ANNISTON, AL — Main Street Anniston and the City of Anniston have opened applications for a new $750,000 grant program aimed at supporting improvements to historic commercial properties in the city.
Applications for the B.I.G., or Building Improvement Grant, Revitalization Program opened Thursday, Sept. 3. The program follows approval from the National Park Service to begin administering the funds.
The program is funded through a $750,000 Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant awarded through the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund. The full amount will be distributed locally through competitive subgrants administered by the Anniston Downtown Development Authority and overseen by Main Street Anniston.
The program is intended to help property owners reinvest in historic commercial buildings, address structural and life-safety needs and return vacant or underused spaces to productive use.
Eligible properties must be located within the Downtown Anniston or West 15th Main Street Anniston business districts. Property owners may apply directly, while tenants may apply with authorization from the property owner.
Eligible projects may include historic preservation and rehabilitation, structural stabilization, code-compliance and life-safety improvements, adaptive reuse and upper-floor activation.
Funding is divided into five project tiers. Preservation Catalyst projects may receive up to $25,000, Structural Stabilization projects up to $50,000 and Adaptive Reuse Readiness projects up to $75,000. Signature Revitalization Projects and Upper-Floor Activation and Life-Safety projects may each receive up to $100,000.
The B.I.G. Revitalization Program is a 50% matching, reimbursement-based grant program. Applicants must demonstrate their ability to provide the required matching funds, and work cannot begin before a project receives approval.
Before applying, all applicants are required to schedule and complete a pre-application meeting with the Main Street Anniston executive director. The meeting will be used to determine project eligibility, review preservation and documentation requirements and help applicants prepare their applications.
“This is where the work of securing this grant begins turning into visible investment in Downtown Anniston,” Main Street Anniston Executive Director Karla Eden said. “We want property owners to look at buildings and spaces that may have been difficult to rehabilitate in the past and begin thinking seriously about what they can become. Our team is here to help applicants understand the process and develop strong, realistic projects.”
Applications will be competitively reviewed based on economic and housing impact, project need and readiness, design compatibility, historic integrity, financial leverage, and community visibility and benefit. Projects scoring 70 points or higher may be recommended for funding, subject to eligibility, available funding and required National Park Service approval. Upper-floor housing and life-safety projects will receive additional priority.
Applicants should be prepared to provide supporting materials that may include a detailed project budget, contractor quotes, photographs, plans or renderings, proof of available matching funds, proof that taxes have been paid and a Certificate of Appropriateness when required.
Pre-application meetings can be scheduled by contacting Main Street Anniston at 256-848-1211 or mainstreet@annistonal.gov from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Program guidelines and application materials are available through the City of Anniston website.
