Another area municipality is hoping to cash in on a grant to revitalize their downtown. Winchester announced last week it would be seeking the Rebuild Downtowns and Main Streets Capital Grant to help pay for repaving the streets in its downtown square.
The City of Carrollton now appears to be looking at applying for the same grant program. The Greene Prairie Press reports that the Carrollton City Council recently spoke with Benton & Associates Engineer Jamie Headen, State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer, and State Senator Steve McClure about the application process.
The grant program currently has $50 million allocated, with grants ranging from $250,000 to $3 million per award. A total of 30 projects will be awarded, with the application deadline set for January 10th. The grant program is being funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, with a focus on communities hit hardest economically by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Prairie Press reports that a project put together in 2019 by the Carrollton Square Initiative to improve sidewalks, ADA accessibility, parking, and lighting is a possible portion of their submission for the grant. In 2019, the total cost of the project was projected to be approximately $2.1 million. The CSI group has agreed to pay the costs to submit the application for the council.
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will announce the grantees in the Spring.