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(FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE) Kendallville, IN - The application deadline for downtown Kendallville property owners to seek to leverage the $2 million PreservINg Main Street grant, awarded to the City of Kendallville to preserve historic downtown commercial properties, has been extended to January 3, 2022. Property owners wishing to apply for a chunk of funding to make upgrades, restore, and preserve building facades have been given an extra three weeks, past the original December 10 deadline, to apply. During a recent meeting of the project’s steering committee, it was recognized that some property owners may be hesitating to apply for funding, lacking confidence they have the time to lay out their vision or that what they can afford to do will meet the criteria to be funded. In order to help encourage all interested parties to apply, the committee extended the deadline and came up with guidelines on which applications will be reviewed and projects prioritized. The key considerations the committee will have as they review applications for funding assistance are: • The applicant's previous participation in Heart of Kendallville promotions, activities and events. • The danger of the building being demolished without intervention. • The building is currently vacant (or not). • The proposal addresses exterior code violations (or not). • The applicant has matching funds in hand (or they are committed). • The proposed project’s visible impact in the project area. • How the project will assist in increasing visitors/customers to the downtown area. • If the project will impact efforts to add housing. • If the subject building is an anchor business or building in the downtown corridor. • If the project might encourage a "ripple" affect to spur more rehabilitation work. • If the project budget is realistic and based on estimates or bids. Kendallville’s project steering committee encourages anyone who owns a qualifying property to submit an application to express their interest in making improvements to the exterior of their property, regardless of their perceived likelihood of being granted funding assistance. By applying, the committee and Experience the Heart of Kendallville (EHK) (which is about to hire a full-time Main Street Manager) will be better informed about opportunities for revitalization and what property owners envision and need to succeed. Such information will help (EHK) form strategies for the future, even beyond the $2 million grant program. The short application, and more information, is available at kendallvillemainstreet.com. Stakeholders are encouraged to sign up on the website to receive blog updates, which are posted routinely. To subscribe, click on “News” on the website menu then choose the “Log in / Sign up” button at the top of the blog posts to subscribe.

Updates aired on "Home Town Takeover: Where Are They Now" with Ben & Erin Napier Although Watumpka, Alabama was chosen for a Home Town Takeover, thousands of communities - including Kendallville - submitted video entries to the community makeover contest in early 2020. Since then, producers at HGTV have reached out a few times to Kristen Johnson, director of the Kendallville Chamber of Commerce and president of Experience the Heart of Kendallville. Kristen, with help from local stakeholders, provided updates just after submitting the application for a PreservINg Main Street grant, which the city ultimately did win! As a result of providing those updates, Kendallville was featured during an HGTV Thanksgiving Special, "Home Town Takeover: Where Are They Now". The episode aired twice over the holiday weekend. (The full episode, a precursor to a new series called "Home Town Kickstart" that will feature six more community transformations, can be streamed by Discovery+ subscribers.) Kendallville was again passed over for direct assistance from the Napiers, however was pretty prominently featured during the special. HGTV granted permission to share these clips from the show. Enjoy and join EHK in celebrating our own home town for the inspiration they create!

Throughout the PreservINg Main Street grant period, Experience the Heart of Kendallville will provide bi-monthly reports that include the following topics: Fundraising progress - requirement to raise $200,000 in local matching funds Project progress - committee development, applications, etc. Local ordinance & commissions - government actions required Humanities program updates Preservation education events & updates Main Street organizational capacity building efforts Metrics for success PROGRESS REPORTS:

Experience the Heart of Kendallville (EHK), a Main Street America™ 2021 Affiliate and PreservINg Main Street Pilot Community, is now seeking to hire a full time Main Street Manager. EHK's Main Street Manager will be the primary face of the organization and a visible, vocal advocate for downtown Kendallville. Essential duties and responsibilities will be required in four strategic areas: organizational, promotional, economic development, and design. Candidates may apply by sending a cover letter and resume to tara@noblecountyedc.com.

Historic preservation experts Ron Campbell and John Bry will offer a free workshop for downtown Kendallville business owners that will showcase what makes for "good design" in the historic district. The workshop, Downtown Design 101: Building a Successful Business Through Design, will take place at the Kendallville Chamber office on Thursday, November 11 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Participants are asked to register by dropping an email to sowles88@yahoo.com. Priority visits will be scheduled for attending property owners to take place on Friday, November 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to follow up the workshop and receive guidance on design, and to map out a scope of work plan that can be used towards participating in either the RDC or PreservINg Main Street facade grant programs.

Magic on Main Street, a Christmas Tree Jubilee, presented by Hosler Realty, is coming to Main Street this holiday season! Area individuals, businesses, and civic groups are invited to sponsor Christmas trees and wreaths to be decorated and placed on display at Hosler Realty on Main Street. The tree and wreath display will be open to the public during the Kendallville Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 4. Then, on Thursday, December 9, the uniquely decorated trees and wreaths will be auctioned off to benefit Experience the Heart of Kendallville's Main Street mission! Help build the Main Street organization's capacity to transform downtown Kendallville! Tree and wreath sponsors are now being sought to participate. Sponsors may choose to decorate trees and wreaths, or have Hosler Realty decorate them. Call (260) 347-1158 with questions and use the information below to participate. Sponsor a tree or wreath or contact jstreich@hoslerrealty.com. Trees and wreaths must be decorated by no later than Wednesday, December 1 at 4:00 PM. Tree & Wreath Display Trees and wreaths may be seen at Hosler Realty on Main Street leading up to the Kendallville Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 4. Hosler will be open for viewing during the parade. Tree & Wreath Auction Doors at Hosler Realty will open on Thursday, December 9 at 6:00 PM. A live auction will begin at 7:00 PM.

The 53rd annual Kendallville Christmas Parade, "A Gingerbread Christmas” will travel down Main Street on Saturday, December 4. The parade begins at 1:00 PM. Entries are now being sought for the parade and organizations from across Noble County are invited to participate. Cash prizes will be awarded in multiple categories for top entries. Experience the Heart of Kendallville is a contributing sponsor, as is the Kendallville Area Chamber of Commerce. KPC Media Group and radio stations WAWK and The Hawk are the coordinating sponsors. Parade applications are available at The News Sun, 102 N. Main St., or at the Kendallville Area Chamber of Commerce at 122 S. Main St. Registration is also available online.

Downtown Kendallville property owners can learn more about the $2 million PreservINg Main Street grant program and pick up grant applications at a Town Hall meeting to be hosted at City Hall next Tuesday. The Town Hall meeting will take place from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in advance of the Common Council meeting in the Chambers on the second floor at City Hall on Main Street. The Town Hall meeting will provide additional information learned by Experience the Heart of Kendallville (EHK) as the city continues to work through the pilot program. Topics will include the Historic Preservation Commission that must be formed and the first chance to pick up applications to apply for funding. Interested property owners are encouraged to continue to follow this blog and may Subscribe to it to receive updates. A new Frequently Asked Questions section has been added to the EHK website as well. And, as resources become available, they will be shared as a "library" for access on the website. For more information, please submit our Contact Us form and we will reply as quickly as possible.

At the October 19 meeting of the Kendallville City Council, Shannon McLeod, Kendallville's grant administrator for the PreservINg Main Street pilot community funds awarded through the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA), provided an update regarding an important next step in the process of awarding funds to projects to transform downtown Kendallville's historic commercial buildings. McLeod reported that $200,000 of the $2 million grant award has been earmarked for the purpose of procuring the services of an architect. An architect experienced in historic preservation will be sought through a procurement process. The goal is to have an architect lined up to assist throughout the design and planning stages of proposed projects by the end of 2021. The city will request qualifications from architecture firms interested in the job and a review panel will select one to help design projects submitted and prepare plans for contractors to be able to submit bids. Parties interested in being considered are invited to contact Experience the Heart of Kendallville to ensure they are advised when the procurement process begins.

About 45 stakeholders in downtown Kendallville properties and businesses came together at the Kendallville Chamber of Commerce meeting room on October 11 to hear more information about the $2 million PreservINg Main Street grant and how it might benefit them. Attendees heard that the state agencies funding the grant are looking for a "wow factor" delivered through building improvements that retain the historic integrity of properties and are completed in ways that can be replicated in other communities. As a "pilot community", being able to replicate success is a significant responsibility for Kendallville. Eligibility Main Street district, downtown Kendallville Permanent building improvements only (not signs, awnings, etc.) Front and most visible facades (not backs of buildings) Big transformations with high impact are preferable 15% match required (35% less than the city's Facade Grant requirement) No cap on funding available per project Free consultations with an architect specializing in historic preservation is available and encouraged Subject to design and contract terms from funders Multiple contractor bids required Timeline The timeline for projects was laid out in general terms. Design work will need to be completed over the winter months so that bids can go out in spring and construction can begin by summer. Work must be completed over the next two years. Properties looking to further explore projects are encouraged to reach out to Kristen Johnson at (260) 347-1554 as soon as possible. Defining "historic" Main Street consultant John Bry helped define for property owners how to approach "historic" upgrades, noting: Renovations are not required to be 100% faithful to any specific period in history Original features that have been destroyed do not need to be replaced Portions of buildings lost to fire and demolished do not need to be rebuilt Creative license is allowed to add back appropriate features Removing false facades to reveal and restore historic facades is appropriate Consultations with experts will be available to help identify appropriate renovations Next steps Some of the next steps outlined by Mayor SuzAnne Handshoe, who explained the objective is to provide guidance to protect properties and preserve the historic look and feel of downtown, include: Establishing a historic preservation commission Adopting a historic preservation ordinance Sign up Property and business owners within the eligible area who wish to explore possible projects, willing to cover 15% of costs, are asked to contact Kristen Johnson at (260) 347-1554 to be placed on a list for ongoing communications.

Dear Main Street Property Owners & Merchants, By now you have likely heard about the $2M grant that was awarded to Kendallville for façade upgrades to buildings in our downtown corridor. This is a very exciting time for our community, and we want to make sure we are communicating openly with all of you on the project as work progresses. Please join us for a “brown bag” meeting on Monday, October 11th at 6:00pm at the Kendallville Chamber (122 S Main Street). We will be sharing information regarding grant eligibility, project focus, expectations from the community, and more – as well as answering your questions. If you are unable to make it, please consider sending a representative. This grant has a very aggressive timeline, so it’s important that any interested parties become actively engaged at the start. We look forward to seeing you on the 11th!

INDIANAPOLIS (July 23, 2021) –Today, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Office of Community and Rural Affairs announced the five community finalists of the PreservINg Main Street Pilot Program. The finalist communities include the towns of Attica, Brookville and Cambridge City, and the cities of Kendallville and Jasper. In partnership with Indiana Landmarks and Indiana Humanities, PreservINg Main Street is designed to build a sustainable historic preservation ethic while building local capacity and a comprehensive downtown revitalization model. "Congratulations to these communities on moving forward in this program's selection process," Crouch said. "Programs like PreservINg Main Street are important in helping our rural communities with the promotion of their downtowns and historic preservation." All five finalist communities will receive an in-person site visit from the selection team this August. “This was a very competitive program with dozens of communities applying,” said OCRA Executive Director Denny Spinner. “While we saw many great applications, these five communities really stood out. We look forward to continue working with these finalists and visiting the communities in the next steps." The pilot community selected will be eligible for implementation funds of up to $2 million through OCRA’s Community Development Block Grant program, along with multiple capacity building opportunities through a partnership with Main Street America, Indiana Humanities and Indiana Landmarks. The selected pilot community will be announced on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021. Visit in.gov/ocra/preserving-main-street/ to learn more.