HopLore Gets $5K Facade Grant
August 17, 2021 at 2:25 a.m.
HopLore Gets $5K Facade Grant
By David [email protected]
Monday afternoon, WCDC presented a $5,000 check to Columbia Ventures for HopLore’s facade. On hand to accept the grant was HopLore co-owners Stefan King and brothers Steve and Keith Wehmeyer.
“Warsaw Community Development Corporation manages the facade grant for the downtown businesses in Warsaw. And we couldn’t be happier to partner with HopLore and Columbia Ventures to make this building a reality, and just make it a really cool place for people to hang out and build community within the downtown of Warsaw,” said Rob Parker, WCDC executive director and Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce president and CEO.
He said he believes HopLore will be a real draw for people to come here and invest in the community and area of Warsaw.
HopLore, along with the Gateway Grove housing addition being built at the former Madison Elementary School and the plans for the old Owen’s store building, “is going to be awesome,” Parker said.
Owen’s is going to be transformed into a mixed-use building with a commercial component to it and upwards of 150 apartment units, according to Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer. A parking garage is still under consideration, and “we’re trying to involve a smaller grocery store in there. We’ve got a big wish list. We’re really trying to make it a transformational project for the west side.” He said there really is a need for a grocery store on the west side, and parking continues to be an issue downtown. “The most important thing to it right now is the workforce housing component to it.”
The bike trail will go right along Market Street and there eventually will be a bike-share station in front of HopLore, Parker said.
“There’s a lot of great things happening here,” Parker said. “We’re just thrilled to be able to partner with our downtown businesses to make the community more presentable, more beautiful and just to continue to raise the bar here in Warsaw.”
Facade grants must be applied for, he said. The WCDC reviews the application, there’s a matrix system to evaluate the applications, and then it’s awarded. The facade grants are just for the downtown Commercial-4 District.
HopLore used their grant money for everything on the exterior of the building, including paint and lights. Any downtown business that is a part of the WCDC can apply for the facade grant.
“It’s a 50-50 match. So they put in $5,000, we gave them $5,000, for a total of $10,000,” Parker said.
This is the second consecutive year HopLore has received a $5,000 facade grant. Parker said a business can go back-to-back years, but then must take a year off before applying again. WCDC has $25,000 a year to grant each year.
“They have really made it a cool place that beautifies this side of town. It looks like there’s growth and something happening on this side of town,” Parker said of HopLore’s building improvements.
King explained the Warsaw location will be a little different concept than HopLore’s Leesburg location.
“The Leesburg location is still going to remain as our primary restaurant. It has more taps, has more guest beer. It’s more of a craft beer bar all around. This is going to be more of a tasting room, so more production is happening here. And then our tasting room is going to serve small plates and shareables,” King said. “It’s going to be more of an atmosphere geared toward the beer as opposed to a restaurant.”
Parker encouraged other downtown businesses to apply for the grant, and the application and more information is available on the website at warsawcdc.org.
Monday afternoon, WCDC presented a $5,000 check to Columbia Ventures for HopLore’s facade. On hand to accept the grant was HopLore co-owners Stefan King and brothers Steve and Keith Wehmeyer.
“Warsaw Community Development Corporation manages the facade grant for the downtown businesses in Warsaw. And we couldn’t be happier to partner with HopLore and Columbia Ventures to make this building a reality, and just make it a really cool place for people to hang out and build community within the downtown of Warsaw,” said Rob Parker, WCDC executive director and Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce president and CEO.
He said he believes HopLore will be a real draw for people to come here and invest in the community and area of Warsaw.
HopLore, along with the Gateway Grove housing addition being built at the former Madison Elementary School and the plans for the old Owen’s store building, “is going to be awesome,” Parker said.
Owen’s is going to be transformed into a mixed-use building with a commercial component to it and upwards of 150 apartment units, according to Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer. A parking garage is still under consideration, and “we’re trying to involve a smaller grocery store in there. We’ve got a big wish list. We’re really trying to make it a transformational project for the west side.” He said there really is a need for a grocery store on the west side, and parking continues to be an issue downtown. “The most important thing to it right now is the workforce housing component to it.”
The bike trail will go right along Market Street and there eventually will be a bike-share station in front of HopLore, Parker said.
“There’s a lot of great things happening here,” Parker said. “We’re just thrilled to be able to partner with our downtown businesses to make the community more presentable, more beautiful and just to continue to raise the bar here in Warsaw.”
Facade grants must be applied for, he said. The WCDC reviews the application, there’s a matrix system to evaluate the applications, and then it’s awarded. The facade grants are just for the downtown Commercial-4 District.
HopLore used their grant money for everything on the exterior of the building, including paint and lights. Any downtown business that is a part of the WCDC can apply for the facade grant.
“It’s a 50-50 match. So they put in $5,000, we gave them $5,000, for a total of $10,000,” Parker said.
This is the second consecutive year HopLore has received a $5,000 facade grant. Parker said a business can go back-to-back years, but then must take a year off before applying again. WCDC has $25,000 a year to grant each year.
“They have really made it a cool place that beautifies this side of town. It looks like there’s growth and something happening on this side of town,” Parker said of HopLore’s building improvements.
King explained the Warsaw location will be a little different concept than HopLore’s Leesburg location.
“The Leesburg location is still going to remain as our primary restaurant. It has more taps, has more guest beer. It’s more of a craft beer bar all around. This is going to be more of a tasting room, so more production is happening here. And then our tasting room is going to serve small plates and shareables,” King said. “It’s going to be more of an atmosphere geared toward the beer as opposed to a restaurant.”
Parker encouraged other downtown businesses to apply for the grant, and the application and more information is available on the website at warsawcdc.org.
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