning unit, with total cost at approximately $7,500. Work is to be completed this fall. Zacarias said by improving the building façade and making the downtown area more appealing will result in more potential business development along with “improving the viability and effectiveness of the business community at large.”
The council unanimously approved both applications with Zacarias abstaining from the vote on improvements for his own building.
The two projects are a continuation of a new city grant program administered with the help of the WeLead Economic Development organization. More than a half-dosen businesses have taken advantage of the matching fund program.