Historic Downtown Merriam Exterior Improvement Grant

Step 1.Understand the requirements 

• Commercial buildings/property that are located within an area bounded by Turkey Creek; the north property line of 5646 Merriam Drive extended to the BNSF railroad; BNSF railroad; the south property line of 5937 Merriam Drive, and the north property line of 5920 Merriam Drive. View Map(PDF, 589KB)
• Minimum $3,000 investment by the property owner
• Reimbursement amount: minimum $600; maximum $10,000
• Eligible improvements include, but are not limited to: painting, siding, door/window replacement, masonry repair, awnings, building additions, landscaping, foundation repair, flood proofing
• Interior improvements aren't eligible with the exception of flood proofing and foundation repairs
• Flood proofing must meet FEMA standards and be designed by a Kansas licensed engineer
• Residential structures aren't eligible
• If applicable, improvements must meet the Architectural Design Guidelines for the City of Merriam – Downtown District, Oct. 18, 2002
• The City reserves the right to determine if a proposed improvement meets program requirements
• All improvements must conform to Merriam Codes
• Contractor must have a current Merriam Occupational license, and if appropriate, a Johnson County Contractor License
• Property owner must be current on all property taxes in Merriam
• Program property must be code complaint with the exception of the violation to be addressed by this grant program
• All other properties owned by the applicant in Merriam must be code complaint
• Property owner must provide proof of adequate property insurance
• Governmental subsides or funds utilized for the improvements aren't eligible for reimbursement
•  The city reserves the right to determine if a proposed improvement meets program requirements

Step 2.Gather your information

• Provide proof of paid property tax
• Provide proof of property insurance

Step 3.Process

• The Community Development Department manages the program
• The City will start accepting applications on March 3, 2025
• Property owner submits an application to Community Development
• Applications are reviewed in the order they are received
• Work bids must be submitted with the application
• The program will only reimburse the labor costs of the labor provided by a third-party contractor
• Application must be approved by the City before the start of work
• Before and after photos of the project will be taken by City staff
• Property owner is responsible for ensuring that all required permits have been obtained. All permits must be in place prior to any work taking place
• Work must be completed within 120 days of application approval
• Work must be completed by September 15, 2025
• One Downtown Exterior Grant per property with the same owner, per 5 years
• Owners of multiple properties can annually submit an application for only one of their properties

Step 4.Before reimbursement

• Property owner provides at least $3,000 in receipts
• Staff performs a post-project inspection to verify project completion
• No exterior code violations are present
• Property owner must complete a W-9 

Step 5.Application

The city will start accepting applications on March 3, 2025.

The city at any time, without prior notice, and at its sole discretion, modify or eliminate this program. State and local grants are ordinarily taxable for federal income purposes. If awarded, the City will report the grant to the IRS and send you a Federal IRS Form 1099. Please consult a tax professional if you have questions about any possible tax liability you may incur.