Commercial Facade and Site Improvement Grant

The City of Round Rock, Texas, administers the Commercial Facade and Site Improvement Grant through its Community and Neighborhood Services Department. This initiative reflects the City Council’s strategic emphasis on revitalizing key commercial corridors to stimulate economic development, elevate the visual character of Round Rock, and support local business growth. The grant is a tool to encourage exterior property enhancements that align with city codes and aesthetic goals, ultimately improving the city's commercial viability. The program is backed by Chapter 380 of the Texas Local Government Code, reinforcing its foundation in local economic development policy. The primary objective of the program is to support the rehabilitation, restoration, and enhancement of building facades within designated commercial areas—specifically, North Mays and South Mays corridors. Eligible properties are strictly confined to those located within the boundaries defined in Exhibit A of the grant documentation. Improvements must face public streets and not alleys. This location-based targeting ensures investments concentrate in areas most in need of economic revitalization. Projects must involve eligible exterior work such as signage installation or removal, awnings, masonry, structural repairs to facades, landscaping, lighting, and similar enhancements. Routine maintenance, interior work, HVAC, roofing, and non-qualifying contractor arrangements are explicitly excluded from reimbursement. Grants are reimbursable and capped at $100,000, with a 1:1 matching requirement from the applicant. This match must be monetary—non-cash contributions, sweat equity, or related party transactions are prohibited. To be eligible, the total project cost must be at least $5,000, and both the applicant and the property must be current on all taxes and free of code violations. If the applicant is a tenant, the property owner must provide written approval for the project. Projects must comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation to maintain architectural integrity and ensure compatibility with the area’s historic character. The application process includes several mandatory steps. Applicants must first meet with the Director of Community and Neighborhood Services to discuss the project scope. Required materials include architectural renderings, color and material samples, bids no older than 90 days, photographs of existing conditions, and ownership or lease documentation. The grant application is reviewed by the Director and ultimately approved or denied by the City Council, which retains full discretion over awards. Projects must begin within 90 days of approval and be completed within 180 days, though limited extensions may be granted for good cause. Once the work is completed, applicants must submit a formal Reimbursement Request within 60 days, along with photos, receipts, invoices, and a certification of compliance. Work must be verified by city inspectors to ensure compliance with all permits, codes, and the submitted application. Failure to follow the approved scope or failure to maintain the improvements during the three-year maintenance period (or lease term, if shorter) may result in repayment of the grant. Grantees must also maintain insurance on improvements and allow the city to promote completed projects publicly. This grant program does not have a recurring or annual cycle. There is no set application window or deadline. Applications are considered on a rolling basis, but only if funds are available and all eligibility criteria are met. No award is guaranteed, and decisions are made case-by-case. The City’s investment through this grant seeks to catalyze business growth, improve neighborhood aesthetics, and drive private reinvestment into commercial zones that directly benefit the broader Round Rock community.