Thanks to a grant from New York State, several property and business owners along Myrtle Avenue in Clinton Hill will undertake some building renovation work this fall.  Four projects are currently being planned to install new storefronts, renovate commercial interiors and restore historic building facades along Myrtle Avenue between Grand and Classon avenues.

The projects will also receive assistance from the Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project LDC (MARP) through a grant that was awarded to the organization by New York State.  The New York Main Street grant program, administered by NYS Homes and Community Renewal, allows property and business owners to receive matching grants to offset costs associated with building restoration and renovation work.

The first projects slated to begin work will be at Tepango Restaurant and Bella Rosa Flowers, which will both see new storefronts installed.  In addition, the restaurant owner at Tepango will make some upgrades inside the restaurant throughout the dining area.

Other projects slated for assistance will involve restoring historic building facades and installing new storefronts at spaces that are currently vacant.  The goal of these projects is to create new commercial spaces and attract new businesses to open new stores or restaurants in these ground-floor spaces.

MARP has been awarding New York Main Street grants to local property and business owners for the past eleven years.  The grants provide a reimbursable 3-to-1 match, requiring that grant recipients cover at least 25% of the project’s total cost.  To date, MARP has assisted 41 projects along Myrtle Avenue by awarding more than $827,000 in grants, which local business and property owners have matched with more than $2 million in private financing.