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Deana Wright, Manager
270-759-9474
101 South 4th St.
(Union Planters Bank building
downtown, 3rd floor)
E-mail
Streetscape
Murray Main Street secured the funding to develop and implement the Streetscape project. Our plan is considered exceptional within the state for its design and pedestrian accessibility. The Design committee followed through on every detail of Streetscape from light poles, light pole banners, benches, plantings and all other elements that are part of streetscape renovations.
The City of Murray was recently awarded "Best Streetscape" in Kentucky Monthly magazine.
Two recent photographs of the Court Square nearing completion of Streetscape. Note the newly established lawn areas, lamp posts and brick walk areas. New banners have been posted on the lamp posts downtown advertising the Saturday Market. We are working on getting the crosswalks fixed and brought back up to grade level. Planters have been placed and will be planted soon. Trash cans have recently arrived and will be placed on the square next week. We are also working to get a mowing and watering schedule in place for the new grassy areas.
Click here for Additional pictures and information courtesy of Explore Kentucky Lake
Seeking historic recognition
Bricks for Sale
As Part of the downtown Streetscape Plan, Murray Main Street is selling specially engraved bricks. Several areas have been designated for donor bricks. Each of the following sections will have an engraved marker denoting the area:
In Honor of
Veterans
Business
Community Supporter
The cost for a brick is as follows:
$50 for two lines of text on a brick
$60 for three lines of text on a brick
Note: 13 characters per line with spaces also counting as characters.
For additional information or to have an Brick Purchase application mailed to you, call Murray Main Street at 759-9474 or drop by the office. Alternatively, you can purchase your brick right from our website by clicking submit an online brick purchase form.
Post Office project
A project that has been underway for five years has recently been completed. The downtown historic post office has recently been renovated using federal and state grant dollars in addition to matching funds from the City of Murray. More information on this project will be forthcoming but for now please click on the link to see before pictures. MURRAY POST OFFICE PROJECT.
Project funding
In April 1999 Renaissance Kentucky awarded Murray (City and County) as a Main Street Community $464,000.00. In May of this year we were awarded another $400,000.00.
Who gave Murray these dollars? This money was awarded to our community through Renaissance Kentucky which is an alliance made up of the Kentucky Housing Corporation, The Kentucky Heritage Council, the Kentucky League of Cities and the Department for Local Government. Renaissance Kentucky is a unique program whose goal is to help strengthen and revitalize downtown central business districts across the commonwealth. It is their aim to use a public private partnership approach to help foster downtown revitalization. The Renaissance Alliance is able to put forward resources that enable communities help themselves.
Money is important for bricks and mortar in downtown redevelopment but that is only one part of the recipe for revitalization. The Kentucky Heritage Council, as part of Renaissance Kentucky, works with communities to implement the “four point” “Main Street” approach to revitalization. All communities receiving grant dollars are required to have a Main Street program for implementation. Essentially, that means two things. First that the Renaissance Alliance is requiring that as a provision of receiving funds, communities must use the “Main Street” “four point” approach developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and implemented in Kentucky by the Kentucky Heritage Council. By using the Main Street approach Renaissance Kentucky knows that its dollars are being well spent, because funded communities are using both a proven methodology and the partnership approach to make revitalization work.
Who gets these dollars and what are they for?
Murray Main Street does not receive one penny of this money. It does not go to the operation of our program. (Our program relies strictly on funding from memberships, the city, the county, and a declining grant from the Kentucky Heritage Council).
All awarded funds must be matched at 20% by the city and/or county depending on the designated project(s) that the money is being used for. The money is a combination of state and federal funds set aside to be used expressly for Main Street/ Renaissance communities. These dollars are to be used for architectural/design help, the drafting of construction documents, and for “bricks and mortar”.
At the local level, dollars have been allocated to secure professional design and planning services for the physical redevelopment of downtown; a master plan is currently underway. A portion of these dollars are to be used for streetscape upgrades, such as lighting, new sidewalks, and landscaping. Some funds have been allocated for the restoration of the facade of the old post office building as well as the Court House.
Thirty seven thousand five hundred dollars of the money was designated by Renaissance Kentucky for “façade grants”. Façade grant money is matched dollar for dollar and is awarded to building owners interested in restoring their building facades. All building owners must use the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation (good preservation practices) to be awarded matching grant dollars. This is a great example of a public private partnership. It encourages strong community “buy in” and participation. By helping individual property owners restore and renovate their building facades you accomplish a number of objectives at once. We help a building owner beautify and add value to their building while at the same enhance the street level appearance of downtown.
All the state and federal dollars must be used for what is stated in the grant. If dollars are not used appropriately or if we fail to meet our requirements locally, grant monies will be rescinded. All plans for any of the above mentioned improvements must first be approved by the Kentucky Heritage Council before any work can commence.
Murray Main Street serves as facilitator, coordinator, and community liaison for these grants. Murray Main Street is working as an asset for the community to help leverage funding and to help implement revitalization activities. We are strictly a volunteer organization. Your help and input into the revitalization process is welcomed and needed. For more information on how you can become involved in Murray Main Street come visit us at 306 Main Street or call the office @ 759-9474
