Young feels certain that the grant will receive final approval and the city will be able to use the money to provide 70 percent of the cost of building new sidewalks for the three blocks of North St. Mary’s Street in downtown Beeville.
That project is expected to cost the city $195,000 and the city’s Tax Increment Finance District is putting up $45,000 in matching funds.
Young said the fact that the community was able to put up 30 percent of the total cost of the project gave the city’s application a significant boost. Applicants are required to match at least 10 percent of the cost of a project but an application is given additional points for each 10 percent the applicant can add to that match, up to 30 percent.
“We also did our own grant application,” Young said, “instead of hiring a consultant.” That saved the city considerable money.
The grant will come from the Texas Capital Fund Main Street Improvements Program which is designed to foster and stimulate economic development in downtown areas.
The funds can be used for a number of downtown improvements but the first item on the list provided by the Texas Department of Agriculture is for “sidewalk construction/improvements include ADA ramps and rails.”
“This is positive information,” said Main Street Advisory Board President Gilbert Herrera.
“We can do the improvements at no cost to the city’s general fund,” he said. I’m really excited about the scoring.”
Herrera said Beeville tops the list in points scored by cities applying for the funds. Since only four cities are selected for the grants each year that means Beeville is in the best possible position.
Herrera said the money from the state comes from taxpayers anyway. But that is money the state already has collected and it will not affect future taxes locally.
TIF funds come from business property owners located in the zone, which mostly incudes downtown businesses.
“We’re going to get the infrastructure improvements we need at no additional cost to the taxpayer,” he said.
Young said the project will include the installation of ADA (American with Disabilities Act) ramps so that people have disabilities and use wheelchairs or other aids in getting around will be able to get past curbs and other obstructions.
Only four applications are funded each year with the minimum being $50,000 and the maximum being $150,000. Young said almost every applicant goes for the entire $150,000.
Young was confident from the start that Beeville’s application would be funded.
“Our program is leaps and bounds ahead of others which have had Main Street programs as long as ours because we’ve had the TIF funds to worth with.”
TIF money has helped the program provide matching funds to downtown businesses which have improved their facades in the downtown area, making downtown more attractive.
Young said the sidewalk improvements planned for the 100-300 blocks of North St. Mary’s Street will similar to those made on North Washington Street in the late 1980s. The city received grants and sold certificates of obligation to pay for those.
Young said the sidewalks on North St. Mary’s will not have the exposed aggregate surface that the sidewalks on Washington Street have. She said she was not sure if the sidewalks will be equipped with the paving blocks either.
Joe B. Montez, who was city manager when the North Washington Street improvements were made, supported the installation of the paving bricks because they covered utility lines beneath the sidewalks and have allowed access to those lines without having to tear up the sidewalks.
“We’re working on the paver issue,” Young said.
The project includes new sidewalks on the south side of the 200 block of West Bowie Street where two local investors are restoring a row of old buildings that once housed a couple of taverns and served as storage space for a couple of downtown businesses.
One of the now-vacant buildings was at the corner of North Washington Street and West Bowie. It held several popular downtown restaurants years ago but the last couple of restaurants that were located there folded up after a few months of being in business.
Young said that building and the others along West Bowie are now expected to be occupied by antique businesses and possibly a small restaurant located near the center of West Bowie Street.
Plans for that stretch of buildings have changed frequently, Young said. She was unable to say exactly what will go where.
Two companies, 3-G Electric and Hughes Construction, have taken out demolition permits on the buildings and roof repairs have been made on 203, 205, 207 and 211 W. Bowie St., said City Building Inspector Lanny Holland.
He said no building permits have been issued for the project for anything other than the roof work.
Holland said it is important that the community knows that the owners of the properties there have had asbestos surveys and abatement done on each building on the block.
Montez, who chairs the TIF board, said he had been asking Young to submit an application for some of the grant funds available to cities involved in the Texas Main Street Program.
“I’m glad,” he said when he heard that the city was on the top of the list and expected to receive the money.
“When you look at all the finances, we’re not going to have all the money we need for downtown improvements,” Montez said. “It’s good that the city will receive the $150,000 to help get some of that work done.”
Young said the work will have to wait until the Texas Department of Transportation is almost finished with some drainage improvement work scheduled for North Washington and North St. Mary’s streets in the downtown area. That work is scheduled to begin after the first of next year.
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