Bloomington Program Helps Businesses Improve Building Exteriors
The City of Bloomington's Site and Facade Improvement Program continues to help local businesses renovate their building exteriors and create more welcoming spaces for customers.
The program provides grants for various improvements including window replacement, exterior painting, lighting updates, landscaping, sidewalks, patios and signage. Business owners who have participated in the program described how the improvements helped them create more accessible and operationally efficient spaces while contributing to community beautification.
One business owner detailed extensive renovations including replacing all windows, painting the entire exterior, removing an old awning and updating lighting. A second grant allowed for sidewalk and patio improvements along with landscaping updates. Another participant highlighted the installation of an accessible entrance facing their parking lot with a canopy, improvements to stucco and brick, and landscaping changes featuring Minnesota native plants.
Participants emphasized how the program helped them serve customers more effectively while reinvesting in the Bloomington community. One business owner noted the program helped them "set it up in an efficient and operational way for us to help serve 40,000 people every year."
Applications for the Site and Facade Improvement Program open annually on January 1. Businesses can find information about eligible activities and funding details on the city's website. The program is available to all businesses across Bloomington, from small to large operations.
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- Bloomington's facade grant program as a tool for urban renewal and property maintenance.
- The role of city personnel in attracting business investment through incentive programs.
- Measuring the tangible economic and aesthetic benefits of municipal property improvement grants.
Nobody benefits from buildings getting run down in Bloomington. And because this is a mature zip code, all the properties are built out. It's really going to take little things like this to help people keep things up.
The Site and Facade Improvement Program is open to all businesses across Bloomington. We help all businesses from small to large.
Source document
[0:00] I think this is a really cool thing
that the city is doing
[0:04] to incentivize business owners
to fix up the properties that they own.
[0:08] The Site and Facade Improvement
Program is a program to assist businesses
[0:12] to brighten up their front facades,
make it more approachable
[0:16] for customers, and just better looking
overall for our community.
[0:20] We replaced all the windows
in the building,
[0:23] we had the entire exterior painted,
and we tore off the front
[0:26] awning and updated the lighting
on the front of the building.
[0:30] And then with our second grant,
the program will pay
[0:33] for sidewalks, patios
and things like that.
[0:37] So we did that this year.
[0:38] Landscaping, and we updated the lighting
[0:41] on the front of the building
to suit our tenants needs as well.
[0:44] It also works for signage.
[0:46] We were lucky to move in
in November of 2024 and prior to moving
[0:51] in, we started a renovation project
which involved some pretty
[0:55] substantial improvements to the outside,
including this new entrance,
[0:58] which is an accessible entrance
to face our parking lot with a canopy,
[1:02] some improvements to the stucco
and the brick behind me,
[1:06] as well as pretty substantial
landscaping changes trying to highlight
[1:10] more Minnesota native plants
and the natural surrounding area.
[1:14] All the exposed cinder block here,
we painted that black,
[1:16] kind of make it a little bit more subtle
and blend in a bit.
[1:18] Ended up cutting some new windows,
[1:20] matched them in black.
But then, in order to lighten it up and boost
[1:23] the front of the building,
we put on this nice new stone.
[1:26] And then we're starting
work on some awnings as well.
[1:29] We put a patio out
front here for our team.
[1:31] We raised all the garage doors
to allow us to park installation inside,
[1:34] and then also it helps ease of access
with the forklift and all the material
[1:37] that we bring in and out on a daily basis.
[1:40] It helped us build our privacy fencing,
[1:42] and as well as some landscaping
and exterior
[1:45] renovations, just to make the building
look welcoming and beautiful.
[1:50] We were interested in the lot,
the building. Everything was nice.
[1:53] Everything was perfect.
[1:54] But then we connected with the city
and I think the city personnel
[1:59] was what made us make the decision
on buying the place.
[2:02] The city of Bloomington
and the Site and Facade Improvement
[2:05] Program helped us to really beautify
this property, not only for the esthetic,
[2:10] but also to set it up in an efficient
and operational way for us to help serve
[2:13] 40,000 people every year.
[2:15] Nobody benefits from buildings
getting run down in Bloomington.
[2:19] And because this is a mature zip code,
all the properties are built out.
[2:24] It's really going to take little things
like this to help people keep things up.
[2:30] And that benefits the whole community.
[2:32] For any business in Bloomington,
considering the program, having a nice
[2:35] looking building out front
where people can stop by, walk in,
[2:38] you know, go over their projects
with us in person.
[2:40] It definitely lends credibility
to ourselves as a company
[2:43] and then also allows us to reinvest
in Bloomington.
[2:45] The Site and Facade Improvement
[2:47] Program is open to all businesses
across Bloomington.
[2:49] We help all businesses
from small to large.
[2:52] The applications
reopen on the first of every year.
[2:55] You can go to the city's website,
and we'll show all the eligible activities
[2:59] so that people can apply for the funding.
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Other Topics from This Document
Site and Facade Improvement Program overview
City business property renovation incentives
Eligibility and application process for business grants
Economic impact of facade improvements on Bloomington
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