With a grant in the amount of $15,000 from Lyon County Riverboat Foundation, the City of Rock Rapids has provided financial assistance to 10 downtown businesses for exterior improvements to their facilities.

The Store Front Incentive program was adopted by the Council in 2011 for projects starting in Fiscal Year 2012. The purpose is to encourage rehabilitation of commercial buildings, with the goal of improving the physical appearance of the downtown area.

Typical improvements include the following: patching, painting or cleaning of façade walls; replacement or repair of signage, lighting, windows, doors, cornices, sidewalks, or exterior steps; repair or installation of canopy, porch or awning.

To date, the City has provided approximately $120,000 in matching funds for this program. When added to the private investment from the commercial property owners, this has resulted in improvements costing more than $500,000 to the downtown area.

Projects completed to date are as follows: McCarty Motors; Country Boutique; Atlas of Lyon County; Air Conditioning & Heating; Family Dentistry; Greg Brommer (former Trendz Salon building); Rapids Theatre; Palace Jewelers; Ace Hardware; DRG Mechanical; Lillians; De Noble, Austin & Company; Lyon Sioux Rural Water; Todd’s; Olsen Heimensen; Rapid Flooring; Rock Rapids Car Wash; Get Energized; Union Jacks; Rosie’s; Sieperda property (Dollar General); HP Insurance; Home Warranty; Smith Construction; Sporty’s Bar & Grill; and Fiesta Brava.

Continuous exposure of improved store fronts in Rock Rapids provides benefit not only to business owners, but to all of Lyon County. The City extends its appreciation to Lyon County Riverboat Foundation for its participation in this project.