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MCURC Helps 17 Neighborhood Businesses Through NBDSG Program

Through the City of Cincinnati Neighborhood Business District Support Grant (NBDSG) Program and a partnership with Homebase Cincinnati, the Madisonville Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (MCURC) was able to assist 17 neighborhood businesses this past summer. Applications were open to all Madisonville-based small businesses. Businesses were given the option of applying for one of two types of grants: a façade improvement grant (up to $10,000) or an outdoor dining area improvement grant (up to $5,000). A total of $100,000 in grant funds was awarded to projects in Madisonville. Recipients of a façade improvement grant included: Beyond Exercise (5812 Madison Rd.): Exterior illuminated signCincinnati Wood Collaborative (5918 Madison Rd.): Exterior blade signMilton’s Donuts (5810 Madison Rd.): Exterior illuminated signRon D’s BBQ (6105 Madison Rd.): Window replacement, door replacement, body work, vinyl wrap/signageDial One Security (6114 Madison Rd.): Storefront doorsLia’s Landscaping (6616 Madison Rd.): Facade repair, canopy repair and lighting, LED lighting, exterior light fixturesMad Cheese (5903 Bramble Rd.): Exterior signFrench Rendez-vous (6124 Madison Rd.): Storm door, pressure washing, exterior painting, light fixtures, mailboxStylish LeNese (4905 Whetsel Ave.): Exterior blade sign, vinyl graphics, refinish storefront door, window treatmentPraise Temple Community Church (5008 Whetsel Ave.): WindowsBramble Supermarket (5915 Bramble Ave.): Storefront windows and frames Recipients of an outdoor dining area improvement grant included: Mom ‘n ‘em Coffee & Wine (4310 Whetsel Ave.): Outdoor furniture, planters, plantings, outdoor hose and hose reelWhetsel Whip (4825 Whetsel Ave.): Picnic tables, umbrellas, trash/recycling receptacle, planter boxes, plantingsBee’s Barbecue (5910 Chandler St.): Picnic tables, umbrellas, bases, sign repairMazunte Catering & Mercado (6126 Madison Rd.): Outdoor tables, chairs, umbrellas, planters, plantingsMazunte Taqueria (5207 Madison Rd.): Outdoor tables, chairs, canopy, planters, plantingsRed Sesame (4804 Whetsel Ave.): Picnic tables, umbrellas, bases, landscaping, bistro sets

New Affordable Homes Nearing Completion

MCURC is excited to share that several new, affordable homes for sale are nearing completion. Over the years, MCURC has built or rehabbed a total of 17 homes in the neighborhood. In this latest round, MCURC partnered with The Port – Cincinnati City of Cincinnati Department of Community & Economic Development and Titan Real Estate to bring seven two-story and two one-story homes to vacant lots throughout Madisonville. The 1,500sf, 3-bedroom, 2.5 bath homes are available for $210,000. Please see MCURC’s website for more information about income restrictions and other eligibility requirements. Thank you to all of MCURC’s partners for continuing to help bring affordable homeownership to Madisonville. See more at LISC Greater Cincinnati and HomeBase Cincinnati.

Madisonville Branch Library Moves Into New Home 

On Saturday, March 18, the Madisonville Branch Library celebrated its grand opening at its new location at 4910 Whetsel Avenue.  The new 8,600 square foot ground floor location is fully accessible and features some amazing amenities including a virtual reality (VR) setup, four study pods, two community meeting rooms, a “one-touch” recording studio, a vinyl printer, a button maker, an embroidery section, a kids’ area and several public laptops, computers, and iPads available for in-library use. The library also partnered with ArtWorks to create murals throughout the library. Check it out!

New Grant Programs Will Help Madisonville Businesses 

MCURC is thrilled to announce that our organization was awarded a $100,000 grant to help Madisonville’s small businesses recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to a lot of hard work by Homebase, the City of Cincinnati, and MCURC’s board and staff, Madisonville’s Neighborhood Business District Support Grant (NBDSG) programs are underway! There are two grant opportunities available. Outdoor Dining Area Improvement Grant The purpose of the Madisonville Neighborhood Business Outdoor Dining Area Improvement Grant Program is to assist restaurant owners and/or food and beverage establishment operators within the Madisonville Neighborhood Business District. The funds are available through Federal ARPA dollars to help address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on small businesses. The grants are funded through Neighborhood Business District Support Grant (NBDSG) and administered by the City of Cincinnati, Homebase, and the Madisonville Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (MCURC). Creating outdoor gathering spaces, providing opportunities for neighborhood establishments to expand seating capacities, and improving the outdoor dining experience for establishment guests and visitors to the neighborhood is critical to both the success of individual establishments and to the economic health and vitality of the neighborhood of Madisonville. Façade Improvement Grant The purpose of the Madisonville Neighborhood Business District Façade Improvement Grant Program is to provide financial incentive to commercial or mixed-use building owners located within the Madisonville Neighborhood Business District. The funds are available through Federal ARPA dollars to help address the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on small businesses. The grants are funded through Neighborhood Business District Support Grant (NBDSG) and administered by the City of Cincinnati, Homebase, and the Madisonville Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (MCURC). Improving the look of building facades through awnings, fresh paint, new storefront windows and doors, permanent signage, etc. boosts the visual appearance of the entire business district, which is critical to both the success of individual businesses and to the economic health and vitality of the neighborhood of Madisonville. The application period for both programs closed on March 12. Grant recipients will be chosen by the end of March and a public announcement regarding the program will be made this spring.

MCURC Saves Another Historic Building

MCURC acquired 6012 Madison Road in 2019 with plans to stabilize this long-vacant building and prepare it for a future business. Due to rising construction costs, it took us longer than he had planned to get started but work is underway. Many thanks to our partners at the City of Cincinnati, The Port of Greater Cincinnati, and Kaiker Development + Construction for working with us on this extremely challenging project. We are grateful to play a role in saving well-loved buildings in the business district. This is the third building saved by MCURC since 2014!

MCURC Partners with The Port to Build Nine Affordable Homes

MCURC is so excited to announce that construction on our “NOFA Homes” project has begun! Nine new, affordable single-family homes are being built on vacant lots throughout the neighborhood. Each house will feature 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. There will be seven 2-story homes and two ranch-style homes built. The homes will be available for sale to households earning 80% or less than the area median income (AMI).  Interested buyers are required to enroll in a homebuyer training class. The homes will be listed in a few months when construction is further along.  MCURC is grateful for our partnership with the City of Cincinnati, The Port, Finance Fund, LISC, Homebase, and Titan Real Estate Group to bring affordable homeownership opportunities to Madisonville.

MCURC Has a New Home

We have finally moved into our new home at the historic Metz House…and you can join us!  Single offices, suites and an entire floor are available for rent right now.  Contact Matt Strauss at matt@technonprofit.net or 271-2495 to learn more.