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AHOSKIE – After four rounds of awarding funding spaced over a 12-month period, the Ahoskie Façade Grant Program has ended.

The program, using money awarded to the town from the NC Department of Commerce, helps Main Street business owners spruce up their storefronts as well as making roof repairs. Businesses within one block (in either direction) of Main Street were later deemed eligible to apply for the funding.

Realizing there was money remaining in the program, the Ahoskie Town Council, at their March 14 meeting, voted to extend the application period for two weeks.

Six new applications were received by the March 28 deadline. The Town Council had a special called meeting later that same day at which time Town Clerk Jennifer Bracy advised them of those new applications and each were approved as follows:

207-209 West Main Street: $5,000

128 East Main Street: $4,500

118 West Main Street: $5,000

109 North Railroad Street: $5,000

110 North Dr. MLK Drive: $5,000

116 North McGlohon Street: $2,000

The maximum grant in this latest round of funding was $5,000, of which the property owner must match dollar-for-dollar. Property owners were allowed to use the funds to repair the roof on their buildings.

All of the work is required to be completed by May 31.

This latest round of funding totals $26,500.

The town received a total of $150,000 for this project. In March of last year, Town Council voted to split those state dollars ($75,000 each) into two programs: the Façade Grant and a Building Reuse Grant.

Including the March 28 approval of the six latest Façade Grant applications, the Town of Ahoskie has awarded/promised a total of $125,872.

Town officials will have to return any unspent funds back to the NC Department of Commerce by the end of June along with the full reporting of the completed projects and spent funding.