Sign up for a DDA grant

By Charles Sercombe
Attention business owners, here’s a deal for you.
If your business sign is old, out of date, or just needs a new image, the Hamtramck Downtown Development Authority is offering a special grant to get you a new sign.
The program is called, appropriately enough, the “Downtown Signage Improvement Grant.”
The only catch is your business has to be located in the DDA district, which is the entire length of Jos. Campau within the Hamtramck borders (OK, that’s from Carpenter on the north border of Detroit down to Hamtramck Dr.).
Even if you are leasing space on Jos. Campau you qualify, as long as you have permission from the building owner. Commercial property owners are also eligible.
The DDA will be offering $500 to businesses that qualify.
To participate, fill out an application by going to city hall where the Department of Community and Economic Development office is located, or call the Ofice’s Director, Kathy Angerer, at (313) 876-7700, extension 326.
Angerer said the grant “is one more way that the DDA is using the revenue collected from businesses in the district for the good of the city.”
In other DDA news, the organization recently held a Fall Merchant meeting where a year in review was presented. Some of the highlights for the DDA during the past year included:
• The painting of Jos. Campau curbs to mark no parking spaces
• Replanting of flower boxes
• Repainting of fire hydrants and parking meters throughout the city
• Installing banners on Campau
• Sponsoring local events such as “Countdown to Paczki Day” and the Paczki 5K run; commercial real estate tour; renovation of Veterans Park and Pope Park; Hamtramck Labor Day Festival.
The DDA Board is led by Chairman Vince Szymborski and meetings are held at Hamtramck City Hall, on the first Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Any member of the public or business community may attend the meetings.