JACKSON COUNTY AWARDED THREE GRANTS FOR DOWNTOWN REHABILITATION

(Jackson County, IA) June 17, 2020 – The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) awarded Community Catalyst Building Remediation grants to 25 Iowa communities for the remediation or redevelopment of underutilized buildings to stimulate economic growth in communities. The Jackson County communities of Maquoketa, Preston and Sabula each received one of these grants.

The East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA) and Jackson County Economic Alliance (JCEA) helped the City of Maquoketa, the City of Preston, and the City of Sabula apply successfully for these grants on behalf of the property owners/developers. Each of the cities were awarded a $100,000 grant in the support these projects.
In Maquoketa, the grant will support the Mitchell-Maskrey Mill project to fully rehabilitate the iconic downtown building by GT Development. The intended uses of this building after rehabilitation include up to two commercial units and four upper story residential units. The project is estimated at $1.4 million.

In Preston, the grant will be used to rehabilitate the Preston Times Building, an historic building at the gateway of the downtown business district owned by Preston Times Newspaper. The goal of this rehabilitation is to bring the vacant building back into productive use and return the newspaper operations to their original location. The project is estimated at $250,000.
In Sabula, the grant will support the former Ackerman Grocery Store project to rehabilitate this historic downtown building owned by Travis and Linsey Kieffer near the banks of the Mississippi River. The intended uses of this building after rehabilitation include up to two commercial units and two upper story residential units. The building has been vacant for several years. The project is estimated at $500,000.

“The focus of this grant program from the State, highlights the importance of downtown revitalization on the sustainability of our rural Iowa communities. These projects in Maquoketa, Preston and Sabula have the potential to have a truly catalytic effect, and build on the vitality of these communities,” said Nic Hockenberry, Director of the JCEA.