All you have to do is look around and you can see things are happening in downtown Sandy. What used to be “Something Blue” is now something new: new porches, gutters and paint and soon to be teahouse. How about the building that houses the “Reel Tackle Shop” and what used to be the Goody Shack. It is looking great with newly stained exterior walls and gutters. As soon as the remodeling is complete, “Jimmy’s International Cuisine” will be opening. The Sandy Main Street and Facade grant programs made both of these projects possible.
         The Sandy Main Street program started about a year ago when Sandy was selected to participate in the statewide Main Street program. Main Street is a comprehensive community-driven revitalizing program that focuses on a four-point approach. This proven approach combines historic preservation with economic development to restore prosperity to the downtown core and neighboring business districts. The Main Street program has been implemented in over 1800 cities and townships in 45 states across the nation.
         The Main Street program’s success is based on a comprehensive four-point strategy to managing and improving the downtown area. Being a part of this program, provides Sandy with training, guidance, and resources to help develop and revitalize its downtown area (core). Sandy is currently participating at the transforming level, the second of three levels in the revitalizing process.
         The four strategy points of the Main Street program are Design, Economic Restructuring, Promotion, and Organization. Design enhances the looks, access, and function of the business district along with rehabilitating historical buildings. Sandy’s Tracy Brown, the Director of Planning and Development, says, “The city has developed a “Sandy Style” of Cascadian architecture with elements of English Arts and Crafts and Oregon Rustic style.” Two good examples are the new Panda Express and The Museum adjacent to the Sandy Plaza. In addition, the city has hired a design architect to help the city and businesses come up with a Cascadian design that will work with the various building styles. The architect will also provide estimates for improvement costs.
         Several projects have already been completed: Joes 6-pack Market, the two adjacent historical houses in which Barlow Trail Veterinary and Bull Run Chiropractic provided their services, and Pride and Groom located next to the Bank of America. Brown says, “Overall, everybody is appreciating how things are improving and looking better.” Each building owner has received from 50% to 80% funding for these projects through the Façade Grant program.
         Economic Restructuring is the second strategy, and it involves analyzing current market forces to develop long-term solutions. Recruiting new businesses, creatively converting unused spaces (like the Sandy Plaza), and sharpening the competitiveness of Main Street merchants are all examples of economic restructuring activities. This is where Sandy Chamber of Commerce has played a vital role in the progress. Hollis MacLean-Wenzel, Director of Sandy Chamber, says, “Things are really coming together.”
         The Main Street program provided a professional Survey team experienced in the Main Street process to analyze the Sandy downtown and community. The results are posted on the City of Sandy website. The Chamber of Commerce helped to form an Economic Restructuring Committee which has been busy taking an inventory of every downtown structure and identifying historical structures and key areas for development. MacLean-Wenzel shared that the city recently sent a delegation to McMinnville, one of the most successful Main Street projects in the state, to learn about their success and bring back ideas for implementing goals and projects. MacLean-Wenzel says, “Its exciting, people want to be a part of this. It is really good for the community and landowners.”
         Promotion, the third element, creates excitement downtown. Street festivals, parades, retail events, and image development campaigns are some of the ways Main Street encourages people to come to downtown businesses. Sandy’s promotion committee is busy working on a website and directory that gives prospective businesses access to what is available in Sandy, as well as drawing the kinds of businesses the survey mentioned above indicates the Sandy community could use. An immediate outcome of this committee’s work is the first annual Sandy Trick or Treat Trail on October 31 from 2-5 p.m. The downtown businesses are providing a safe holiday atmosphere for families to go trick or treating.
         Organization is the final element of the Main Street program. It is a boring word for a not so boring element. Organization is vital to the Main Street program as it builds a framework rin which business and property owners, citizens, public officials, chamber of commerce, churches, and other community organizations which promote community health and growth can be well represented.
         As Sandy Main Street grows and gains momentum, the city and chamber both agree that the success of the Main Street program depends on everyone working together to renew and promote the downtown. We all know development requires funding and funding is short theses days. This is where the Façade Grant program comes into play.
Façade Grant program
         The Façade Improvement Grant Program is a matching grant program of the City of Sandy Urban Renewal Agency approved by the Urban Renewal Board in May 2009. This program has allocated $150,000 in matching grants for qualified projects generally to be awarded on a first come, first served basis. So far, the city of Sandy has released $63,000 in matching grants for all of the projects completed so far. The funds are allocated according to the size of the project; projects up to $5,000 receive 80% in matching grants, projects from $5,000 to $50,000 receive 50% in matching grants, and projects from $50,000 to $100,000 receive 30% in matching grants.
         Cyndi McKenna, owner of Prestige Plaza and Cool Printing, says, “There is no way we could do this project with out the city’s help.” McKenna is planning to refurbish the entire exterior of the building that houses Cool Printing, the East County Gazette and several other businesses. The project is going to cost around $84,000 and The Façade Grant program will reimburse about $36,000. When asked how this project came about, McKenna said she started attending Main Street meetings and keeping in touch with the progress and eventually the project came to life. When asked how the process has been, McKenna says, “It’s been really nice working with the city. We are lucky to have this opportunity, how can we pass it up.” Otto’s Cross Country Ski Shop is another business planning to make improvements in the near future.
         “The Goal is to create a distinct environment that serves the community and draws people into Sandy,” says Tracy Brown. In addition, the city has committed $1.5 million in matching grants to be carefully allocated over the next five or six years. The funding from the Façade Grant program and the Main Street program are proving to make this goal obtainable. For more information about Façade grants, Main Street, and committees, contact Tracy Brown at (503) 668-4886, or Sandy Chamber of Commerce at (503) 668-4006.