Downtown Façade Improvement Project

Project Name

Downtown Façade Improvement Project - Phase I and Phase II

Project Location

Downtown Oskaloosa
Phase I - between High Avenue and A Avenue, and North A Street and North 2^nd Street.
Phase II - west of the Square, between High Avenue West and 1st Street, and Market Street and Penn Central Mall

Phase I (2017-2018) - Project Description: The project included restoration of the façades of eighteen (18) downtown buildings on the north side of the Oskaloosa town square. Buildings include a mix of non-historic and historically significant buildings within the Historic District. The buildings included in the project were identified through a formal "Slum & Blight Survey" and were deemed in need of repair. The designs for the façade restoration were prepared by Curtis Architecture & Design (project architect) and have been approved by the Oskaloosa Historic Preservation Commission and the Iowa State Historic Preservation Office. Funding for this project comes through the City of Oskaloosa, a Community Development Block Grant through the Iowa Economic Development Authority, the George Daily Family Trust, and property owners. See facade designs (PDF).

Phase II (2019-2020) - Project Description

This second phase is similar to the first phase, but focuses on six (6) buildings directly west of the town square. Buildings were selected through a similar method as the Phase I project and the work will include similar types of repair. Curtis Architecture & Design is again providing the architectural services for this project, and facilitating the Oskaloosa Historic Preservation Commission and the Iowa State Historic Preservation Office approval processes. Funding for this project comes through the City of Oskaloosa, a Community Development Block Grant through the Iowa Economic Development Authority, and property owners. See facade designs (PDF).

Project Benefits

Benefit of this project can be seen on multiple levels. First, each owner of the properties benefit from the reinvestment in their properties. Property owners are excited about this opportunity to provide significant reinvestments into their buildings. Second, the many tenants in these properties benefit from a more weather tight, structurally sound, and visually attractive building. Third, nearby property owners in the downtown benefit from the overall improvement in the area. Fourth, the City of Oskaloosa will benefit from this project by the positive affect it will have on property values. Last, the community as a whole benefits from the preservation of its historic architecture and perpetuation as the heart of the community. Additionally, the successful completion of strong community projects that are reliant on diverse partnerships can be encouraging to the community as a whole about its ability to accomplish significant projects. A project like this can seed further collaborative community investment projects that can last for decades to come.

Phase I - Project Status

The construction contract was awarded to Christner Contracting LLC, and construction was completed between May 2017 and August 2018.

Phase I Funding:

Construction Start Date: 05/01/2017

Completion: 8/07/2018

Phase II - Project Status

The construction contract was awarded to Cornerstone Commercial Contractors, Inc. of Corning, IA.  Construction began in August 2019.

Phase II Funding:

Construction Start Date: 08/05/2019

Completion Deadline: 07/01/2020