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Dearborn offers grants to businesses along Warren Avenue to improve shopping area

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Dearborn offers grants to businesses along Warren Avenue to improve shopping area

Dearborn — Businesses along one of Dearborn’s main commercial corridors, Warren Avenue, will have the chance to apply for grants to update and improve the exterior of their property, hopefully bringing along changes one business owner said are a long time coming.

Ahmad Chebbani, chairperson of the Warren Avenue Business District Improvement Authority and owner of an accounting firm on Warren Avenue, said the goal of the Warren Avenue Facade Improvement Program is to improve the area and make it more shopper and pedestrian-friendly, he said.

“It’s been about 30 years in the making, trying to convert this district into a unique shopping district,” Chebbani said.

The Dearborn Economic Development Department and Warren Avenue Business District Improvement Authority will accept applications for the first round of funding for the Warren Avenue Facade Improvement Program until 5 p.m. Jan. 24. Funding of up to $200,000 will be awarded annually.

Businesses must pay for a minimum of 10% of the project cost, including a $5,000 down payment for smaller projects and $10,000 for larger ones.

Chebbani said the funds can allow business owners to do more of an arabesque styling to reflect the nature and the population of the area, which is largely Arab American.

His business, Omnex Accounting & Tax Services, has been on the corridor since 1987 and he said he is excited to see the improvements made. He hopes for the area to become more of a destination for Arab Americans as an ethnic area.

“It’s all about economic development, about how we bring value to our neighborhood,” Chebbani said. “It’s a win-win for all, for the population who lives here and also for the region. … People can come and enjoy a diverse experience that really you cannot get anywhere else aside from the Middle East.”

The city hopes to create a more attractive and inviting commercial corridor for residents and visitors, encourage businesses to stay, attract new business owners, enhance amenities that contribute to a walkable and livable community, stimulate economic growth and job creation and increase property values and foot traffic for businesses, according to a press release from the city.

“For generations, Warren Avenue has been at the heart of entrepreneurial spirit in our city,” Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud said in a statement. “With this ambitious program, we look forward to partnering with our small businesses to both preserve and enhance one of the City’s key commercial corridors and ensure it continues to be a gateway to economic mobility for generations to come.”

The grants come from Community Development Block Grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The city will also be improving the streets with a multi-million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation

Proposals that have the most significant impact on the community and the aesthetics of the corridor will be prioritized, according to the city. Businesses are encouraged to choose elements that speak to the area’s cultural history. 

“Our investment in Facade Improvement is a key component of our commitment to helping businesses on Warren Avenue thrive, and is paired with more than $31M being invested in the transformation of the Warren streetscape,” Dearborn Economic Development Director Jordan Twardy said in a statement.

kberg@detroitnews.com

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