Round Rock officials consider facade grant program to improve local businesses

Round Rock business owners may soon have a new funding method for revitalizing the facade, or building exterior, of their business. 
(Brooke Sjoberg/Community Impact)

Community Impact
By Brooke Sjoberg
Updated 12:45 PM May 9, 2023 CDT

Round Rock business owners may soon have a new funding method for revitalizing the facade, or building exterior, of their business.

City officials will vote on a proposed facade grant program that takes the form of a 380 agreement, which is used for economic development, May 11. The proposed grant program, if approved, would see facade remodeling, revitalization and other projects to improve the exterior of a place of business receive up to a 50% match with a minimum grant amount of $5,000 and a maximum amount of $100,000.

• Signs (new, repairs, replacement, removal);
• Awnings;
• Exterior paint;
• Removal/replacement of inappropriate or incompatible exterior finishes or materials;
• Brick, stone and masonry;
• Structural improvements to the facade;
• Exterior lighting detached or attached to the facade;
• Pavement, parking lot and sidewalks;
• Exterior or patio seating creation; and
• Landscaping including dumpster screening.

By Brooke Sjoberg - Brooke Sjoberg is the Round Rock reporter for the Round Rock and Pflugerville/Hutto editions of Community Impact Newspaper. She worked for The Gonzales Inquirer, The Daily Texan and The Daily Dot among other publications before coming to Community Impact. Brooke is from Seguin, TX and graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 2020. Her last name is pronounced Show-burg.