City of Sand Springs announces downtown redevelopment grant program

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Sand Springs, OK - The City of Sand Springs announced Wednesday the creation of a new downtown redevelopment program which can help commercial building owners improve their older, vacant facilities. The new “White Box” grant program kicks off this month with applications and instructions available online for interested commercial property owners whose site qualifies. The program will be administered by the City of Sand Springs Planning Department with approval process provided through the Sand Springs Development Authority (SSDA). The White Box grant program incentivizes rehabilitation work for sites located within a specific downtown revitalization area in Sand Springs.

“We’re excited to roll out this new program as an incentive for qualifying downtown commercial business owners”, stated Troy Cox, SSDA Chair. “Our goal is to use this public/private venture in the form of a reimbursable grant program to do work in the heart of downtown Sand Springs. We aim to help commercial property owners improve both the functionality of their building and keep improving the outward appearance of our community.”

The White Box grant program offers an 80% reimbursable grant award for work done on vacant buildings that fall inside the grant program area. The maximum grant award available is $10,000 (ten thousand dollars) and property owners are limited to one grant per year. For example a property owner might receive up to $8,000 back for expenses incurred on an approved maximum grant project of $10,000. Projects may exceed $10,000 to accomplish major work, but reimbursement amounts are capped at the $10,000 grant project amount.

Grant eligibility requirements include:

  1. All work being done must be done on an existing, currently vacant, commercially-zoned building on property located within the program boundaries.

  2. The program is available to business owners and property owners for work performed on the interior of currently vacant spaces.

  3. Grant funds cannot be used to correct outstanding code violations, for property damage by collision, acts of nature or occurrences covered by insurance.

  4. Only work begun after approval by the Sand Springs Development Authority (SSDA) will be eligible for grant funds.

  5. All work must comply with the City of Sand Springs Building Department Code requirements and all relevant permits and inspections are required.

  6. If a retail or commercial business is applying for the grant, only one white box grant will be awarded per business. If the property owner is applying for a grant, only one white box grant may be awarded within a calendar year.

  7. Projects requesting funding for retail and restaurant commercial spaces is preferred over office uses and will be given preferential treatment in the event of funding shortages for awarding of grants.

Eligible expenses include:

  1. Interior plumbing in compliance with current building code

  2. Electrical in compliance with current building code

  3. HVAC in compliance with current building code

  4. Fire Suppression measures including kitchens in compliance with current building code

“This is a very accessible and valuable tool for downtown commercial property owners,” said City Planner Brad Bates. “With this grant program now in place, investors and property owners have a clear path to receive sizeable incentives to do work on older or outdated properties to make them viable again in our downtown.”

The application is now available on the City’s website, including grant program details. Applicants should be prepared to provide enough documentation and research on their planned improvement project to aide in the review of their grant application. A design review committee from SSDA will determine the merits of all applications and direct the amount of the award to any applicant who meets the criteria.

To receive reimbursement following a grant award, projects must be completed within 120 calendar days (there are grant extensions possible of up to one year), must conform to the submitted grant application and must produce workmanship that is customary to the industry.