The City of Reno is excited to announce the first round of awardees in ReStore Reno, an initiative aimed to reinvigorate and reignite the downtown area by offering match- ing grants to property owners and business tenants for facade improvements and interior upgrades, totaling nearly $2,000,000 of investment in the community.

The ReStore program encompasses two distinct components: the Façade Improvement Program (FIP) and the Tenant Improvement Program (TIP). The City will match eligible costs up to $50,000 for exterior façade improvement projects and up to $50,000 for interior tenant improvement projects. In some cases, an applicant could even be reimbursed up to $100,000 if they combine facade and tenant improvements.

The awarded applicants include:
– Pigeon Head Brewery, Façade Improvement
– Junkee Reno, Façade improvement
– Jupiter Red, Façade Improvement & Tenant Improvement – Blind Dog Tavern, Tenant Improvement
– Poor Devil Saloon, Tenant Improvement
– Best Mart & Patio, Façade Improvement & Tenant Improvement
– The Morris, Façade Improvement & Tenant Improvement – Club Cal Neva, Façade Improvement
– 406 California Avenue, Façade Improvement & Tenant Improvement
– Shims Surplus Supplies, Façade Improvement

$455,000 have been awarded in this first round of funding. However, there is still $595,000 in available grant funding and applications are being accepted through December 31, 2023.

“Seeing this much excitement and buzz around ReStore is proof that we are doing the right thing,” said Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve. “This magnitude of change does not happen overnight, but we are doing what we can to bring downtown back to life one business and building at a time.”

Funding guidelines have been established considering the quality of proposed improvements and the impact of the project. Property owners and business tenants located in commercial and mixed-use districts and downtown neighborhoods are

eligible to apply.

“This is all about activating the inside and outside of store- fronts,” said Bryan McArdle, Revitalization Manager with the City of Reno. “We are bringing back to life not only individual buildings, but downtown as a whole. It takes partnerships and investments like this to make it happen.”

The FIP will enhance the visual quality and aesthetics of commercial properties. Eligible expenses include exterior façade painting and repairs, signage installation and upgrades, architectural enhancements such as awnings and decorative elements, window and door restoration, preservation of historical facades, and more.

The TIP encourages the activation of storefronts by financially supporting the inside of a commercial space. Eligible expenses cover interior design and space planning, structural modifications, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC upgrades, lighting improvements, fixture installation, accessibility upgrades, and other enhancements contributing to functionality and aesthetics.

Selected projects will enter into a grant agreement with
the City, outlining the terms and conditions of the funding. Awardees will have 90 days to submit a building permit application and an additional 180 days to complete the work upon approval.

For more information about the ReStore Program, specific project guidelines, and to begin the application process, contact Bryan McArdle, Revitalization Manager, at 775-447-3206 or [email protected].