Gainesville Grant Program is BIG Marketing Success

The building at 107 S. Commerce in Gainesville, TX, has been in owner Chad Henderson’s family since 1977. It was constructed in 1884 and has never looked as good as it does now, thanks to the Henderson Family’s reinvestment in the property and the Business Improvement Grant (BIG) Program provided by the Gainesville Economic Development Corporation (GEDC).

“The facade is now a showcase for the history of this building and our square,” said Henderson. “Showcasing, investing and improving a downtown building may be the best marketing we can do for our businesses, tenants and downtown square.”

The BIG Program provides financial assistance for building/business owners to make exterior improvements in the Central Area Commercial District of Gainesville, TX. The Gainesville Economic Development Corporation aims to invest $138,730 into Downtown Revitalization efforts in the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Financial assistance will be reviewed, approved, and awarded at the sole discretion of the GEDC Board of Directors. Interested parties can apply here.

Moving the needle

Beginning as far back as 2008, Henderson renovated the upstairs portion of the building but more recently was able to complete work on the transom windows through a $1,725 BIG grant in the Fall of 2022, and then the awnings with another BIG grant of $4,802 in May 2023. 

“My wife and I absolutely would not have considered the facade renovation without the BIG program,” said Henderson. “It was a needle mover for us and something I viewed as a real opportunity to improve the visual aesthetic and overall efficiency of our building with respect to Gainesville's historic downtown square.” 

Henderson has put much time and effort into renovating the building, including a portion of the downstairs in 2022. He moved into the upstairs loft in 2009 after a complete rebuild of the 1,750-square-foot shell in 2008. He has leased out a portion of the bottom space since the original facade renovation began. That renovation was assisted by facade grant money from the former Main Street program for new upstairs windows in 2010, which saved him about $200 a month on the electric bill.  

Henderson said much thought has gone into every detail of the renovation, including modern materials and ideas, with respect to the square’s history and has instantly received many compliments from people in town. He believes he has one of the best looking buildings in Gainesville and has since improved the facade further with lighting, planters and new paint for the original iron posts.  

“We thank the EDC and BIG program for providing such an opportunity,” Henderson said. “This was a true partnership for the betterment of all parties involved and, hopefully, will inspire other property owners to consider grants and projects of their own for the continued revitalization of Gainesville's central area district.”

Interested parties can apply here. Financial assistance will be reviewed, approved, and awarded at the sole discretion of the GEDC Board of Directors.