CHARLES CITY – A Charles City couple will restore a building on that city’s north side in a project valued at over $200,000.
The former Charley Western Depot building, located at 1006 North Grand Avenue, will be the new home to Staci and Stacy Ackerson’s insurance business after a $213,300 renovation is complete. Mrs. Ackerson said that “The Shankland Insurance office will hopefully be operating from that location by next Fall”. She also explained that she and her husband “are planning two 1 bedroom apartments on the second floor, and adding storage rental units off the back.”
A $55,000 grant to Community Revitalization of Charles City will be applied to help complete the project, with matching funds of $158,300 for a total project cost of $213,300.
Mrs. Ackerson described via social media of how the idea came to be.
“Back in February of this year, my husband asked me if I had given any thought to that ‘old brick building on N. Grand’. To which I replied, ‘Nope…why?’
He says, ‘do you think that would be a good location for your office?’ To which, I promptly respond – ‘Oh my gosh! I don’t know, Honey. That building is beautiful, but in terrible shape. I don’t think we can take that on right now.’
“We decided to take a peek, and we were immediately taken by the location, the building, and the history! We were able to purchase the building, rezone and through the hard work of many (Charles City Chamber, CC Main Street, CC Revitalization, CC Council, CC Engineer and Inspector, Connie Parson, CC Zoning, First Citizens National Bank, NIACC Small Business Development Center, Main Street Iowa Design Assistance, prayers and well wishes from our good friends, family and so many people in the community) we have now been awarded a major grant through the Main Street Iowa Economic Development.”
Mrs. Ackerson said she an her husband “are overjoyed, and humbled by the outpouring of support, the well wishes, and the hours of help by the above mentioned committees and members.”
The grants are administered through IEDA’s Iowa Downtown Resource Center and Main Street Iowa programs. The funding will be distributed in the form of matching grants to the selected Main Street programs. The estimated total project cost of the 14 projects is over $8 million.
“Each project must provide at least a dollar-for-dollar cash-match,” explained Main Street Iowa State Coordinator Michael Wagler. “Overall, these projects will leverage eight times the state’s investment into bricks and mortar rehabilitation. These projects will have a significant economic impact within each district.”
This project will bring the once stately two-story brick structure built prior to the 1900s back to life, preserve it for years to come, and provide needed rental units to the community.
The Challenge Grant program is funded through an appropriation from the Iowa Legislature. Since the first appropriation in 2002 through 2014, approximately $5.9 million in state and federal funds have leveraged over $37 million of private reinvestment into 110 projects in 43 Main Street Iowa commercial districts across the state.
