Huntley officials waiting on businesses for downtown improvement program

HUNTLEY They're hearing interest from businesses in downtown Huntley, yet village officials are waiting for more owners to apply for a new village program meant to jump-start the downtown overhaul.

Trustees created in June the facade improvement program that allows downtown business owners to receive a 50-percent matching grant from the village for exterior improvements to their properties. Officials committed $50,000 in the 2014 budget for the new program.

Last week, trustees endorsed the first applicant for a window replacement project, totaling $15,850. But the application represents the village's only under the program, despite officials receiving several calls from interested owners, said Development Services Director Charles Nordman.

"It would be nice to have more applications. But at the same, given the feedback and phones calls that we are getting, it's good," Nordman said. "I would expect, come next spring, we will have a few more applications."

Before trustees created the program, village staff met with downtown business owners and explained the proposal. They also provided owners with materials and information on how to apply, once the program was approved.

The facade program would help downtown business owners cover the costs of numerous outside renovations, including roofing, landscaping and awning work. The village matches 50 percent of the total project costs, up to $10,000, under the program.

The new program helped officials cap off a busy year of downtown activity. Initially planned in 2010, the downtown overhaul would upgrade and refurbish numerous pieces to the historic downtown, including properties, parking and landscaping.

The first program applicant, owner Paul Godlewski, will now receive $7,925 in village funds for his $15,850 window replacement project. Godlewski owns property at 11021-11023 Woodstock Street and operates a real estate management company on the second floor.

He also leases space to Century 21 New Heritage and the Louis Meyer Foundation, according to village documents. He will replace nine residential-grade windows, originally installed in the 1980s, according to his application.

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Huntley officials waiting on businesses for downtown improvement program