Critical Improvements for Downtown Properties (Dover)

Property owners who are in good standing and are seriously considering critical improvements to their downtown Dover properties are eligible to submit this Pre-Application at this time.  

NOTE:  A first review of Pre-Applications took place on December 2, 2022 and funding requests exceeded the amount of funding in the Program.  Nevertheless, property owners may submit a pre-application which will be placed in queue should a second round of review takes place. We cannot guarantee that there will be another round of pre-applications at this time.

If you choose to proceed with this Pre-Application, you must complete it in ONE sitting, and it will take approximately 15 -20 minutes.  If you cannot do so, go to the next sentence and open the link for a pdf of the Pre-Application to review.

For details that correspond to this Pre-Application, CLICK HERE to open the link which will come up in a new window.  You can keep this window open to use as a reference as you complete this pre-application, or you can close this survey link and come back to it when you have the information you need to complete it.

Project Purpose
The overarching purpose of this “Critical Improvements to Downtown Properties” grant program is to address critical improvements to existing properties in specified areas of downtown Dover and to bring many now vacant and underutilized buildings up to today’s building standards, making them safer and more leasable.  Further, these kinds of retrofits, improvements, and additions are intended to stimulate economic growth of the commercial core of Delaware’s Capital City by making existing buildings more competitive for leasing alongside new construction, leasing them, and thereby reducing vacancy – an important goal of the program. 

Priority Improvements and Retrofits will address:
1.   Life safety (fire suppression, alarms, electrical, egress, etc.) improvements;

2.  ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) for handicap accessible compliance/improvement (restrooms, ramps, handrails, widened doors/passages, etc.)

3.   Establishment of commercial kitchens and even “ghost kitchens” to address the extreme lack of restaurant and food opportunities in the downtown business district 

While additional kinds of improvements, such as exterior/façade improvements (including doors, windows, siding, brickwork, railing, molding, lighting, etc.) and interior improvements will be considered for project awards, priority will be given to grant requests that focus on “Priority Improvements and Retrofits.” 

Completion of this pre-application does not assume project is eligible for an award.  It is not an application for funds, and it is not a commitment that the applicant will receive funds.  Submitting a request for funding will come in later steps with submission of a Project Application, once the project is deemed feasible.

To complete the pre-application, continue now.

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* 1. Property Owner First Name

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* 2. Property Owner Last Name

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* 3. Property Owner Phone number

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* 4. Property Owner Email Address

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* 5. Home Address of Property Owner: (Street, City , State, Zip)

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* 6. How many Pre-Applications do you plan to submit for funding consideration?

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