WILTON — Progress on the town’s application for a $150,000 federal grant signals early efforts toward a new round of downtown revitalization projects, Town Manager Rhonda Irish says.

Irish told the Wilton Selectboard on Tuesday that she submitted a letter of intent alerting the state to the town’s plans to apply formally for the Community Development Block Grant in April. Irish said the grant would bolster town efforts beginning in 2010 to attract new businesses, employees and residents to Wilton through investments in the downtown district.

Wilton Town Manager Rhonda Irish says the town will apply formally for a Community Development Block Grant in April as part of a new round of downtown revitalization efforts. Staff file photo by David Leaming

“We’re trying to create a good, viable downtown, which in turn will hopefully bring people to live here and bring their businesses,” Irish said in an interview Wednesday. “A healthy downtown makes for a healthy rest of the entire community.”

If awarded, this latest grant would go to individual businesses in the downtown district looking to make changes to their buildings’ facades. Those businesses would be required to front half of their project costs, while the grant would cover the remaining half.

Irish said she already has heard from 11 businesses interested in taking part in the grant for projects including roof repairs, painting, adding signage and upgrading outdoor lighting.

Through the grants, Irish said local businesses were offered incentives to make improvements that would also benefit the town without using town funds. The only costs to the town, she said, would be in payments to economic development consultant Darryl Sterling, who is helping Wilton with the grant application.

Wilton has received more than $3.5 million in federal Community Development Block Grants since 1983. Previous grants have gone toward parking lot construction, installation of the town water system and reducing slum and blight, according to Maine Department of Economic and Community Development records.

A $400,000 grant awarded in 2015 was used largely to upgrade the town’s lighting system, including extensive work on underground wiring for light poles, and expansion of the monument area, Irish said. The town also used the money for a new sidewalk and a nearby parking lot upgrade, with the goal of creating a safer and more walkable downtown.

Those efforts, Irish said, are beginning to pay off.

“What we are seeing out of what we have done already is we know of a few businesses that have moved in, but behind the scenes we are talking to others,” Irish said.

Irish cited expanding occupancy at the mixed-use Bass Wilson building and increased interest in a nearby industrial complex as signs of progress.

Joey Cousineau, property manager of the Bass Wilson building, confirmed that occupancy in the building has increased 15 percent in the past year. He credited the downtown revitalization projects with generating more interest in Wilton.

“They’ve done a very good job of adding new modern ameneities but also keeping with the authentic feel of the town,” Cousineau said. “I think that has been really helpful in making people want to come into the town.”

Cousineau said his company decided to expand the number of residential offerings in the Bass Wilson building after it rented out its first five apartments. The company recently completed three more one-bedroom apartments, with two more in the works, Cousineau said.

“People seem to be drawn to the area, and I think anything that the town does just helps,” Cousineau said. “We love seeing new people come to Wilton.”

Kate McCormick — 861-9218

kmccormick@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @KateRMcCormick

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