Architects from the Des Moines-based firm RDG Planning and Design will be in Guthrie Center next Monday to discuss their preliminary building plans with the business owners that are currently signed on for the city’s facade improvement project.

Mayor Denny Kunkle says the visit will be an all-day affair, with the 22 businesses involved each meeting individually with RDG to discuss what the firm has designed.

While many business owners are eager to see what RDG has come up with as far as design ideas, Kunkle says there are some who are worried about the project’s next phases.

“I think the big fear that everybody has even though there’s going to be a lot of help with the grant, they still have to come up with money also.  There’s fear out there from some of them that their percent that they have to come up with might be kind of a struggle, but until we get some actual numbers and do some talking and so on, we won’t we really know until after that day what everything looks like.”

Kunkle says payment for the facade improvement project is a 75-25 structure.  The city’s $500,000 revitalization grant will pay for 75% of the building improvement, and the business owners will be counted on to raise 25% of the funding.

Kunkle says that all 22 business owners have been receptive to RDG’s ideas to this point, and he hopes all will remain on board after next Monday’s meeting.