The Garden City Downtown Development Authority unanimously approved a $7,000 business incentive grant for facade improvements at 5905 Middlebelt Road, the board decided during its Oct. 21 meeting.

Staff and trustees said the award targets exterior rehabilitation and associated architectural fees and signage to help repurpose a three-unit building where Sharon's Heating and Cooling plans to establish an office and relocate workshop operations. "This is our first business incentive grant that we've issued for this fiscal year," Matt Miller, a DDA staff member, told the board, adding that the program was amended in July and the DDA set a $7,000 maximum grant with additional allowances for architectural fees and signage.

The DDA presentation described the site as a three-unit property with a roughly 15,000-square-foot rear building the company has already purchased and a front south unit the business is leasing. Miller said Sharon's Heating and Cooling plans a full renovation for the front unit and intends to move workshop operations to the back building; staff estimated the change will bring "over 60 employees" to the site.

Trustees said they supported the award as a way to improve building appearance and tenant stability. Trustee Baydoun moved to approve "incentive grant number 25-001" for $7,000; the motion, seconded from the mayor, passed 7-0.

Board materials and the discussion listed program limits and typical eligible uses: up to $7,000 for facade work, $2,000 for architectural fees and $1,000 for signage, depending on use. Staff told the board the DDA budgeted funds for multiple grants this fiscal year and would continue outreach to find additional applicants.

The DDA did not set a firm completion deadline in the motion. Details about the precise scope of work and any required reimbursements or liens were not specified in the meeting packet and were to be handled by staff as part of the grant agreement.