Façade Grant Guidelines

Section 1-1. Purpose

The City of Victoria finds that the protection, enhancement, and preservation of landmarks of historical importance and significance are necessary to promote the economic, cultural, educational and general welfare of the public. It is recognized that the historic resources of the City represent the unique confluence of time and place that have shaped the identity of generations of citizens, collectively and individually, and these resources constitute the heritage of the citizens of Victoria. The mission of this program is to:

Protect, enhance, and preserve the historic resources and landmarks which represent distinctive elements of Victoria’s historic, architectural, economic, ethnic, and social heritage by providing property owners an incentive for protecting their property;
Stabilize and improve property values;
Foster civic pride in the beauty and accomplishments of the past, and to promote the use of historic landmarks for the culture, education, and general welfare of the residents of Victoria; and
Strengthen the economy of the City by protecting and enhancing the City’s attractiveness to residents and visitors, as well as provide support and stimulus to business;
Meet 2021 Downtown Master Plan goal: Downtown will have a dedicated and sustainable incentive program to encourage development and redevelopment in the area.
Encourage downtown investment by reducing costs and other barriers associated with downtown development that are unique to historic district buildings and infrastructure.

In order to facilitate the preservation of downtown, the City of Victoria is offering incentives that will improve existing properties and businesses within the Downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (Downtown TIRZ).

Section 1-2. Administration

The program is administered by the City of Victoria Economic Development Department. Funding is provided by the Downtown TIRZ.

Section 1-3. Eligibility Criteria

All of the following eligibility criteria must be met:

Property must be listed on the Historic Resources Survey of Victoria OR must be a minimum of 30 years old.
Eligible property must be within the Downtown TIRZ boundaries.
Applicants must agree to maintain the subject building in good repair for five years from the completion of the project. Applicants must agree not to change or alter property improvements funded through the Downtown Façade Grant program for a minimum period of three years from the date of the final reimbursement check.
Property must be owner-occupied or tenant-occupied.In the case of a tenant-occupied structure, both the tenant-applicant and the property owner must agree to the terms of the Façade Grant Contract.Property owner must additionally agree, that should the tenant applicant vacate the property during the contract term, Property owner will make a good faith effort to maintain the property for commercial use for the remainder of the contract term or reimburse the full amount of the façade grant.
If leasing, the participant/applicant must
- Have written approval for participation in the program from the property owner
- Have at least two years remaining on the lease and
- Be in good legal and financial standing with the property owner. The participant/applicant must not have any major actual or pending criminal claims or bankruptcy filings.
All work must be done in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, unless specific deviations are approved by the Board
All taxes and other government fees and assessments must be current on the property.
Property cannot be subject to an Order for Demolition.
Façade is defined as the front exterior or back exterior of a building and other exterior side when they are emphasized.

Eligible Expenditures (mostly or exclusively exterior)
- Architectural and engineering fees related to eligible expenses
- Awnings or canopies in character with the building and streetscape
- Cleaning (major)
- Compatible new construction
- Entrance ramps for ADA compliance
- Door/window replacement
- Gutters
- Lighting that is visually appealing and appropriately illuminates signage, storefront
- Painting
- Publicly accessible art (murals, statutes, interactive installations) or other installations intended to be enjoyed by the public
- Preservation or restoration of historical architectural elements
- Rehabilitation of contributing structures
- Removal/replacement of incompatible exterior finishes or materials
- Removal of false facades and other inappropriate additions
- Restoration of historic signs or ghost signs
- Roofing*
- Signs (new, repairs, replacements, removal)

*Roofing improvements must demonstrate a clear public benefit by preserving a structure whose loss or continued deterioration would adversely affect the historic character, economic vitality, or visual continuity of the Downtown TIRZ District.

Ineligible Expenditures (mostly or exclusively interior)
- Any project relating to an owner-occupied private dwelling, unless the majority of that dwelling is utilized for some publicly accessible commercial purpose.
- Appliances
- Capital equipment purchases
- Cleaning (minor)
- Decorative treatments
- Electrical and or plumbing (major)
- Escalators and/or elevators
- Furniture
- Government fees
- Incompatible new construction
- Legal, financing, leasing, rental and other administrative and financing expenses
- Maintenance activities
- Owner and/or/tenant labor
- Paint, floor, wall, window or ceiling treatments
- Plumbing(Major)
- Recessing or reconfiguring entrances
- Repair tools and equipment
- Security Systems
- Taxes
- Wall construction and partitions
- Other (as determined on a case-by-case basis)
Entities that are ineligible to receive funds include:
- Tax-exempt organizations (i.e. charitable organizations, churches or religious organizations, private foundations, nonprofit organizations, etc.)
- Taxing Entities (i.e. Victoria County, Victoria County Junior College District, Navigation District, Victoria Independent School District.)

Section 1-4. Grant Assistance

Program assistance is available for two different types of projects:

Façade Restoration – As listed in Section 1-3.Grants are available with a cap of $10,000. (For example: Applicant must provide a $10,000.00 dollar match if awarded the cap amount of $10,000.00 thus making it a total cost of $20,000.00)
Other improvements may be allowed on a case-by-case basis such as projects that are necessary to stabilize a structure, improve energy efficiencies and/or meet building code requirements.

b)Grants are provided on a 50/50 matching basis up to the maximum grant amount.

c)Grants will not be provided for work that is already completed.

d)The maximum grant generally will not exceed $10,000 of matching funds per property and is subject to available funds as established by the Downtown TIRZ board unless otherwise approved. Certain façade grants may be considered for an increased amount over $10,000 matching funds and must satisfy the following objectives to be considered for an increase of funding:

Project(s) must serve as a revitalization anchor that significantly increases other private reinvestment within the Victoria Main Street Program boundaries; or
Project(s) that are so significant in revitalization efforts that the scope of work stands on its own and meets all objectives of this grant program to increase the amount of public expenditure.
Receive final approval for funding from the Downtown TIRZ board of directors.

e)The grant is set up as a single payment reimbursement to the applicant upon completion of the project.

Section 1-5. Grant Application Procedure

Section 1-5. Grant Application Procedure

At the start of the fiscal year (after October 1^st), the City will publish an announcement of funding availability and hold a façade grant workshop.
If funds are still available after the initial application period, grants will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis until total funds are depleted.
Property owner submits an application along with any required supporting documentation (i.e. drawings, photographs, contractor bids, tax certificate, etc.). Application will be reviewed by Victoria Economic Development, Development Services and Fire Marshall Staff for completeness. Applicant must submit at least two separate bids for all major work efforts, and certify that no façade grant funds or eligible matching funds are designated to be paid as revenues to the applicant or their immediate family, or to companies or other entities owned (wholly or in part) by the applicant or members of the applicants immediate family.
After submittal of a grant application, a preliminary site visit will be made by Victoria Economic Development and Development Services staff. The site will be photographed, and repairs/maintenance reviewed with the property owner.
Property owner and City will execute a contract outlining the scope of work eligible for reimbursement.
Work must be completed within one year from the date of the contract.
Grants will be set up as a single payment reimbursement to the applicant upon completion of the project. Applicant must provide all necessary paid receipts/invoices in order to receive payment.
If at any time problems occur relating to the quality of work or work is not completed in accordance with the specifications outlined in the application and approval can not be granted, the contract can be terminated, and the City will have no further obligation to the owner.

Sec. of Interior's Rehabilitation Standards

Grant recipients shall comply with the following standards when rehabilitating properties:

1.Every reasonable effort shall be made to provide a compatible use for a property which requires minimal alteration of the building, structure or site and its environment, or to use a property for its original intended purpose.

2.The distinguishing original qualities or character of a building, structure, or site and its environment shall not be destroyed. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural features will disqualify any building from this program.

3.All building, structures, and site shall be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no historical basis and which seek to create an earlier appearance may disqualify any building from this program.

4.Changes which may have taken place in the course of time are evidence of the history and development of a building, structure, or site and its environment. These changes may have acquired significance in their own right, and this significance shall be recognized and respected.

5.Deteriorated architectural features shall be repaired rather than replaced, wherever possible. In the event replacement is necessary, the new material should match the material being replaced in composition, design, color, texture, and other visual qualities .Repair or replacement of missing architectural features should be based on accurate duplications of features, substantiated by historic, physical, or pictorial evidence.

6.The surface cleaning of structures shall be undertaken with the gentlest means possible. Sandblasting and other cleaning methods that will change or damage the historic building materials shall not be undertaken.

7.Contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such alterations and additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural or cultural materials, and such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material, and character of the property, neighborhood, or environment.

8.Wherever possible, new additions or alterations to structures shall be done in such a manner that if such additions or alterations were to be removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the structure would be unimpaired. New additions should be compatible to the present structure.