The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is a funding tool Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. (DGRI) administers to help catalyze public and private investment in Grand Rapids’ urban core.
To maintain a high level of openness and transparency during the COVID-19 pandemic, Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. (DGRI) will host all meetings on the virtual platform Microsoft Teams. This includes all DDA Board Meetings for the foreseeable future.
The full recording of the DDA Board meeting on December 9, 2020, is available on YouTube.
The Board met on this agenda and took the following action:
Received the Professional Audit of Fiscal Year 2020 Financials
The Board received the results of theFY 2020 financial audit which determined the DDA's accounting practices and policies remain appropriate and in full compliance with generally accepted accounting principles. The audit was prepared by the accounting and consulting firm Plante & Moran, PLLC.
Authorized Winter Ready Grant Support For Eight Businesses
The Board authorized funding from the Winter Ready Grant Program to support winterization efforts at 8 more Downtown businesses maneuvering to manage through the pandemic. The funds will support the deployment of outdoor seating, shelter and other measures to support business activity in the public realm through the cold weather season at the following establishments:
The Downtown Market: Up to $25,000 to purchase ten outdoor seating structures.
Brick & Porter: Up to $20,000 to purchase five outdoor seating structures and a large, heavy-duty tent.
The BOB: Up to $20,000 to purchase twelve outdoor seating structures.
MeXo: Up to $20,000 to purchase a large, heavy-duty tent and heating equipment.
Sandy Point Beach House: Up to $20,000 to purchase a large, heavy-duty tent and heating equipment.
Ando Sushi: Up to $20,000 to purchase a flexible patio enclosure.
Luna: Up to $20,000 to deploy several outdoor seating structures as well as purchase a shelter structure to place in the recovery social zone adjacent to the business.
City Built: Up to $26,000 to purchase a large, heavy-duty tent and heating equipment. City Built recently deployed “The Welcome Center” in Canal Park in the Monroe North neighborhood, which can be used by any business and is not exclusive to City Built.
For future grant requests, the Board also set a $20,000 threshold for individual businesses, and $26,000 for entities serving larger common areas, to help manage remaining budget funds.
