CEDC awards two storefront grants

Renovations continue on two historic buildings in downtown Clarendon after the owner of the properties received assistance from the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation.

David Koehler of Dallas received the 19th and 20th awards, amounting to $2,000 each, under the CEDC’s Façade Grant Program for improvements to properties at 206 S. Kearney and 300 S. Kearney.

The first building, commonly known as the Poor Boy’s Antiques building or Greene Dry Goods building, was erected by pioneer merchant H.W. Taylor about the turn of the century. The building has been idle for many years, but Koehler has added a new deck to the front of the building and utilized the façade grant program to install a bead board soffit and replicate historic signage and decorative images on showcase windows.

Koehler’s representative, Vicki Munie, says she and Koehler want to put the building back as close to its original state as possible.

“This grant allowed us to install the bead board,” Munie said. “I’ve always liked history, and it is fun to work on this project.”

Munie will next be working on the floors of the showcases and doing some more exterior painting. She says the goal is to open the building back up as an antiques store.

Koehler’s second grant was for improvements to the 1927 Latson Building, more commonly known as the JAMZ building. Munie constructed or repaired windows and doors on the north face of the building, which stands at the corner of Third and Kearney.

The improvements greatly enhanced the building, but work still needs to be done to the east face of the building. Munie and Koehler are examining historic photos to determine how best to proceed on the property. No definite plans have been set for the building’s ultimate use.

Since the Façade Grant Program began in 2008, the CEDC has awarded $25,397.04 to property owners in downtown Clarendon. The Façade Grant Program provides 50-50 matching grants, up to a maximum of $2,000 per project, for improvements done to commercial storefronts.

The program grants awards to eligible properties located in the city’s entire Central Business District and on the US 287 corridor.

Projects eligible for consideration could be anything from a coat of paint to new signage to sidewalk improvements to a complete rehabilitation of a storefront. Property owners interested in Façade Grant funds must get approval before beginning their projects.

For more information about the Façade Grant Program or to apply for a grant, contact Jack King at 874-2421 or Roger Estlack at 874-2259.