Waniewski urges support of Sylvania Facade Grant Program
This in via e-mail from District 5 Toledo City Councilman Tom Waniewski:
Toledo City Councilman Tom Waniewski is presenting legislation that will help small business owners in west Toledo.
The Sylvania Avenue Facade Grant Program is intended to provide support to hard-working, local business owners along two miles of Sylvania Avenue between Jackman and Secor. “This part of Toledo is chock full of small-business owners who live here and work here,” Waniewski said, “yet the area doesn’t qualify for the typical government grants often relegated only to run-down areas of town.”
Waniewski said the small businesses are supported by a viable neighborhood community which makes it one of the last walk-up retail areas in the city. “If we neglect these businesses, then the area will become run down. It has always confounded me that we would pour money into areas that are already on life support hoping to resuscitate them instead of paying attention to those areas that are still viable but need a little extra incentive,” Waniewski said. “There’s a tried and true marketing philosophy that it costs less to retain a customer than to bring one back. This grant program will go a long way to retain businesses in the city.”
Under the program, businesses would be eligible for up to $5,000 in a dollar-to-dollar match of their own investment. Waniewski said the money is coming from a $300,000 economic development fund made possible by Toledo Edison.
City council will be asked to approve the allocation at its next council meeting November 24th.
I haven’t really been a huge Waniewski fan, but I like his initiative on this one. He seems to understand neighborhood aesthetics, livability and quality of life. Hopefully Bell, who thus far has given no indication that he has even a clue about this stuff, will notice and make it a higher citywide priority. More initiative like this and I might just become a Waniewski convert.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:04 pm