Brunswick Main Street Grants Six Façade and Interior Improvement Awards This Year

Awarded projects will lead to a $112,000.00 investment into downtown buildings.

Brunswick Main Street is pleased to announce that six downtown buildings will be receiving Community Legacy Grant funds for property improvements. The Brunswick Main Street Façade and Interior Improvement Program aims to financially support redevelopment and revitalization initiatives in the Brunswick Main Street district. The 2019-2020 Façade and Interior Improvement Program specifically looked to assist projects related to City of Brunswick and Frederick County occupancy code improvements.  The objectives of this recent grant cycle were to fund (1) façade improvements and signage which will enhance the appearance of the downtown and/or preserve the historical appearance of the buildings, (2) interior improvements, especially those that will bring a property up to code, facilitating occupancy, and (3) other related projects. This past year, Brunswick Main Street was awarded $50,000.00 to disperse among chosen applicants.

The Brunswick Main Street Façade and Interior Improvement program is funded through a Maryland State Revitalization Grant – the Community Legacy Grant. All projects must obtain Community Legacy Grant approval and Maryland Historical Trust approval (each improvement must not produce any adverse effect on the preservation of the building). The Brunswick Main Street Façade and Interior Improvement Program has been used to maintain and enhance some of downtown Brunswick’s most important downtown buildings and businesses. The program also contributes to improving the attractiveness and revitalization of our core downtown business district. Brunswick Main Street will be continuing the Community Legacy Grant Program in Fiscal Year 2021. Brunswick Main Street was awarded more funds this year ($55,000.00) for the program.

Brunswick Main Street’s 2019-2020 Façade and Interior Improvement Program will yield improvements valued at approximately $112,000.00. In this grant round, the following properties have been awarded funds:

• Potomac Street Grill (31 E Potomac Street) for new awnings;
• Antiques N Ole Stuff (25 E Potomac Street) for new interior and exterior lighting fixtures;
• Towpath Creamery/ Boxcar Burgers (12 S Maple Ave) for new air-conditioning systems; 
• “The Arts Center” (14 East A Street) for new plumbing, heating and cooling systems, electric work and new windows;
• Beans in the Belfry (122 W Potomac Street) for a new kitchen floor; 
• The Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Company (200 W Potomac Street) for a new roof.

Pictured: Clean Up Day 2018, Gene and Diane Farmer and David Roberts of Brunswick Crossing, April 28, 2018

Volunteering at Brunswick Main Street

By Brunswick Main Street

Volunteers are the heart and soul of Brunswick Main Street.

They are the Board members who spend hours contemplating the direction of the organization, they are the committee members who pull out the weeds in the flower pots or organize a property tour, and they are the ticket collectors, wine pourers, race officials and cleaners for one of our many events. Without them, Brunswick Main Street would only be a fraction of what it has become. This community cares deeply about our downtown, its history, and its importance to our identity.   

Brunswick Main Street could not be more proud of who we are, where we have come from, and where we will continue to go.

OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE THE BEST.

And we want you to meet a few:

WE NEED YOUR HELP

As Brunswick Main Street pushes itself as an organization, our need for community input and volunteer power becomes greater. If you have been thinking about becoming a volunteer, now is the time! Visit this page to find out what our current volunteer needs are: CLICK HERE

Call to Artists

About the Project:

APPLY:

Please note that the deadline for the proposals has been changed to July 31st at 5:00PM. All applications must be sent to Susie Leong at publicartonmain@gmail.com. If you have any questions, please contact Susie at 301.455.4487 or email the above address.

• One Artist/Team will be selected to provide five (5) temporary public art pieces, one for each of the Main Street sites. These must be five (5) unique public art pieces.
• Total budget for the project is $38,750
• All professional Artists or Artist Teams living within 80 miles of Frederick County are welcome to apply
• The Selection Committee (comprised of Main Street representatives and art professionals) will review all applications and select up to five (5) Finalist Artists or Artist Teams. The Finalists will be invited to develop proposals for the five sites. Each Finalist will receive an honorarium of $200.

To apply, please review and download the below attachment:

CALL TO ARTISTS Frederick Main Street Project

A Guest Blog Post by our Board Chairman, Julie Martorana

This year Brunswick Main Street celebrates its 15^th anniversary.  15 years and going strong! So what will the next 15 years look like?

As an organization, Brunswick Main Street faces the same challenges our city faces: embracing our past and looking forward to our future. The past provides us with knowledge from lessons learned and a solid foundation.  However, we must be willing to change.  None of us can afford to remain stagnant.  The best way to honor our past is to continue to envision our future, just as our founding members did when they began.

This past year Brunswick Main Street has been doing just that.  We are looking for ways to build on our strong organizational foundation while recognizing the changes occurring around us.  A sign of a strong, healthy organization is continually asking, “How can we improve”?  And that sentiment, I am happy to report, is alive and well at Brunswick Main Street.

Our newly developed Strategic Plan charts an ambitious course for the organization into 2025.  Through 2020, we will be concentrating on expanding our foundation by working to increase the capacity of the organization through the following efforts:

• Developing a comprehensive fundraising plan to ensure we have the resources to carry out our plans
• Expanding our volunteer base, again giving us the necessary diversity of resources
• Recruitment and development of our Board of Directors to ensure we have a sustainable organizational structure for the future
• Updating and documenting internal processes to support our growth and expansion
• Increasing our grant-seeking efforts to support our proposed programs and internal development

My intent here to show what Brunswick Main Street will be doing to build our organization. This is by no means an exhaustive list of the plans for our future.  We have many goals in each of our committees which include the Design committee, the Promotions committee and the Economic Restructuring committee. For more information about these committees and their plans please check out our our pages HERE.

In the next 15 years Brunswick Main Street has created a vision for our downtown that includes:

1. Attracting new and vibrant businesses to our downtown corridor and strengthening our support systems for the exisiting businesses within our Main Street district.

2. Making our downtown an attractive city center that is clean, green and safe.

3. Promoting all of the wonderful outdoor recreation opportunities right outside of our downtown. Everyone should experience the beauty of the C&O Canal in Brunswick!

I hope that this look into the future of Brunswick Main Street generates hope and excitement for what is to come.  At Brunswick Main Street we are motivated by the vision for our future and what we can do for Brunswick’s downtown district.  If you feel this same hope and excitement I urge you to join us.  It will take all of us, involved and engaged, to create the vibrant city center that will make us all proud of the town we love so dearly.

The Brunswick Main Street Community Legacy Grant was created to financially assist commercial property owners in the Brunswick Main Street district who wish to improve the interior or exterior of their space. To find out more about it, click here! In 2018, Brunswick Main Street chose four awardees for this grant: Cannon’s Events LLC, The Own It Company, Beans and the Belfry, and Brunswick’s up-and-coming Community Art Center located on 14 East A Street. Let’s take a look into the renovations that have been made possible thanks to the Community Legacy Grant! 

The Own It Company 

Located right across the street from Brunswick’s Square Corner Park is The Own It Company. As a community-centered organization, The Own It Company focuses on providing a collaborative office space to promote creativity. As recipients of the Community Legacy Grant, The Own It Company was able to update their electrical wiring throughout their building and install adequate electrical outlets on several of their work stations. As an older, more historic building, The Own It Company understands that it is just as important to keep the inside of their building operating efficiently as it is to preserve the historic factors of their building.

Cannon’s Events LLC

A bit further down West Potomac Streets sits Smoketown Brewing Station, a popular brewery for residents and a returning hot spot for tourists. With the money received from the grant, business owner Dave Blackmon was able to invest in his new business, Cannon’s Events, by renovating the rear exterior of the building. The exterior improvements include new windows and a set of double doors leading to a freshly set patio perfect for hosting events. Additional renovations that were made possible as a result of this grant include the installation of commercial fans, LED lighting, and glass interior walls.

The Community Arts Center

            Another recipient of the Community Legacy Grant is The Community Arts Center located on 14 East A Street. This historic building previously known as the “Beth Israel” Synagogue building is in the process of being renovated. This process was made a little easier for owner Matt Marcello after being announced a recipient of the grant. The money provided by the grant was used to place a new roof on the building. Marcello was thrilled to cross this task off of his to-do list and looks forward to creating a community art center people can visit and admire the work of their peers.

Beans in the Belfry

            The final recipient of the Community Legacy Grant is Brunswick’s favorite cafe: Beans in the Belfry. Beans in the Belfry is in the process of putting their renovation plans into action as they get ready to introduce a new fence and bike rack on the side of their building. They feel these renovations will be a major improvement in the city scape of downtown Brunswick. The bike rack will be perfect for customers and tourists coming from one of the many surrounding trails.

            Brunswick Main Street is proud to extend a helping hand to the businesses that continue to contribute so much to the town of Brunswick! Together we encourage not only business owners but community members to support these businesses and help show others why we love Brunswick!

To maintain and preserve the historic downtown of Brunswick Main Street, the town works closely with the Community Foundation of Frederick County, especially our Organization Committee. With the help of this committee, applications for various grants are reviewed and dispersed according to where they feel the grant will best be put into motion.

Recently, our very own Brunswick Main Street has been awarded the Linda Moran and Don Doughty Fund! Both Don and Linda have created this fund to share their appreciation of music and gardening. The couple feel that both music and gardening can bring a calming and restorative balance not only to individuals, but to communities. Wanting to share their passion for the arts and give back to various communities within the county, Don and Linda have worked together to set up the Don Doughty and Linda Moran fund to increase gardening opportunities and brighten up public green spaces.

Brunswick is especially excited to be recipients of this environmentally focused grant. We are particularly excited for our volunteers to tackle revitalizing the Pocket Park, our community park located across from Beans in the Belfry. Volunteers are eager to glove up and get down to business as they set out to purchase new plants, create new pathways in the park, tend to the flower beds, trim back some of the overgrown trees, and much more! The park includes a sign made out of bricks from the old high school – what a great way to recycle!

Brunswick Main Street would like to say a huge thank you to Karin Birch -our longtime volunteer for the park-  for all of her hard work to keep downtown Brunswick a beautiful, welcoming and historic main street!

Join us at the next Small City Saturday on April 13th as we launch this exciting project – stay tuned for updates!

Click through these images below for our BEFORE shots!