Redevelopment commission approves five facade grants, adds condition to protect downtown mural

The Muncie Redevelopment Commission on Nov. 20 approved five facade grant awards recommended by its facade committee and added a contingency stipulating that the mural on 306 South Walnut not be altered as a condition of one grant.

Commissioner Bishop, who presented the committee's recommendations, said the committee received roughly 10–12 applications and was recommending five awards for approval. The five projects approved together represent about $75,000 of the program's $150,000 annual allocation, Bishop said. "We are recommending approval of 5 of those today," he told the commission.

Projects approved included: an application from Jonathan Chambliss / Crew Construction for 215 South Walnut (committee noted a project cost of $143,000 and a facade grant cap of $25,000); an application from Michael Jennings for a house in the Gilbert National Historic District (committee noted a requested grant figure listed around $8,600 and referenced a larger total project cost in the packet); 4 Tabs LLC (Cindy Buchanan) for 306 South Walnut (the Columbia building), a historically oriented facade restoration with committee-noted total costs north of $200,000 and a cap of $25,000; a sidewalk-replacement project for William Peckinpah at 400 West Jackson (total project cost listed at $2,027, eligible at up to 50% under program rules); and Minnetrista Museum & Gardens at 620 West Minnetrista Boulevard (LL Ballhaus/Bob Ross Museum), with the committee recommending up to $15,000 under program caps.

The facade program's matching rules and location-based caps were discussed during the meeting. Bishop summarized program parameters: projects generally are capped at 50% of project cost, with higher per-project caps for work closer to downtown (for example, up to $25,000 in some downtown cases and up to $15,000 in other designated areas).

Public comment prompted a separate motion and vote. Tanya Seid, executive director of the Muncie Arts and Culture Council, told the commission the 306 South Walnut building hosts a mural, "On the Mark for the City," created by a local artist collective, and that the mural commemorates the Pulse Nightclub mass shooting in Orlando. Seid and other commenters urged the commission to ensure the mural would be retained. After debate — including concerns from some commissioners about changing an already approved application and about property-owner rights — a motion to amend the approval for the 306 South Walnut application to be contingent on no alterations being made to the existing mural was made, seconded and approved by roll call.

Commissioners discussed program administration the rest of the meeting: staff said the program was originally structured as a $150,000-per-year allocation that refreshes annually rather than an automatic rollover account; commissioners asked staff to place a dedicated agenda item next month to consider whether unused funds should be carried forward, and the facade committee requested improvements to the online application and a publicity push.

The commission's approval of the five awards and the mural-preservation contingency were recorded by roll-call votes. The commission also asked staff to provide more detail on future applications (for example, whether a rehabilitated house will be owner-occupied or rented) and to coordinate with the arts community regarding public-art impacts.

Next steps: the applicants will proceed under the terms of the facade program and the newly added contingency for 306 South Walnut; the commission scheduled further discussion of program rules and potential application changes at its next meeting.