Façade Grant Program

Purpose: This program is designed to provide financial partnership opportunities with the City of North Myrtle Beach to perform façade improvements to commercial structures within the City’s Activity Center Corridors.

coastal streetscape of a commercial area
The City will offer a dollar-for-dollar matching grant, up to a maximum of $25,000 per applicant, payable on a reimbursement basis upon submission of paid receipts for approved work on the façade of a single commercial building in the Corridor. Specific rules for the approval of funds are as follows:
  1. The building for which the work is proposed must front or face either Sea Mountain Highway, Main Street, 17th Avenue South, or 37th Avenue South, where such road portions are contained within the Priority Investment Activity Center Corridors.
  2. The work to be performed must be predominantly on the front façade of the building. The Award Committee may approve reimbursement for work on minimal portions of the sides of buildings, only to the extent necessary to structurally ‘tie’ the front work to the sides.
  3. Program funds may not be used for new construction or to remedy building code deficiencies or violations. The grant is intended to support cosmetic improvements to the existing front façade of an eligible commercial building.
  4. A single applicant may be eligible for one award per fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).
  5. Buildings eligible for the program must be used or designed primarily for retail, food or drink service establishments, art or performance studios, or professional and medical offices. Mixed-use buildings containing residential uses may be eligible provided that the non-residential portion is on the ground floor and occupies at least 70% of the width of the front of the building.
  6. All work must be pre-approved by the Award Committee for reimbursement eligibility, and the work must be completed and reimbursement request submitted not later than the third Monday of May of that fiscal year.
  7. Any portion of the work found by the Award Committee to have NOT been performed in consistency with the approved work plan shall be ineligible for reimbursement.
  8. All contractors / subcontractors used in association with the project must be licensed by all appropriate State and City authorities; and must have an active City business license. Building permits must be obtained for all work prior to commencement.
  9. Changes to business signage may be approvable under this program, provided the proposed signage conforms with the City’s Zoning Ordinance requirements.
  10. Items set up within the public street right-of-way, per the Sidewalk Vending Ordinance, shall NOT be eligible for funding under this program.
  11. Interested applicants must apply for a building permit for the requested improvements not later than the first Thursday of October of the fiscal year. As part of the building permit application, drawings, photo montages, sketches or other renderings shall be submitted along with current photographs of the existing building, in sufficient detail to allow the Award Committee to understand what the building façade will look like upon completion of the work. The Award Committee retains full discretion to reject incomplete applications.

Eligible work elements may include, but are not necessarily limited to:

  • Changing the materials making up the façade, such as brick, stucco, wood, cementitious fiber board, stone, or ‘dressed’ concrete masonry. Metal trim work may also be eligible, but not as a primary façade material.
  • Building signage conforming with the City’s Zoning Ordinance, excluding vinyl or acrylic paneled box signs.
  • Windows, provided they conform with Building Code requirements.
  • Flood vents, if required by the City’s Flood Hazard Mitigation Ordinance.
  • Doors / doorway improvements.
  • Painting of the building, provided the proposed color palette is approved by the Committee.
  • Repair, replacement or addition of architectural elements such as window casings, fabric or metal awnings, water tables, cornices, entablatures, piers, columns, bulkheads, kickplates, entrances, transom or clerestory windows, sign friezes, or similar.
  • Box planters incorporated into the front façade, but not the plant materials themselves.
  • Exterior lighting fixtures that are decorative, appropriately scaled, and enhance the building’s façade at night.
  • Decorative tile or mosaic accents integrated into the architectural design.
  • Façade-mounted canopies or overhangs that are structural and permanent, not temporary in nature.
  • Integrated seating elements that are part of the architectural composition, such as built-in benches or low walls.
  • Decorative screening or trellis work, including vegetated or green wall systems affixed to the front façade, provided they are securely mounted and contribute to the building’s overall design.
  • Integrated architectural art features, such as bas-relief panels, sculptural elements, mosaic installations, or murals that are constructed as permanent components of the façade. All artwork must be approved by the Committee for design quality and compatibility with the corridor.
  • Façade-mounted address numbers or building placards that are architecturally integrated and made of durable, decorative materials.
  • Code-compliant decorative shutters, including operable or fixed hurricane-rated shutters, provided they are appropriately scaled to the window opening and stylistically consistent with the building. Vinyl shutters or inappropriately sized/mounted shutters are not eligible.

Ineligible work elements shall include, but not necessarily be limited to:

  • Unfinished concrete block or masonry construction.
  • Synthetic stucco.
  • Unfinished / unpainted wood or cementitious fiber boards.
  • Vinyl or acrylic paneled box signs.
  • Unapproved colors in a painting scheme.
  • Designs deemed by the Award Committee to be incompatible with the architectural character of the surrounding area or inconsistent with the City’s goals for corridor improvement. While coastal architectural themes are encouraged, a range of context-sensitive styles may be appropriate provided they enhance visual appeal and contribute positively to the streetscape.
  • Unfinished or bare metal (except copper or other materials designed to achieve a desired patina over time).
  • Electronic message board signage.
  • Vinyl siding or trim work.
  • HVAC additions or improvements.
  • Roof repairs or material changes, except where such materials are incorporated in other approved elements, such as structural awnings.