Business View Magazine | January 2020

298 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE JANUARY 2020 businesses providing a diversity of merchandise, restaurants, breweries, and services. “We have an historic downtown and we’ve got two programs that we’re implementing to help revitalize the Downtown,” says Dalquest. “One is a façade improvement program, and the other one is our Business Assistance and Attraction Program,” adds Development Services Manager, Liz Chavez. Dalquest elaborates: “We’ve completed about six commercial rehabilitation façades, and we’ve got seven buildings that we’re processing, right now. We’re trying to bring back some of the historic elements of the façades. For example, if a brick building is stuccoed over, we try to bring back the brick, but they can also add new elements like awnings, or new storefronts, or glass doors, that still maintain the historic architecture of the building. The property owner can get up to $30,000 that can go towards revitalizing their façade. The only caveat is that there’s a five-year covenant; the business is required to maintain the façade for five years.” “The other program is our Business Assistance and Attraction Program,” Dalquest continues. “That’s where we’re trying to either allow an existing business that wants to expand by more than 50 percent, or attract a new business in downtown, whether it’s a restaurant, or specialty retail. This program offers up to $50,000 that can go towards tenant improvements or working capital to assist them with the site location. The condition of that grant is that the business musts hire at least one full-time employee for every $25,000 of what they’re seeking; if they get the full $50,000, they must hire two full-time employees who are low or moderate income people. And that income is verified through our program administrator.” Dalquest adds that while Upland is trying to encourage high-density business development in downtown, it also seeks to create a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) near the City’s Metrolink station, in order to get “that critical mass” that will be essential in revitalizing the