June 30, 2022 – The Ames Economic Development Commission is pleased to announce that the City of Boone has received funding for a Downtown renovation project.
The Iowa Economic Development Authority has awarded the City of Boone with $100,000 for a project that will transform an underutilized building into new commercial and residential space.
Known as the News Republican Building, 812 Keeler Street has sat vacant for the past decade due to the building’s current state of disrepair. This new project will renovate the first floor into two commercial spaces and create upper-story housing units.
“This grant is another positive step in our Downtown revitalization efforts,” said John Slight, Mayor of Boone. “Pursuing this type of state funding will be vital for similar projects, and City support is a top priority for our local partners wanting to work with us. The timing of this project couldn’t be better as well for our partnership with Main Street Iowa and the Boone Chamber of Commerce as we near the application presentation on July 14. This project provides hard evidence that the long-term goal of our community is to develop a vibrant Downtown for generations to come.”
