What is a Facade?
A facade is defined as one vertical side of a building regardless of the number of stories. Each store front of a building can be considered an individual facade. The rear and/or side of a building may also be considered for a facade improvement grant, with priority given to the portion of the building visible from a public street.

The Facade Improvement Program (FIP) is a City of Creedmoor sponsored economic development program intended to stimulate private investment in private property improvements by reimbursing a portion of costs incurred to improve the building facades,  and the visual aesthetic of downtown by providing an economic incentive for the:

• Renovation, restoration, or reinvention of commercial building facades in the downtown area;
• Implementation of appropriate design standards for the rehabilitation of Main Street district buildings; and
• Preservation of the unique architectural and commercial character of Creedmoor.

FIP recipients will be required to provided the City with a Building Maintenance Easement (BME) in exchange for the financial reimbursement provided. The BME will have a term of ten (10) years, whereby the property owner will be responsible for the continued upkeep of the building and site improvements.  Full details for the Building Maintenance Easement can be found in section 14.3 of the Facade Improvement Program in the Creedmoor Development Ordinance. 

• Removing of false fronts,  faux windows, aluminum panels, and metal siding or canopies
• Paint removal or safe cleaning of brick and stone fronts
• Repointing brick and mortar
• Restoring display windows and glass storefronts to original architecture
• Relocation of electrical service boxes from front of the building
• Exterior lighting fixtures (if part of building facade)
• Entryway improvements and ADA accessibility. 
• Roof repair (if roof is part of building facade and visible from the street)
• Canvas and frame awning installation (no advertising allowed on awnings)
• Structural facade repair
• Whole facade painting
• Demolition and labor (as part of a restoration project
• Entrance door replacement (wood preferred)

• Any property owner or tenant in a non-residential or mixed use building in the designated project area is eligible to apply. Government facilities and private residential dwellings are excluded from consideration.
• Either the property owner or the tenant of a building may submit an application. Property owners and tenants may also apply jointly. In any case, only one grant may be awarded for each facade in a three-year period.
• A tenant applicant must obtain the property owner’s consent on the "Owner Consent Form" for a facade renovation and submit it with the application. A property owner should attach any provisions for renovation undertaken while a property is occupied.
• The owners of any property for which an application is submitted must be up to date in their property tax payments on that property. There shall not be any outstanding code enforcement issues or zoning violations associated with the applicant business or property in question.
• A property does not have to be occupied at the time a FIP application is submitted.  

• Routine Maintenance or repair on facade or roof
• Architectural design or Engineering expenses
• Murals or other artwork
• Street furniture (benches)
• Landscaping and planter installations (not intended to be permanent additions)
• Commercial messaging or signage of any type or style
• Construction begun prior to approval of facade improvement grant
• Any device, mechanism, or means specifically intended to grab attention or be noticed away from other facades
• Interior improvements, window displays
• Rental Assistance or down payment
• Fire sprinkler or security system installation/ upgrade
• Tools used for the project
• Any "in-kind" labor (work preformed by owner/ tenant) 

• All facade design proposals must meet applicable zoning requirements of the Creedmoor Development Ordinance, meet applicable portions of the State Building Code, and comply with the Facade Improvement Program guidelines. All drawings/diagrams necessary for facade improvement grant approval must be included in the application package. Zoning compliance and/or building permit applications will follow, if necessary.
• Only exterior facade renovations are eligible for consideration under the Facade Improvement Program.
• Phased renovation proposals of limited scope and costs spread over time are eligible subject to meeting guideline requirements and predetermined milestones.
• Priority consideration will be given to proposals that make visible and significant design contributions, and which contribute to the program goal of preserving the architectural, historic, and commercial character of downtown Creedmoor.
• A property does not have to be occupied at the time a facade grant application is submitted.
• Structural design configuration, exterior finishes, and building material choices all will influence the decision-making process. Please include as many samples and support information as possible with your application.
• When choosing an exterior paint scheme or color palette, please use one of the following commercially available palettes or similar: Benjamin Moore's Historical Colors, Lowe's National Trust for Historic Preservation colors or Sherwin Williams' Exterior Preservation palette. 
• Nontraditional designs, unconventional finishes, and garish colors may result in denial of FIP request.

• First come, first served basis.
• Once the annual allocation is exhausted, applicants must wait until the beginning of the next fiscal year to apply. Applicants not approved during one funding cycle are not automatically rolled over into the next cycle. Each fiscal year’s allocation is distributed to awards granted for that fiscal year.
• Successful applicants must wait three years after initial grant award before reapplying (phased renovations will be considered on a case-by-case basis). There is a maximum cap of $10,000 awarded to any single property address over a twenty-year period.
• Facade Improvement Grants will reimburse up to 50% of eligible expenses with a minimum of $1,000 and maximum contribution from the City to be determined annually at the time of budget approval. For example, a $4,000 facade improvement, if approved, would be eligible for a reimbursement of $2,000 from the City’s Facade Improvement Program.
• Facade grants are paid only when the approved project is completed in accordance with the plans and specifications approved by the Board of Commissioners and all required documentation of expenses has been received.
• The final award amount must be justified based on documentation of actual costs incurred. Permitting fees (if any) are reimbursable expenses.
• A project that alters submitted plans without prior approval from the Board of Commissioners may be disqualified for payment. Designs not completed as approved may be disqualified for payment. 

• Applications are accepted year-round and are processed on a first-come first-served basis.
• Applications must be submitted to the Community Development Building at 211 North Main Street. Community Development staff will be responsible for initial review of the application for completeness of all required elements. The Community Development Director will then schedule complete application for Planning Board review and recommendation.
  • The Community Development Director shall refuse to accept partial or incomplete application packages;
  • Incomplete application packages will lose positional priority; I
• The Planning Board will review the application package and make a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners to either:
  • Approve the application;
  • Deny the application;
  • Modify the application and resubmit.

• Applicants, after approval, have up to four months to complete their projects.
• If an applicant needs more time to start a project, he or she must provide a written statement with a reasonable justification for an extension.
• Applicants will receive reimbursements once the projects are completed and approved by the Community Development Director or Building Inspector, if applicable. Copies of invoices for the completed work will need to be turned in to the Finance Director so that appropriate funds can be allocated.

• Facade Improvement Program Application
• Traditional Facade Components