Contacts: Lesley Sillaman, Office of the County Executive (608) 267-8823 or cell (608)
669-5606
Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk is inviting communities to apply for Better
Urban Infill Development (BUILD) planning grants.
The BUILD program provides grants
to Dane County municipalities for planning that lead to infill development and downtown
revitalization. Grant applications must be submitted with a postmark dated not later
than March 31, 2006.
Since the program started in 1999, BUILD has awarded 50 grants to 20 different
municipalities. The total amount of grant money is $60,000.
The results of BUILD are already making a difference in many communities, by
providing new areas for residents to live, work and shop in their downtown areas.
Some recent projects include Cannery Square in downtown Sun Prairie, the Shops off
Main, a commercial and residential project in downtown Verona, Frost Woods
Commons (the former site of the Kohls store on Monona Boulevard in Monona), and
downtown commercial revitalization in Waunakee.
The Cannery Square project has
created a new downtown neighborhood on the site of former industrial sites, with 127
new units, 41,000 square feet of commercial space, and more than $36 million invested
in private and public funds.
“The bottom line here is these grants work,” said Falk. “They help us build
healthy communities and revitalize downtown areas so we don’t have to develop out
into our fabulous farmland.”
Grants will be awarded to planning efforts that further the objectives of the
BUILD program, including making better use of existing infrastructure; locating
community services, jobs and shopping in close proximity; stabilizing and enhancing
existing neighborhoods, downtowns and other business districts; producing housing
and jobs for low to moderate-income people; avoiding converting productive farmland
on urban fringes and in rural areas; providing viable options to auto trips by supporting
walking, biking, and transit; and having the potential to clean up environmentally
contaminated sites.
Eligible applicants are local Dane County municipalities. A local match is
required.
Application guidelines and information about the BUILD program can be
obtained on the County’s web site at
http://www.co.dane.wi.us/plandev/build/index.shtml or by contacting Steve Steinhoff
with Dane County Planning and Development at 266-4270 or by email at
steinhoff@co.dane.wi.us.
