Downtown Designation |
The St. Johnsbury Chamber of Commerce secured our Designated Downtown status through Vermont’s Downtown Program, part of the state Agency of Commerce and Community Development.
Vermont’s Downtown Program is part of the national Main Street program. The program supports local revitalization efforts across the state by providing technical assistance and state funding to help designated municipalities build strong communities.
The benefits of being a designated downtown help property owners and businesses invest in the community. For example, as a designated downtown, property owners can take advantage of 10% Historic Tax Credits, including interior and exterior improvements, code compliance, plumbing, and electrical upgrades. There are also 25% Façade Improvement Tax Credits that can be applied to façade work up to $25,000. And 50% Code Improvement Tax Credits, available for up to $50,000 each for elevators and sprinkler systems and $12,000 for lifts. There are more ways to tap into these and other savings through building upgrades and improvements that are only available because of St. Johnsbury’s downtown designation.
St. Johnsbury’s downtown designation means our community is eligible for grants and loans from the Downtown Transportation Fund. Options for traffic calming to make downtowns more pedestrian friendly are also available through this program.
Vermont’s Downtown Program is part of the national Main Street program. The program supports local revitalization efforts across the state by providing technical assistance and state funding to help designated municipalities build strong communities.
The benefits of being a designated downtown help property owners and businesses invest in the community. For example, as a designated downtown, property owners can take advantage of 10% Historic Tax Credits, including interior and exterior improvements, code compliance, plumbing, and electrical upgrades. There are also 25% Façade Improvement Tax Credits that can be applied to façade work up to $25,000. And 50% Code Improvement Tax Credits, available for up to $50,000 each for elevators and sprinkler systems and $12,000 for lifts. There are more ways to tap into these and other savings through building upgrades and improvements that are only available because of St. Johnsbury’s downtown designation.
St. Johnsbury’s downtown designation means our community is eligible for grants and loans from the Downtown Transportation Fund. Options for traffic calming to make downtowns more pedestrian friendly are also available through this program.
Downtown Designation Benefits
The program supports local revitalization efforts across the state by providing technical assistance and state funding to help designated municipalities build strong communities. Once designated, the community will be eligible for the following benefits:
Tax Credits
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Downtown Transportation Fund- Eligible to receive loans, loan guarantees, or grants up to $100,000 for capital transportation and related capital improvement projects. -Grants may not exceed 50% of a project’s cost. Traffic Signage and Calming Options- Authority to post speed limits of less than 25 mph to help calm traffic and make the downtown a more pedestrian-friendly environment. - May erect and post informational signs to help guide visitors to downtown and to significant historical, educational, recreational or cultural landmarks. Priority Consideration for State Grants and Siting of State Buildings- Priority consideration for Municipal Planning Grants, Vermont Agency of Transportation Grants and funding from Vermont’s Community Development Program. - Priority site consideration by the State Building and General Services (BGS) when leasing or constructing buildings. Special Assessment Districts may create a special assessment district (also known as special benefits district or business improvement district) to raise funds for both operating costs and capital expenses to support specific projects in the designated Downtown. |
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