Critical Improvements for Downtown Properties (Dover)

Property owners who are in good standing and are seriously considering critical improvements to their downtown Dover properties are eligible to submit a Pre-Application at this time.  You must be the owner of the building for which you are submitting a Pre-Application.

NOTE:  We anticipate that funding requests will exceed the amount of funding available through the Critical Improvements Program.  If you choose to proceed with this Pre-Application, you must complete it in ONE sitting, and it will take approximately 15 -20 minutes, assuming you have all your information ready to input. 

To review a pdf of the Pre-Application, click here and it will come up in a new window.  You can keep this window open to use as a reference as you complete this pre-application, or you can close this survey link and come back to it when you have the information you need to complete it.

Project Purpose
The overarching purpose of this “Critical Improvements to Downtown Properties” grant program is to address improvements to existing properties in specified areas of downtown Dover and to bring many now-vacant and underutilized buildings up to today’s building standards, making them safer and more leasable. 

Further, these kinds of retrofits, improvements, and additions are intended to stimulate economic growth of the commercial core of Delaware’s Capital City by making existing buildings more competitive for leasing alongside new construction, getting qualified tenants in them, and thereby reducing vacancy – an important goal of the program. 

Priority Improvements and Retrofits will address:
1.   Life safety (fire suppression, alarms, electrical, egress, etc.) improvements;

2.  ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) for handicap accessible compliance/improvement (restrooms, ramps, handrails, widened doors/passages, etc.)

3.   Establishment of commercial kitchens and even possibly “ghost kitchens” to address the extreme lack of restaurant and food opportunities in the downtown business district 

4.  Improvements to apartments that are adjacent/upstairs within a commercial building may be considered for improvements, but the first floor commercial portion must have improvements completed or be subsequently underway.

While additional kinds of improvements, such as exterior/façade improvements (including doors, windows, siding, brickwork, railing, molding, roofing, lighting, etc.) and interior improvements will be considered for project awards, priority will be given to grant requests that focus on “Priority Improvements and Retrofits.” 

Completion of this pre-application does not assume project is eligible for an award.  It is not an application for funds, and it is not a commitment that the applicant will receive funds.  Submitting a request for funding will come in later steps with submission of a Project Application, once the project is deemed feasible.

To complete the pre-application, continue now.

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* 1. Property Owner First Name

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* 2. Property Owner Last Name

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* 3. Property Owner Phone number

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* 4. Property Owner Email Address

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* 5. Home Address of Property Owner: (Street, City , State, Zip)

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* 6. How many Pre-Applications do you plan to submit for funding consideration?

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