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The recent Community Development Block Grant award received by the City of Knoxville will improve ten downtown facades. 

The $650,000 award that was received in early June comes through the Iowa Economic Development Authority and is a continued effort by the city to support commercial revitalization and economic development in downtown Knoxville. With the grant award, along with matching 25% contributions from the City and participating property owners, roughly $1.2 million will be invested into the square for improvements. 

The facades included in this award will be 320 and 322 E Main St. 302 and 304 E Robinson St., 110 and 108 N 3rd St., and 207 and 209 S 3rd St. This is eight total buildings and ten total facades. Knoxville Economic Development Director Glenn Lyons says these projects will be similar to what the city did with the Elite Dance facade.

“We’re really happy to have the money, because these are buildings that literally the work wouldn’t happen without that level of support. It’s kind of like Elite Dance. It was a big job and there wasn’t enough value in that work for the building owner in terms of cash flow or rent, but there was a lot of value to the community. The difference before and after for Elite Dance is the best example we have.”

Here more about the facade improvements from Lyons on today’s Let’s Talk Knoxville.