15 downtown buildings to receive facade updates through Maquoketa project

MAQUOKETA, Iowa — City of Maquoketa officials are moving forward with a project to renovate the facades of 15 downtown buildings, with another 15 planned for the future.

Maquoketa City Council members this week approved preliminary costs and set a public hearing date for Sept. 3 for the project. Work could start sometime this fall.

Mayor Don Schwenker said the buildings will receive various upgrades, including tuckpointing, window replacements and new awnings.

“This is a way to breathe new life into Main Street,” Schwenker said. “It’s the heart of the community.”

The $1 million project is funded through a $500,000 grant from the state’s Community Development Block Grant program. The remaining costs will be evenly split between building owners and the city.

Schwenker said the city is attempting to have Maquoketa’s downtown added to the National Register of Historic Places. He believes the facade upgrades could help boost those chances.

“It’s one of the ways we are trying to preserve downtown,” Schwenker said. “These kinds of buildings are often neglected. They are getting into a rather bad state of disrepair.” (Full Article)

BY JOHN KRUSE john.kruse@thmedia.com

Reposted with permission from TH Media