Partner Resources

Uptown Rehabilitation Incentive Grant Application

Uptown Roxboro Group 

Uptown Rehabilitation Incentive Grant Guidelines 

Purpose: The purpose of the Uptown Roxboro GroupIncentive Grant (URIG) is to promote renovation and restoration of commercial buildings in Uptown Roxboro while preserving its unique and historic character. By encouraging quality projects and using sensitive design standards, the Uptown Roxboro Group seeks to provide guidance and incentive for tasteful building renovations. 

Uses: The Uptown Roxboro Group URIG can be applied towards interior or exterior renovations. If applied towards exterior renovations, it must be a part of a façade improvement project. (A façade is defined as one side of a building, from firewall to firewall, regardless of the number of stories. Each store front of a building can be considered a façade, as long as it is visible from a public street or walkway.) 

Fund Details: The Uptown Rehabilitation Incentive Grant operates on a cost reimbursement basis, wherein projects are funded on a 50-50 matching system with a maximum grant amount of up to $2,000 for façade only projects, up to $2,000 for interior only projects, and up to $5,000 for complete façade and interior projects per year (as funds allow). The determination of whether a grant application qualifies for an award is at the sole discretion of the Uptown Roxboro Group Board of Directors. Any approved rehabilitation proposal is eligible for funding on a first come/first served basis, when received by one of the two priority deadlines, until grant funds are depleted. The Uptown Roxboro Group allots $10,000 per calendar year for grant endowments. All improvements must be completed within 6 months of application approval, (extensions may be requested, and must be approved by the Uptown Roxboro Group Board of Directors.) 

Deadlines: Applications may be submitted on a bi-annual cycle, with deadlines of June 30th and December 31st. One half of all total budgeted funds will be allotted for each of these cycles, and grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Eligibility: Any applicant must: 

• be the owner or tenant of a commercial building located within the Central Business District, as outlined on the attached map, 
• have written consent from the building owner to make the proposed improvements, if the applicant is not the building owner, 
• complete the program application correctly and include all plans and proposal materials as indicated on the application, 
• retain ownership or occupancy for a minimum of two years after receiving grant funds, otherwise grant funds must be paid back in full, 
• provide proof that all property tax payments are current, and; 
• complete the design process through the NC Main Street Center (if applicable).* 

Any property under consideration must: 

• be located within the Central Business District, as outlined on the attached map, 
• not be the recipient of any Uptown Rehabilitation Incentive Grant within the past five years, unless by virtue of extenuating circumstances as deemed necessary by the URG Design Committee,
• house an existing business, or new/renovated business intended to operate upon completion of said improvements, and;
• have an exterior of the building which meets State Building/Rehab Code regulations. *A separate application is required for requesting design services from NC Main Street. See attached. 

GUIDELINES: 

• The Economic Restructuring and Design Committees of the Uptown Roxboro Group are available, free of charge, to advise on a comprehensive rehabilitation and renovation plan or to advise on façade design ideas, color selections, awning shapes, and ideas for your project. To set up a free consultation, please contact director@uptownroxboro.com or call 336.322.6019. 
• Applicants must go through the NC Main Street Center design process prior to awarding any grant funds, if a façade or upper story residential improvement project is under consideration. (See attached application.) • The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for rehabilitation will be used as guidelines in making improvements to the structure (See attached). 
• Rehabilitation of structures and signs should incorporate visual characteristics that add to the visitor/patron experience. 
• The applicant must show a comprehensive proposal for the building’s rehabilitation or façade improvements that would meet the NC State Building Code and bring the property into occupiable condition. All rehabilitation design proposals will meet the code requirements of the City of Roxboro and all other governmental agencies, as appropriate. 
• Uptown Roxboro Group will not participate in negotiations between the applicant and the contractor employed by the applicant. The applicant agrees to hold URG and the City of Roxboro harmless of any defects in workmanship, liability, damages, or other costs relevant to this project. 
• Signage, outdoor seating, benches, fencing, landscaping, or lighting are only eligible for consideration when a part of a comprehensive façade improvement project. 
• Applicants shall maintain these improvements to the property without changes or alterations to work funded for a period of two years from the date of completion. 
• Applicants shall submit at least two formal written bids for all work being proposed in the project. Please include the following: 
• Names and license number of contractors 
• Copies of all bids and photos 
• Anticipated dates to begin construction and for project completion 
• Grants may only be used for approved types of renovations. 

o Examples include, but are not limited to: 

• Accessibility improvements for handicapped persons 
• Energy conservation improvements 
• Electrical work, including service upgrades 
• Fire alarm systems 
• Fire sprinkler system installation or upgrade, including any needed water service improvements
• Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning 
• Lighting, painting, and plumbing 
• Restoration of historic interior architectural features, including ceilings, light fixtures, floors, and architectural detailing
• Tenant improvements for a new, expanding, or relocated business 
• Utility service upgrades, including water and sewer 

o Examples of NON-FUNDED projects, in whole or in part, include: 

• Building or land acquisition 
• Design services, including architectural and interior design 
• Emergency or safety-related demolition expenses 
• Floor or water damage repairs 
• Furnishings, equipment, or personal property not affixed to the real estate 
• Legal fees 
• Maintenance work (i.e. general repairs that maintain existing conditions) 
• Parking lot resurfacing 
• Pest extermination 
• Work proposed on property with an active code compliance citation 
• Work begun prior to application submittal or done without a required building permit

*It is important to emphasize that this grant is an incentive for comprehensive rehab and renovation work or comprehensive façade improvement. It is not intended for general repair, maintenance, or redecorating. 

Uptown Roxboro Group 

Uptown Rehabilitation Incentive Grant Application Process 

Step 1 – Confirm the building is located in the eligible area (B-3 Uptown Business District) as indicated on the attached map. 

Step 2 – Determine whether the project meets all eligibility requirements within this application. Step 3 – Submit application for NC Main Street Center Design Assistance. 

Step 4 – Obtain all necessary permits from City departments for construction. 

Step 5 – Complete Uptown Rehabilitation Incentive Grant Application. 

Step 6 – Gather required materials: 

✓ Photos of the building façade/interior area to be improved and of adjacent properties (if applicable); 

✓ Sketch or rendering of the proposed finished façade, as provided by NC Main Street Center, (if applicable); 

✓ Copies of two formal written bids and all cost estimates involved with the project; 

✓ Proof of property ownership or copy of lease with property owner consent; 

✓ Proof taxes are paid and current 

✓ Copies of all necessary permits. 

✓ Completed Uptown Rehabilitation Incentive Grant application (Application will not be reviewed until all required documents are complete and submitted.) 

Step 7 – Submit all documents to the Executive Director of the Uptown Roxboro Group for review. 

Once the application is submitted, the URG Design Committee will review and make a recommendation to the URG Board of Directors for any grant award. Within 45 days after submission of the application, a notification letter is sent to the applicant stating whether the project has been accepted as described in the application, accepted with conditions, or rejected. If the application is approved, the applicant must notify the URG Executive Director as to the date that work will commence for recording in the file. If the application is not approved, the owner/applicant may modify the application and resubmit it or appeal the denial to the URG Design Committee. Upon completion of the project, copies of paid invoices and/or cancelled checks must be submitted to the URG Board of Directors to verify the cost of the project, as well as photos of the completed project. (The invoices should show the cost of the approved project only). The Executive Director will then inspect the work and report the completion of the project to the URG Board of Directors. If the work has been completed per guidelines, the URG Board will approve the issuance of a check for the grant.

Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation 

The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards forRehabilitation (Department of Interior Regulations under 36 CFR 67) pertain to historic buildings of all materials, construction types, sizes, and occupancy and encompass the exterior and the interior, related landscape features and the building’s site and environment as well as attached, adjacent, or related new construction. The Standards are to be applied to specific rehabilitation projects in a reasonable manner, taking into consideration economic and technical feasibility. 

The Department has developed a document entitled Illustrated Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings to help property owners, developers, and Federal managers apply the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards during the project planning stage by providing general design and technical recommendations. Unlike the Standards, the Guidelines are not codified as program requirements. Access to these guidelines is available on the National Park Service website at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/tps/tax/rhb/index.htm 

The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation 

1. A property shall be used for its historic purpose or be placed in a new use that requires minimal change to the defining characteristics of the building and its site and environment. 
2. The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The removal of historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall be avoided. 
3. Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or architectural elements from other buildings, shall not be undertaken. 
4. Most properties change over time; those changes that have acquired historic significance in their own right shall be retained and preserved. 
5. Distinctive features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property shall be preserved. 
6. Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature shall match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features shall be substantiated by documentary, physical, or pictorial evidence. 
7. Chemical or physical treatments, such as sandblasting, that cause damage to historic materials shall not be used. The surface cleaning of structures, if appropriate, shall be undertaken using the gentlest means possible. 
8. Significant archeological resources affected by a project shall be protected and preserved. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures shall be undertaken. 
9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment. 
10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired. 

The red shaded region represents the portion of Uptown Roxboro designated as the Central Business District. Businesses located within this region are eligible to apply for the Uptown Roxboro Group Uptown Rehabilitation Incentive Grant.