Construction will be underway soon in Knoxville for eight building facades.

These were property owners that were included in Knoxville’s Iowa Economic Development Authority Community Development Block Grant for Downtown Revitalization (CDBG-DTR) award. With the grant award, along with matching 25% contributions from the City and participating property owners for eight building facades, roughly $1.2 million will be invested into the Square for improvements.

According to the Iowa Economic Development Authority, which administers the grant process through its Downtown Revitalization Program, the CDBG program is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that provides grants on an annual basis to states and some local communities to help develop viable communities.

All CDBG funding must meet one of the three eligible national objectives:

Benefit to low- and moderate-income persons.

Aid in the prevention and elimination of slum and blight.

Meet an urgent need.

The City of Knoxville’s CDBG application focused on the elimination of slum and blight and to meet urgent needs, incorporating a direct connection with its Downtown Municipal Façade Program. The City’s program, established in 2022, was developed to maintain, preserve and improve downtown aesthetics with the goal to build a destination where local businesses can thrive and people of all ages and backgrounds can connect, create and celebrate.

To see the facades that will be worked on you can visit the City of Knoxville Facebook page here.