CRA approves $148,700 commercial property improvement grant for Freight Yard site

The CRA board voted May 15 to approve a commercial property improvement grant of $148,700 for the Freight Yard project at the southeast corner of Railroad Avenue and Saint Francis Street. Elise Fisher, principal planner, summarized the grant program and said the Fiscal Year 2025 program provides eligible property owners up to $200,000 for exterior, interior or site improvements; grants over $100,000 are secured by mortgage and restrictive covenants. Staff found the Freight Yard application consistent with the Greater Frenchtown-Southside plan and state statute and identified economic development, public safety and quality-of-life benefits. Plans presented include screening a parking lot with mural-ready blank canvases, installing solar panels to power the site, adding landscaping and improved lighting, and converting a shipping container to commercial space. Fisher said the applicant has already worked with local artists and plans rotating murals and public bike parking. The board’s Citizen Advisory Committee reviewed the application on April 14 and, despite concerns about the public benefit of a primarily tenant-serving parking lot, recommended approval after the owner clarified the lot would be available to the public during non-office hours and would include bike parking. Director Matlow moved approval; the motion carried on an affirmative voice vote. Why it matters: The grant supports investment in adaptive reuse and streetscape improvements in the All Saints District; staff tied the project to CRA priorities for economic development, public safety and arts/culture.