The Jefferson City Council recently decided to push forward with a possible second phase of the downtown revitalization project.

City Administrator Mike Palmer says following the completion of the $1 million Community Development Block Grant, the Council heard growing interest from the building owners who were not involved in the initial project about wanting to do something like CDBG in the future. Palmer notes that they are currently looking to do a possible second phase to improve additional buildings on the downtown square.

“Community Development Block Grant is not, but we think we can do one privately, just through some city financing. The last one, the (building) owners had to contribute 25-percent of the cost. This one may be more 50/50. ”

Palmer says the City doesn’t want to lose the momentum that the initial project started.

“We have all of the people in place right now. We have the architect, we have the staff that’s used to doing this kind of thing now, we even have the financing-type that we have on staff right now can figure this out. So there’s every reason to do it now and just continue the momentum.”

Palmer notes that he’s done some preliminary observation and found about eight additional buildings that could benefit from renovating the front facade. Palmer hopes to present to the Council a formal plan in their second meeting in January. Any building owner around the downtown square that would be interested can contact Palmer at City Hall at 386-3111.