Streator Plan Commission recommends 4 facade grant requests; council will see if money is available for them

The Streator Plan Commission recommended four facade grants for businesses, but it is not certain if the city will have the money to move forward with them.

The City Council plans to review its budget at the mid-year point, which gives the council the ability to move funds if there are some available. The council may be reviewing these funds at its next Committee of the Whole meeting, Mayor Tara Bedei said.

In the meantime, the Plan Commission recommended the request of $15,000 for Bizzy Bee Activity and Learning Center, 201 E. 12th St.; the request of $30,000 for God’s Will, 217 and 219 E. Main St.; the request of $15,000 for the Streator Treasury building, 321 E. Main St.; and the request of $6,980 for S.J. Smith Welding Supply, 717 E. Main St.

Bizzy Bee and S.J. Smith are first-time applicants, requests from God’s Will and the Streator Treasury building are for a second round of facade improvements. Businesses that apply for a second round of improvements must apply after July, according to the city’s policy.

The council will make the final decision on how money is allocated, Palm said.

With the recent completion of facade work at Hombaker Auto, 103 S. Sterling St., Palm said the Chad Lucas State Farm Insurance building at 201 N. Bloomington St. is the lone awardee with work still left to do, and it was given approval on its grant just in February.

The City Council opened the year with enough money budgeted for the lone facade grant.