DREAM Grants Awarded to Two Fourth Avenue Businesses

The Phelps County Development Corporation has awarded GO! DREAM grants to Lincoln Federal Savings Bank and KB Rentals (Shelter Insurance) for exterior building enhancements.

KB Rentals, owned by Brad Johnson and Ted Titus, received a $10,000 matching grant to enhance its building at 502 Fourth Avenue. KB Rentals purchased the building in December 2018 and has already remodeled the interior for its new renter, Shelter Insurance (Rodrigo Retana-Aguilera).

Johnson said the GO! DREAM program project will include removing shake shingles and installing a new metal roof, new doors and windows and new lighting, soffit and fascia.

Jo-Ben Construction and K & D Motor and Electric are the local contractors for the project, which is expected to be completed in May.

An additional office in the back of the building will be available to rent after the exterior facelift is complete.

Johnson said the GO! DREAM grant was a major factor in their decision to make exterior improvements.

 “We wouldn’t be doing it without the PCDC grant,” he said.

Tori Bartels, assistant vice president and customer service supervisor at Lincoln Federal Savings, said work on the bank’s GO! DREAM project began in mid-April and should take about two months.

Improvements will include removing the maroon-colored awnings, exterior patching, a fresh coat of paint and new signs, lighting and windows.

“It will be a nice, clean look,” Bartels said.

Local contractors working on the project are Melroy Construction, Trent’s Electric Inc. and Scott’s Painting.

Lincoln Federal has been located at 720 Fourth Avenue since 1979. Although the interior was updated in 2007, Bartels said the exterior has been the same since the building opened.

Bartels said the GO! DREAM grant process was “very easy, and it didn’t take long.”

The Downtown Revitalization Economic Assistance Mission (DREAM) encourages downtown building owners to update facades and replace signs and lighting through matching grants. It also offers low-interest loans for owners to bring buildings up to code to create downtown living units.

To download a grant application and review specific grant criteria, please visit https://www.phelpscountyne.com/about-us/go!-programs/go-dream-programs.