Tuscaloosa Offering Property Owners Up to $25,000 for Storefront Facelifts

The city of Tuscaloosa is offering serious cash in new public-private partnerships with property owners to make local storefronts more beautiful.

In a Monday morning press release, a city spokesperson said the program, called Facelift, will provide up to $25,000 to enhance commercial buildings which are visible from public streets.

Through Facelift, the city will reimburse 80 percent of qualifying facade improvement projects with a ceiling set at $25,000. In one provided example, a business owner who completes a $10,000 Facelift project could get $8,000 back from the city.

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More expensive projects could still qualify to get some cash back, but only up to the $25,000 limit - any project with a budget exceeding $31,250 would begin to cost more for the property owner.

“The goal of Facelift is to assist property owners in implementing storefront improvements that will increase business visibility, stimulate private investment, contribute to an inviting commercial environment, and ultimately complement other community development efforts,” the city's Economic Development Manager Liz Moore Benda said in a press release.

First-round funding applications are available online and now open, due by December 20. Business owners can learn more and apply at Tuscaloosa.com/facelift.