CLINTON, Tenn. — Clinton received $70,000 from a state grant program meant to help communities revitalize their downtown areas while also preserving their history.
It's called the Downtown Improvement Grant Program, and Historic Downtown Clinton said it was told it would get the money on Nov. 22. It said it will go to five different property owners so it can make improvements and restorations on the buildings.
The buildings are located both on Main Street and Market Street and each was built between 1890 and 1940. Expected improvements include tuck-pointing mortar, window restoration, painting, signage, new front door and transom, new awnings, masonry repairs, lighting and more.
Property owners also said they would cover up to 25% of the cost of repairs on their buildings. One of the buildings, a general store turned antique shop, is the oldest building in downtown Clinton. It opened in 1890, according to Joey Smith, a historian in Clinton.
"You know, these buildings need quite a bit of work, but they're still strong," Smith said. "The intricacies of the brickwork, the type of wood, and the timbers that it's built out of — they just don't do it like that anymore."
Some city leaders said they believed the money from the state is a lifesaver.
"We felt like if the state didn't intervene, or if we didn't intervene with these buildings, we might lose them soon. And we didn't want to see that happen," Smith said.