By: Deborah Johnson Wood
The first ever Design First Clinic took place last week when professional designers and architects from eight firms volunteered their expertise to help the owners of eight Grand Rapids businesses enhance the fronts of their historic buildings.
Neighborhood Ventures, a nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing neighborhood business districts, established and facilitated the clinic.
The businesses are each part of historic, urban neighborhood business districts—Boston Square, Division Avenue South, Franklin/Eastern, Madison Square, Oakdale/Eastern, and Burton Heights. Each business owner met with two design professionals who offered design suggestions and created renderings of the new facade.
"The clinic was a great success because business owners left empowered to renovate their storefronts and improve their urban commercial business districts," says Kimberly Van Dyk, executive director of Neighborhood Ventures.
Advisors from the West Michigan Minority Contractors Association, the American Institute of Architects, Macatawa Bank, and Neighborhood Ventures offered guidance on good building design, how to select a contractor, and financing options.
Other advisors helped business owners complete Face Forward Facade Grant Program applications, and used the renderings as part of the application. Face Forward is a Neighborhood Ventures program offering grants of up to $4,000 for facade improvements. The grants help business owners improve the look of their buildings. Those improvements can increase customer traffic, public safety, and the value of the building.
Spring 2008 is the proposed date for a second clinic. For more information, contact Deborah Chivis at Neighborhood Ventures.
Source: Neighborhood Ventures
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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