White Box Programs Make Older Buildings More Appealing to New Tenants

White Box programs are proving effective at driving redevelopment in city centers and getting hard to fill spaces rented. The programs typically help fund improvements to heating/cooling systems, lighting, electrical systems, bathrooms, and finished (but not yet painted) ceilings and floors. Improvements that are meant to make older buildings habitable for new users.

While many White Box programs are city wide, downtowns often see the benefit. That was the case in Racine, WI, where the Commercial White Box Grant Program, launched last April. It proved so popular that it was expanded and saw some policy changes by August.

The program aims to, “encourage the redevelopment of older commercial buildings as vibrant retail commercial spaces within traditional neighborhood districts and downtown,” says the city, noting that, “many buildings may be non-compliant with modern building codes and the cost of these improvements often fall to new entrepreneurs.”

The White Box Grant Program is available to owners of vacant, commercially zoned first-floor spaces in buildings 50 years and older. Grants are available for a maximum of $20,000, with the grant total not to exceed 50 percent of the total project costs. The grants may also be combined with the city’s Commercial Building Facade Grant Program.

More on White Box programs, tactical urbanism, and keeping downtown active during colder months, appears in the March issue of Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter. Click to learn more about Downtown Idea Exchange and other resources for revitalizing downtowns and commercial corridors.

Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed