PITTSBURG, Kan. —
Three small businesses in Pittsburg recently were awarded a total of about $41,000 in facade grants and forgivable loans from the city.
The City Commission last week approved a request for a $23,980 forgivable loan from CP Communications, a U.S. Cellular dealership owned by Chuck Parsons.
The loan will be forgiven in exchange for an estimated $680,000 investment Parsons said he is making to move his business south one lot, which allows for an expansion, according to Mark Turnbull, the city’s economic development director. The city money will used to build an additional approach to his new business at 2400 N. Broadway.
The commission granted a $14,448 forgivable loan to Jeff and Penny Wood, owners of Vietti Auto Body and Alignment Inc., to assist with infrastructure improvements.
The loan will be forgiven in exchange for a $150,000 capital injection by the owners, demolition of the existing structure at 321 E. Fourth St., and construction of a drive approach to the business. The building will be replaced with another of 3,600 square feet. The owners also will put in sidewalks.
Jeff Wood said the expansion will house all of the mechanical operations, and likely will involve hiring an additional technician and secretary.
Turnbull said the work would be a “major improvement” to the East Fourth Street corridor.
Funding for both loans comes from a portion of the city’s forgivable loan fund designated for infrastructure work. Four such loans may be awarded in a budget year. Neither of the loans had to be considered or approved by the Economic Development Advisory Committee because they were less than $25,000, Turnbull said.
The commissioners also gave the green light to a request by Joe Kim, owner of the Bamboo Chinese restaurant, for a $2,500 facade grant to improve the exterior at 808 N. Broadway.
Kim plans to spend an estimated $150,000 on renovations to the property, according to Turnbull, and is making a “significant improvement” in a previously vacant building.
The takeout and delivery business is slated to open later this fall, Kim said.
Health center
THE PITTSBURG CITY COMMISSION recently agreed to rezone land south and west of 3011 N. Michigan St. from single-family residential to a planned commercial office district. It will allow the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas to expand its operations. The center broke ground last week for a $5.3 million expansion.
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