The Salem City Council has awarded five grants for up to $10,000 apiece through the downtown tax increment financing district.
Salem Travel was awarded a $10,000 grant to help complete the replacement of windows in their building at Main and Broadway. Owner Jeannell Charman told the council the estimated $22,000 project would complete the window replacement project started several years ago. She feels replacing boarded-up windows is important to making the downtown look more prosperous.
Alex and Abby Williams who are renovating the former Coffee Shop at Main and Broadway will receive $10,000. Economic Development Director Tabitha Meador says extensive work has been done on the building that will house a first floor business and has upstairs apartments.
The ABC Pub in the 100 block of South Broadway will also receive a $10,000 grant for facade improvements.
The Salem Elks was awarded $7,500 to help pay for the cost of installing a grease trap in the kitchen.
Off Broadway was awarded $6,943 for window replacement and other improvements.
Meador says each business will be required to spend at least a matching amount of money to the grant. The businesses will not receive the grant dollars until the work is completed and there are bills to show the total amount spent.
The council approved all the requests received except two from businesses that had defaulted on earlier loans from the city.
