LOUSIANA MAIN STREET OFFERS RESTORATION GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR DOWNTOWN OPELOUSAS COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS

(Opelousas, LA) –The Opelousas Main Street program is soliciting Main Street Restoration Grant applications from downtown commercial building and/or business owners located in the Main Street district. The Louisiana Main Street program offers grants ranging from $2500 to $10,000.   Grants are available for either interior or exterior rehabilitation. All work must be completed by April 30, 2021 to be eligible for reimbursement.

Applications received from Opelousas Main Street building and/or business owners will compete statewide for funding with other Main Street communities. Over the years, Opelousas Main Street has received some $157-thousand dollars in redevelopment grant funds from the Louisiana Main Street program, initiating thousands of dollars in local project costs plus associated jobs and economic stimulation. Bodemuller the Printer, located on Main Street, was the most recent recipient of the Restoration Grant.  Other past recipients include the Brass Rail located on Landry Street; old Bodemuller building, located on Bellevue Street; former Fakouri building on Main Street and the Palace Café, now Chickory’s at the Palace, on Landry Street. 

To be eligible for Main Street Restoration Grant funds, a building must be located within the downtown Main Street district, be used for commercial purposes, and be at least 50 years old.  In addition, the proposed work must be approved by the local Historic District Commission and the Louisiana Main Street office, while also conforming to the guidelines set forth by the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

Grant applications must be submitted for review to the Main Street Program manager at City of Opelousas Tourism, 828 East Landry Street, Opelousas by Monday, July 20, 2020.  All applications must be postmarked for delivery to Louisiana Main Street by July 31, 2020. 

The Main Street Restoration Grant applications, details and deadlines can be viewed online at Opelousas Main Street or for more information contact Opelousas Main Street at 337-948-5227 or email tourism@cityofopelousas.com

The Opelousas Main Street boundaries include:  starting in a westerly direction at Vine Street at the corner of Union street following west to Liberty Street, then following Liberty Street north to Grolee Street, then following Grolee Street in an easterly direction to Market Street, then in a northerly direction to the southern edge of the railroad track, following in an easterly direction along the track until Union Street, then following Union Street in a southerly direction until Vine Street.

Download the application here.