The City of Coon Rapids has been awarded nearly $700,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for enhancements to facades throughout town. Community Coordinator, Katie Mason, says, “The significance of this grant is huge, and the impact it will make on our downtown will be felt for decades.” Nine facades have been chosen for the project: the Main Street ambulance building, MainStreet Coon Rapids, Nature Ammil, Venteicher Electric, Mohr Construction & Lumber, Coon Rapids Enterprise, Village Hobby House and the former Stacy’s Studio & Boutique/Mark Thomas Office Building. Planning for the project began in February 2021, and applicants were chosen based on owner commitment and blight eligibility. The total project cost is estimated at $914,400 with $689,000 covered by CDBG funds. The remainder will be sourced from building owners and Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds. The grant funds were made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Securities (CARES) Act passed in 2020. Construction must be finished by May 2023, and city officials say Main Street will be bustling this summer and fall as contractors work to complete the projects. Region XII Council of Governments staff assisted Coon Rapids during the grant application process and will serve as the grant administrator through completion.
