Resources Available

The Laramie Main Street Program offers several incentive programs – loans, grants, and design assistance – to encourage thoughtful investment in downtown buildings and businesses.  We also provide information: on how to make investments in ways that reinforce the district’s scale and character; on downtown market niches and needs; and on business development and training.    

Please contact us for more information on any of these programs, or to share your ideas on other resources you would like to see.

Financial Assistance

Laramie Main Street Design and Technical Assistance Grant Program

The purpose of this program is to provide funds to businesses and property owners located within the boundaries of the Laramie Main Street Program downtown development district specifically for the design and technical assistance of exterior builiding improvements.

• Up to $1,000 or 50% of total project cost
• Funded on a first-come, first-serve basis
• All projects must adhere to the Laramie Main Street Program Design Guidelines (2007). Information about these guidelines is available here.

More information and an application form can be downloaded by clicking here.

Laramie Main Street/DDA Low-Interest Loan Fund

The Downtown Laramie Low-Interest Loan Fund was formed and is administered by the Laramie Main Street Program in partnership with the Laramie Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and Design Committee, working with a consortium of local banks providing low interest loans to borrower for projects that support economic development and historic preservation in Downtown Laramie. Participating local banks provide long- and short-term loans at better terms and lower interest rates than usually available.

Eligibility: Any Downtown property or business owner may apply for funding. The project site must be located in Laramie’s Downtown District (see map on reverse). The borrower must be sufficiently credit-worthy to qualify under normal banking guidelines and must contribute at least 30% to the total cost of the proposed project.

Loan Limits: Amounts up to $10,000 for a term of not more than 5 years, with a fixed low-interest rate of 3% below Wall Street prime rate.

Eligible Uses: The loans may be used to improve or renovate building façades and interiors, or support business expansion. Refresh a historic façade, convert second floor space to residential use, put up a new sign, and improve your marketing. The possibilities are nearly endless.

Application Process: Complete a short proposal that describes the project to be financed in some detail and explain the expected benefits. The Laramie Main Street DDA and Design Committees will review the proposal for your project’s contribution to Downtown’s historic preservation and economic development. If your application is approved, a participating local bank will contact you to obtain necessary financial information to receive and complete the loan. 

Free Advice: You may contact the Main Street Executive Director for assistance in completing the application. Also the DDA and Design Committees offer free design and technical assistance to help you develop your project.

A copy of the application form can be downloaded here.

WY Main Street Low-Interest Revolving Loan Fund

This is a low-interest loan program offered through the WY Main Street Program for the purposes of facade or structural renovations.
• The loan will be distributed up to a maximum of $100,000 per successful applicant.
• Repayment of funds is at the rate of 4% interest, no to exceed 15 years.
• Funds may be used for construction or technical assistance.
All documents and applications are available at: http://www.wyomingmainstreet.org/revolving-loan-fund.html

Rehabilitation Tax Credits

The Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program is one of the nation's most successful and cost-effective community revitalization programs. The program fosters private sector rehabilitation of historic buildings and promotes economic revitalization. It also provides a strong alternative to government ownership and management of such historic properties. The Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives are available for buildings that are National Historic Landmarks, that are listed in the National Register, and that contribute to National Register Historic Districts and certain local historic districts. Properties must be income-producing and must be rehabilitated according to standards set by the Secretary of the Interior.

What is a tax credit?
A tax credit differs from an income tax deduction. An income tax deduction lowers the amount of income subject to taxation. A tax credit, however, lowers the amount of tax owned. In general, a dollar of tax credit reduced the amount of income tax owed by one dollar. Your building may be eligible for historic preservation tax credits.
• The 20% rehabilitation tax credit equals 20% of the amount spent in a certified rehabilitation of a certified historic structure.
• The 10% rehabilitation tax credit equals 10% of the amount spent to rehabilitation a non-historic building built before 1936.

For more information, applications, and assistance on historic preservation tax credit projects, contact the Laramie Main Street Program or go to: http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/TPS/tax/.

Training Opportunities

Destination BootCamp

Six downtown Laramie businesses returned this September from a Longmont, Colorado based business improvement “Destination BootCamp”, where they learned hundreds of new methods to bring more customers and tourists to Laramie. The businesses that attended were: Big Hoss Mountain Sports, Brown & Gold Outlet, Coal Creek Coffee Roastery, Copper Kettle, In Sheep’s Clothing, and Medicine Bow Natural Foods & Deli. They were among thirty-three business owners from across North America who attended the two and one-half day, twenty-hour workshop. These businesses are the first downtown businesses from Laramie to ever to attend the Destination BootCamp.

The two and one-half day “Destination BootCamp”, created by marketing consultant Jon Schallert, teaches independent business owners on how to reposition their businesses as “consumer destinations”. According to Schallert, a business using his “Destination Business” strategies can compete effectively with superstores like Wal-Mart and Home Depot, and significantly impact a local community. It is not uncommon for destination businesses to create change in an entire city, by drawing consumers from miles around, from outside the immediate marketplace of a community.

After returning from the BootCamp, Leo Pueblitz of Big Hoss Mountain Sports says “with the principles we learned at the BootCamp, we will be able to satisfy more of our customers needs and make purchasing our products a much more enjoyable, fun experience. Additionally, we will be attracting more visitors and tourists from outside Laramie. With what we’ve learned, there’s no reason we can’t attract more consumers to Laramie from hundreds of miles away.”

Schallert’s Destination BootCamp is held annually in Orlando, Florida and also recently in Longmont, CO. Schallert has worked with independent business owners since 1983, speaks to thousands every year, and is the President of The Schallert Group, Inc., Sorrento, Florida. One newspaper called Schallert “the marketing guru rooting for the retail underdogs”. For more information on the experiences of the downtown businesses at the BootCamp, you can visit Schallert’s website at http://www.DestinationBootCamp.com.

Information & Guides

2008 Farmer's Market Vendor Application

The 2008 Laramie Farmer's Market is a central part of downtown life in the summer months, as well as an important venue for showcasing the local foods and products that support our economy. If you're a producer of food, crafts or other products, please take a look at the 2008 Vendor Application to review the terms of the market and get yourself a space. The document covers types of products allowed at the market, as well as the specific rules for booths, space allocation and a variety of other topics pertaining to the operation of the market.

Design Guidelines

Design is a major component of the Main Street revitalization effort and is aimed at enhancing the overall physical image of the downtown business district.  Many features contribute to this image. Individual buildings – storefronts, signs, window displays and facades as a whole – generally establish the character of the downtown. These features are what make each town unique. Maintaining a design scheme for the downtown business district can enhance its existing physical assets and minimize its detractions. Design can serve to improve the district’s appearance, unify diverse elements, strengthen downtown’s image as a cohesive area, and provide balance between variation and consistency. Because the physical features of the downtown business district are key components of Laramie’s overall historic and cultural fabric, they should be preserved and maintained for future generations. The Design Committee, therefore, has developed a set of guidelines to aid business and property owners in the Laramie downtown district when considering making physical changes or improvements to their properties.

The Design Guidelines for Historic Downtown Laramie can be downloaded here.

Or, if you'd prefer to read a brochure summarizing the guidelines, click here.

Listing of Local Contractors

Laramie Main Street maintains an incomplete listing of local contractors and engineers for construction, restoration and other large projects. If you offer services that apply to this listing and would like to be added, please contact us with your information and a business description. The current list was last updated as of June 02, 2008, and is available here:

Business Listing [147KB PDF]

For more information, please contact Laramie Main Street at 742-2212.

NPS Preservation Briefs for Working with Historic Buildings

For over 25 years, the National Park Service’s Technical Preservation Services has helped home owners, preservation professionals, organizations, and government agencies by publishing easy-to read guidance on preserving, rehabilitating and restoring historic buildings.  The first Preservation Brief was published in 1975 and since then, over 40 more have been added to the series.  A complete listing of the briefs, along with a database organized by preservation issues, is available at:

http://www.cr.nps.gov/HPS/tps/briefs/presbhom.htm

The Laramie Main Street Program also has paper copies of many of these reports available for photocopying or loan at our office.  Call 742-2212.

313 South 2nd St, Suite B     Phone: (307) 742-2212    Email Us    Contact Us

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