Main Street Q&A: Abundance of events planned downtown
Q: What events are being planned for downtown in the next few months?
A: Friday, April 25 is our first “Music in the Park.” It is being sponsored by the Main Street Promotion Committee and will be held at the gazebo in downtown court square from 6-9 p.m. “Music in the Park” will happen once in April, once in May (Saturday, May 30), and every Friday evening in June, July, and August.
If you have a band or musical group that would like to perform, please call Lea Chrisawn at 473-6611. The Collection will also be offering dinner on the nights of Music in the Park, as well as the California Doggery/hot dog stand on court square.
Saturday, April 26 will be Downtown Spring Clean-up Day. Area scout troops, church groups, and community service workers, and volunteers will spend Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to noon getting rid of weeds, cleaning windows, sweeping sidewalks, etc. to make downtown more inviting for area residents and visitors. Come and join us Saturday, April 26 at 9 a.m. at the downtown gazebo!
May 5-11 is Preservation Week. Thursday May 8, during the day, the city of McMinnville will offer preservation seminars to encourage preservation of historic buildings and landmarks. Various representatives from the state Historic Preservation Office and MTSU’s Department of Historic Preservation will present the seminars and answer questions dealing with local preservation. A walking tour of downtown will be offered to those who would like to see local architecture and identify historic buildings that might qualify for the National Register of Historic Places.
Thursday, May 8 at 6 p.m. an evening reception and preservation awards will highlight the week’s events at the First United Methodist Church, 200 West Main Street.
The Annual Architectural Scavenger Hunt will also take place during preservation week. Forms will be available at multiple locations throughout downtown. Prizes will be awarded to the winning contestants!
Saturday, May 24 is the second annual downtown Classic Car Show. The McMinnville Cruisers are expecting over 150 classic cars this year. Last year’s show was great but this one promises to be even better.
There will be live entertainment, ’50s style contests, a silent auction, a downtown “Poker Run,” prizes, and plenty of food. Plan on spending part of your Saturday, May 24, at the Classic Car Show where there will be free admission.
Q: What incentives are now being offered to encourage downtown property owners to fix-up their buildings?
A: For buildings that are in the Historic District there are several possibilities:
• Awning grants: This is a program that began several years ago and was recently funded again by the Main Street Board of Directors through a grant from Carrier Corporation.
A total of $5,000 has been set aside for property owners who want to replace their metal awnings with cloth awnings. Grant applications/ plans have to be pre-approved by the Design Committee. Grant applications can be obtained at the Main Street office, room 108 at the courthouse, or by calling 506-5335.
• Zero-interest loans: $5000 maximum, 24-month amortization to be used to for fa?ade renovation only. Administered by the Design Committee (Diane Stanley and Sandra Haynes, co-chairs). Construction plans will be reviewed by the Design Committee and Historic Zoning Commission prior to review by lending institution.
• Low-interest loans: Maximum amount to be determined by the lending institution, 1 percent below New York Prime, fixed rate loans for acquisition of property, interior and exterior rehabilitation, and for new construction. Construction plans will be reviewed by the Design Committee and the Historic Zoning Commission prior to review by lending institution.
• Watch for the Early-bird Fa?ade Grants: New grant program which we would like to see begin in July 2003. Emphasis will be given to fa?ade renovation for property owners beginning a fa?ade renovation project in 2003. Design and/ or construction plans will be reviewed by the Design committee and Historic Zoning Commission prior to approval for the grants.
Are you interested in purchasing a building in Historic Downtown McMinnville? Contact a local realtor or call us at 506-5335. We will try to point you in the right direction! Now is a great time to buy downtown because of the financial incentives being offered and the upcoming Main Street Phase I Project happening in 2004.
Do you have any questions about Historic Downtown McMinnville that you would like to see answered in our column? Please send your questions to: P.O. Box 373, McMinnville Tenn., 37111, or e-mail us at: [email protected].