Waupaca Common Council approves grant for 3D alley project
By Angie Landsverk
The city of Waupaca is supporting this year’s community art project with a grant to cover the permit fees related to the project.
The Waupaca Community Arts Board (WCAB) plans to install the 3D Alley Art project in the alleys between Main and Washington streets.
City Administrator Aaron Jenson said the board approached the city with the idea.
WCAB wants to help drive foot traffic to downtown businesses this year, when Main Street is reconstructed from Badger to Water streets.
The reconstruction project is tentatively expected to start around April 1 and be completed by about Oct. 31.
Some downtown business owners plan to use the back doors as customer entrances when the project is underway.
The 3D projects need to be treated like signs, which means signage fees thus apply to them.
“We have ordinances saying we have to charge the same fees for everyone. We could be talking 25 different businesses,” Jenson told the common council when it met on Feb. 2.
He said one way the city could support the project is by using funds from Tax Incremental District (TID) No. 10 as a grant to WCAB to cover those fees.
The common council agreed with the idea.
It voted 9-0 to provide up to $4,000 in grant funds from TID 10 to cover the fees related to the project.
Ald. Paul Mayou was absent for the vote.
Downtown Business Incentive Program funding
Jenson said the funds will come out of the $1 million approved last year for the city’s new Downtown Business Incentive Program.
Funds for the program were transferred from TID 4 (Western Avenue) to TID 10 (Badger Street).
This is the first year of the program, with funding of $500,000 proposed.
The program includes two types of grants – the Facade Enhancement Grant and the Building Repair Grant.
Mayor Brian Smith said he thinks the grant to WCAB to cover fees for this year’s community art project fits with what the city wants to see happen to downtown properties.
The project is about doing something aesthetically with the outside of buildings, he said.
“It fits perfectly,” Smith said.
The 3D alley project involves WCAB getting the permission of building owners to have 3D art installed on the outside of their buildings.
Area artists may submit designs for the juried contest.
The idea is to turn such things as pipes, stair rails, grates and vents into art.
It is up to businesses whether they participate in the project.
When asked if $4,000 is enough to cover the fees, Jenson said he is “confident it will not be more than that knowing the number of buildings downtown and the businesses being targeted.”
The arts board hopes to install 3D art in 26 locations this year.