Aurora downtown grants scrutinized

Anand Sangtani may be the last Aurora property owner to receive funding under the current version of the city’s downtown restoration assistance program.

Since 2001, the program has offered downtown property owners up to $40,000 for exterior restoration and $50,000 for interior restoration. All downtown property owners were eligible to receive funding through an application process, Edward Sieben, zoning administrator, said.

“It’s brought a lot of downtown properties up to speed. It’s improved the facades,” Sieben said. “We’ve fixed up a lot of buildings, but that doesn’t always guarantee you’re going to have a tenant in there.”

Proposed changes aldermen discussed Tuesday could create a new focus on reviewing planned property uses on a case-by-case basis before allocating money.

These changes will help ensure properties that receive grants house the type of tenants the city wants downtown — retail, restaurant and residential tenants that create a thriving, mixed-use area, Stephane Phifer, planning director, said.

Alderman Rick Lawrence said he agrees more review of planned property uses is necessary to ensure the city receives enough return on its investments.

“We’ve fixed some of these buildings two, three times since the ’80s,” Lawrence said. “It hasn’t generated the revenue and the traffic as much.”

The city budgeted $350,000 of tax increment financing district funding to support the program in 2011, Phifer said. There is no set limit on how much can be given to each property owner, but the grant is designed to assist with small projects, not major developments, she said.

Before changes were proposed, Sangtani applied for $90,000 to help with the cost of creating four new storefronts at 14-20 N. Broadway Ave. as well as plumbing, heating, painting, sprinkler installation and electrical work.

He purchased the property in 2008 with two partners and said he plans to have retail and commercial uses on the first floor and residential or office space on the second floor.

“When we bought this property, we knew we’d have to turn it around,” Sangtani said.

Aldermen are expected to approve proposed changes to the downtown restoration assistance program at the next city council meeting Tuesday. They also will vote on whether to grant the funding Sangtani requested under the old program.