The Seymour Redevelopment Commission doesn’t plan to change its investment in the downtown for 2021.
After hearing an update Monday from Seymour Main Street Executive Director Bri Roll, the five-member board approved her request for $200,000 in funding. It’s the same amount the organization has received the past three years from the commission.
The funding is generated by tax increment finance, or TIF, districts. In a TIF district, tax money is captured from new industrial development or increased property values in the district and set aside to fund infrastructure improvements and economic development.
In the past, the money has been used to expand Seymour Main Street’s grant and loan program and fund events, downtown design projects and murals, Roll said.
Last year, the organization distributed a total of $151,869, which funded six build-out grants, one down payment assistance grant for the purchase of a building, seven awning, facade and signage grants, three rental assistance grants and seven promotional advertising grants.
Roll said 14 new businesses opened in the downtown in 2020 as a result of the grants, a notable achievement during a global pandemic.
The remainder of the redevelopment commission funding from 2020 was used to purchase and install kiosk signs downtown, which display a map and a list of events for the year. It also paid for a study and design project to improve a downtown alley and allowed for steps to be taken for the planning of another mural.
Roll said Seymour Main Street has targeted a few locations for the next mural but has not secured one at this time.
“We have two willing participants and one location that we would like to try to secure,” she said.
The design of the mural is still up in the air, but Roll said Seymour Main Street plans to conduct a public survey to allow community members to submit ideas for what they would like to see.
“Not necessarily an artistic concept but just elements they want to see,” she said. “Then we’ll be able to provide those in our request for proposals to the artist and let them know what the community likes so that they can come up with that artistic design.”
Although most of Seymour Main Street’s events were canceled for the year because of the pandemic, Roll said a few still happened including the Soak up the Suds Brewfest and Downtown Shop Around Days.
“The downtown has continued to see a lot of interest, a lot of energy and our grant program has become extremely popular,” she said.
Just a month into 2021, Roll said there are already 17 applications for the grant program totaling $157,692. Businesses and building owners are eligible to apply for a grant every 24 months and can apply for more than one type of grant, she said.
She also said Seymour Main Street is planning to have all of its signature events this year, including CityJam summer concerts, Ghouls and Goblets, Downtown Trick or Treat and the Dancing with the Seymour Stars fundraiser.
Other planned projects this year include a redesigned website and app for mobile devices.