Marquette receives façade restoration grant

Funds to be delivered on Friday in downtown Marquette

LANSING, Mich. – Marquette is one of three communities in Michigan to be awarded a grant through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Façade Restoration Initiative pilot program. The $300,000 grant will be awarded on Friday to the Marquette Downtown Development Authority (DDA).

The $1.5 million Façade Restoration Initiative, or FRI, is intended to expand state support for façade improvement projects in Michigan communities. FRI provides matching funds of up to 50 percent of façade restoration costs to local downtown development authorities, Main Street organizations, principal shopping districts or local authorities. To be eligible, communities must have an existing and locally administered façade improvement program already in place.

WHAT: Presentation of Façade Restoration Initiative grant to Marquette DDA

WHEN: Friday, Sept. 7 at 3:00 p.m.

WHERE: Marquette Downtown Development Authority, 203 S. Front St., Marquette 49855

Marquette will use the funds to improve facades of downtown buildings and to boost the local facade improvement program of the Marquette Downtown Development Authority.

“The MEDC has been a great partner with the City of Marquette and the City’s DDA in its revitalization efforts of Marquette’s downtown,” said Mona Lang, Executive Director of the Marquette Downtown Development Authority. “We are pleased to be a recipient of this pilot initiative.  The funding will enable us to assist in improvements to targeted properties that we believe will make a continuing positive impact on the overall downtown district.”

In addition to Marquette, other communities receiving FRI awards include the cities of Wayland and Ypsilanti.

AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS:

Jennifer Tucker, MEDC Community Assistance Team Specialist

Mona Lang, Executive Director of the Marquette Downtown Development Authority

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.