10/18/12 - The Heart of Howell Project has been granted almost $58,000 from the Howell Mainstreet and Downtown Development Authority Board to improve the façade of its historic buildings. The Heart of Howell is an ongoing development that will consolidate the Spagâs, Thistledown, and Swannâs buildings on Grand River. Developer Joe Parker tells WHMI that the board expedited the application for façade grant money because portions of the Swann and Spagâs buildings are falling apart and could fail if allowed to remain as-is through the winter. The $214,000 project will repair the structural problems in the buildings as well as help restore their historic attractiveness. That will include replacing the exterior with stained brick and converting the windows from vinyl to glass. The board deviated from DDA guidelines in expediting the application, but no laws or ordinances were broken as a result. Board members suggested creating emergency exemption conditions in the guidelines at a future meeting to compensate for such circumstances. (TD)
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