More great news. We are fortunate to have a great Manager of Economic Development on our city staff. Another great job!!

Kind of sounds like a waist. $60k doesn't go to far when your talking about renovations on comercial structures.

Why are our PUBLIC tax dollars going to this improvement of PRIVATE property? I would rather see a tax credit to the owner of the property AFTER the owners make the improvements with their own money. This is typical of the public/private debate.

The Community Legacy Program has been good to us over the years. We got much of our Streetscape inprovments (decorative sidewalks and lights) through that program, and now we're gradually cleaning up buildings. There is not doubt that many of the new businesses that have come to town over the last decade are here because of these improvement. A community that believes in itself, invests in itself. And we have a fantastic Economic Development Manager leading the charge!

Congratulations to Main Street and to Havre de Grace. Along with our Economic Development Manager a huge thanks is in order to Billee Smith, Main Street President, who played a major role in writing the grants that were awarded. Without Billee's invaluable volunteer efforts these grants would not have happened. We in Havre de Grace are truly fortunate to have volunteers like those in Main Street and elsewhere who take the time, without compensation or seeking public adulation to make this city the place we are proud of. Congratulations Billee, your efforts are truly appreciated.

When do we learn which buildings and property owners benifited.

I have no problesm in providing incentives/credit to business owners to invest in improvement, my issue is with the state givtng (grants not loans) to these private individuals (oversight with public funds is we have to create positions to do that with their own money at risk the owner/lender provides that). The grants to the towns for sidewalks and lighting I find "okay" as it is in the interest of the citizens.

A vibrant downtown is, indeed, in the interest of the citizens, also. Many a vibrant downtown required public money to prime the pump. Anyone (other than me) old enough to remember the Inner Harbor before Rouse? I agree that there should be limits on how much government gets in the act of private development, but a deteriorated downtown is no good for anyone.

Thanks to Meghan Simmons for all her work on the streetscape renovations.

Wow, Havre de Grace with its hand out taking tax payer money...
As a Republican this program needs to stop! No more hand outs!
Enough is enough, you liberals with your hands out just taking taking taking.. when does it stop? Lets lower taxes for the wealthy instead because they will shop in Havre de Grace and everyone will make money!

I'm not sure this is what you would qualify as a liberal hand out program. In fact, last time I checked Harford County still voted bright RED. Also, a lot of the property owners in the historic district vote that way and they don't seem to have a problem taking taxpayer money. This is an article about a small town improving and creating jobs. I don't see the need to spew more partisan acid onto the conversation. Though I will leave with this parting jab, last time I checked your wealthy one percent that you're so inclined to give a break to- the job creators as they're called- aren't the ones down in Havre e Grace creating jobs.

That's nice. How are the grants to fix Lilly Run coming along?

Tax less or feed the hungry, house the mentally ill. There has be better way of spending tax dollars. For some reason people think that grant money comes out of thin air. As a country we are bankrupted. We should pay back our debts.Every bit counts.

Karl, my point was this article isn't about the comments of Liberal handouts and that this money should be going to the 1%. With facade grants the property owner or lease holder pays for the improvements then receives reimbursement for a portion of improvements, a portion of the improvements can also be completed with a low interest loan. Real estate tax credits are usually issued at a County level and typically for improvements of historical properties and is a percentage based on amount of improvements. My disagreement is with the venomous replies and misinformed comments. Havre de Grace has made great strides in filling the vacancies and a lot of the buildings have been improved. Is there a long road to go? Yes but it doesn't happen overnight. What I was trying to say was that the business owners and the commercial property owners are not taking handouts. I am actually for a more progressive tax program that has been successful in other cities suffering from decay- lower tax rates for those who maintain and higher tax rates for those who do not.

That's fine..certainly understand your point of view however "receives reimbursement" means the taxpayer subsidizes building improvements...that means somebody owns a building for which they get taxpayer funds to improve. I know a couple building owners down there and they can afford to pay for thier own improvements. Don't invest in a commercial area if the only way you can maintain your investment is to sign up for taxpayer monies. I assume when the building is sold with it's now improved and enhanced value from those improvements that these free monies will be returned to the taxpayers...you say no. Of course not - I get it. It's a great program but is often used to scam taxpayers for maintenance costs and improvements.

Mission: The Façade improvement program encourages small structural projects to improve the historic integrity of the buildings and visual characteristic of the Main Street District with the ultimate goal of providing quality commercial space for viable Main Street businesses. A house on Washington and a B&B on Union Ave.

ELIGIBLE IMPROVEMENTS:
▪ Physical building facades
▪ Exterior Carpentry
▪ Repointing of brick facades
▪ Painting
▪ Signage
▪ Awnings
▪ Attached Lighting
▪ Windows/door
INELIGIBLE IMPROVEMENTS:
▪ Landscaping
▪ Fencing
▪ Roofing
▪ Porches

The picture for this article is of the 1927 State Theater building at 325 St. John St., now vacant since the church moved out. Does anybody know of any plans for this historic building?