The City of Newport News established the Façade Improvement Grant Program 2012 and it continues to make a significant impact on commercial properties across the City. The program, administered by the Department of Development, provides grant funding up to $30,000 for property owners to aesthetically enhance their buildings in an effort to revitalize and strengthen business communities and encourage private investment throughout the City. Since the program’s inception, 82 Façade Improvement Grants have been approved, and the public commitment has leveraged over $7 million in private investment.

The Façade Improvement Grant Program assists with improvements on properties that are over ten years old and used for taxable commercial, industrial, office, or mixed-use purposes. To qualify for the grant, applicants must be current on all taxes and cannot be a retail chain or franchise. Eligible improvements include window or exterior door replacement or restoration, exterior paint, exterior lighting, exterior signage, some landscaping, and more. Applicants must complete a grant application and provide project details such as estimates, schedules of completion, quotations, contracts, leases, agreements, documentation from architects, engineers, contractors, suppliers, or others involved in the sale, lease or construction of fixed assets. Additional information about the program can be found on the Department of Development’s website.