NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The New Rochelle Business Improvement Program recently won a coveted $500,000 grant from the New York State Main Street Program which will allow the BID’s award-winning Façade Improvement Program and the restoration of historically significant buildings to continue in the downtown.
This is the third NYS Main Street grant obtained by the BID. This matching grant program has facilitated façade restorations of buildings representing more than 75 storefronts through the BID’s Façade Improvement Program, and, in buildings with vacant upper floor space, helped create more than 40 artist work studios through the BID’s Artist Spaces Program. With the new grant the BID plans to assist additional downtown properties representing more than 50 storefronts.
Furthermore the grant will enable the BID to create a new pedestrian space on a vacant City-owned parcel in the downtown.
The first project being funded with the new grant is the restoration of the facade of the former Loews Theater. The focus will be the second floor where extensive terracotta and other architectural details which have been covered for decades still exist. Once completed the Loews will join other striking terracotta detailed buildings nearby on Main Street which have already been restored with help from the BID.
To commemorate the continued restoration of our historic Main Street the BID has also issued packages of thirteen historic postcards showing Main Street over the years. These will be available for sale at various downtown stores and through the 325th Anniversary of New Rochelle Committee.