(Oct. 27, 2016) Berlin helped kick off Community Development Week last Thursday, welcoming representatives from the Community Development Network of Maryland (CDNM) and touring several businesses that had recently used façade grants to improve their storefronts.
CDNM Executive Director Odette Ramos, speaking outside the Berlin Visitor’s Center, described her group as “a statewide nonprofit organization with over 180 members … that work in areas of affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, small business development and family stability housing counseling.”
Ramos joked that one of her tasks was to “stalk our delegates and senators in Annapolis” to ask for funding and support. The façade grants total about $6 million each year in Maryland and come through the Department of Housing and Community Development.
Berlin has received $50,000 each year during the last few years.
Ramos said Community Development Week was created to “highlight the impact that various projects around the state have in Maryland.” A statewide tour of such areas started in Baltimore, and would include southern Maryland, Hagerstown and Anne Arundel County.
Ivy Wells, a board member at CDNM and the economic and community development director in Berlin, said many businesses in Berlin had used façade grants, including Gilbert’s Provisions, Jeffrey Auxer Designs and the Church Mouse Thrift Shop. The Berlin Visitor’s Center also received a grant to make improvements to the front window.
The matching grants can be as little as $500 or as much as $10,000, she said.
Worcester County Economic Development Director Merry Mears said she recently used Berlin as an example of exemplary development of small businesses during a Maryland Municipal League meeting.
“I talked a lot about what Berlin has done over the years to really focus on developing businesses, communicating with businesses, working with businesses hand in hand to revitalize Main Street, and to bring people to your community to benefit tourism, and just raising businesses up to be what they can be,” she said.
Mears said Berlin had just renewed its enterprise zone designation, and that businesses in those areas could take advantage of certain tax incentives.
“We’re interested in working with you one-on-one to take advantage of that next tax season,” she said.
Rick Stack from Design Resources said façade grants could be used for everything from insulation and energy efficiency improvements to simple repairs and painting. Signs, windows, new roofs and improvements related to the American with Disabilities Act are also permitted.
“It’s not an intimidating process,” he said. “The application is actually online under the economic and community development section in the [CDNM] website … we wish that maybe more and more businesses would take advantage of it, not only for the town, but for themselves also.”
Del. Charles Otto spoke on the importance of preservation, and Del. Mary Beth Carozza said the grants were an example of how partnerships between government and the private sector “were supposed to work.”
“I’m a delegate here, but … I’m on the House Appropriations Committee,” she said. “I wear that hat where I’m held accountable on how we are spending our taxpayer dollars, so … I can look right here on the shore in Berlin, in Ocean City, and I can say this is how we’ve used the façade money.
“These aren’t huge amounts of money, but these projects, these grants, allow these types of improvements on our Main Streets, in our downtown, and it’s a tremendous economic boost. It’s also a boost for tourism as well,” she added.
Toby Gilbert, owner of Gilbert’s Provisions, said the grants helped him transform what was essentially a storage unit into a vibrant storefront.
“The inside was falling down … we had to put a new roof on and a new ceiling,” he said. “And apart from that we needed good doors, we needed awnings, we needed signage, we needed a lot of new paint.
“Without the façade grant, there would have been no way,” he added. “It’s a small thing that brightens up a part of neighborhood.”
Jeffery Auxer used grant money to help build a second story on his building, while Helen Wiley said the Church Mouse added a screen door.
“Ivy had explained about the program, so I did everything you’re supposed to do [and] got approval by the historical committee,” she said. “It really benefits the store to keep it looking good with the town and keep that historical feel, and then we don’t have to have the air conditioning on.”
“It was very easy to do, and I’m very grateful,” she added.
CDNM Executive Director Odette Ramos, speaking outside the Berlin Visitor’s Center, described her group as “a statewide nonprofit organization with over 180 members … that work in areas of affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, small business development and family stability housing counseling.”
Ramos joked that one of her tasks was to “stalk our delegates and senators in Annapolis” to ask for funding and support. The façade grants total about $6 million each year in Maryland and come through the Department of Housing and Community Development.
Berlin has received $50,000 each year during the last few years.
Ramos said Community Development Week was created to “highlight the impact that various projects around the state have in Maryland.” A statewide tour of such areas started in Baltimore, and would include southern Maryland, Hagerstown and Anne Arundel County.
Ivy Wells, a board member at CDNM and the economic and community development director in Berlin, said many businesses in Berlin had used façade grants, including Gilbert’s Provisions, Jeffrey Auxer Designs and the Church Mouse Thrift Shop. The Berlin Visitor’s Center also received a grant to make improvements to the front window.
The matching grants can be as little as $500 or as much as $10,000, she said.
Worcester County Economic Development Director Merry Mears said she recently used Berlin as an example of exemplary development of small businesses during a Maryland Municipal League meeting.
“I talked a lot about what Berlin has done over the years to really focus on developing businesses, communicating with businesses, working with businesses hand in hand to revitalize Main Street, and to bring people to your community to benefit tourism, and just raising businesses up to be what they can be,” she said.
Mears said Berlin had just renewed its enterprise zone designation, and that businesses in those areas could take advantage of certain tax incentives.
“We’re interested in working with you one-on-one to take advantage of that next tax season,” she said.
Rick Stack from Design Resources said façade grants could be used for everything from insulation and energy efficiency improvements to simple repairs and painting. Signs, windows, new roofs and improvements related to the American with Disabilities Act are also permitted.
“It’s not an intimidating process,” he said. “The application is actually online under the economic and community development section in the [CDNM] website … we wish that maybe more and more businesses would take advantage of it, not only for the town, but for themselves also.”
Del. Charles Otto spoke on the importance of preservation, and Del. Mary Beth Carozza said the grants were an example of how partnerships between government and the private sector “were supposed to work.”
“I’m a delegate here, but … I’m on the House Appropriations Committee,” she said. “I wear that hat where I’m held accountable on how we are spending our taxpayer dollars, so … I can look right here on the shore in Berlin, in Ocean City, and I can say this is how we’ve used the façade money.
“These aren’t huge amounts of money, but these projects, these grants, allow these types of improvements on our Main Streets, in our downtown, and it’s a tremendous economic boost. It’s also a boost for tourism as well,” she added.
Toby Gilbert, owner of Gilbert’s Provisions, said the grants helped him transform what was essentially a storage unit into a vibrant storefront.
“The inside was falling down … we had to put a new roof on and a new ceiling,” he said. “And apart from that we needed good doors, we needed awnings, we needed signage, we needed a lot of new paint.
“Without the façade grant, there would have been no way,” he added. “It’s a small thing that brightens up a part of neighborhood.”
Jeffery Auxer used grant money to help build a second story on his building, while Helen Wiley said the Church Mouse added a screen door.
“Ivy had explained about the program, so I did everything you’re supposed to do [and] got approval by the historical committee,” she said. “It really benefits the store to keep it looking good with the town and keep that historical feel, and then we don’t have to have the air conditioning on.”
“It was very easy to do, and I’m very grateful,” she added.