Downtown Brownsville to see improvements through $100k grant

BROWNSVILLE, Tenn. — A local town is preserving their history, one block at a time.

The State of Tennessee provides grants to towns to preserve historical buildings in their downtown area.

“Every two years we have what is called the Downtown Improvement Grant to try and improve, repair, and renovate the facade. What you see from the road,” said Brittany Beaver, Director of Main Street Brownsville-Haywood County.

Beaver says this is the fifth year for the grant, and says so far the program has helped with small improvements in the downtown area.

“New awnings, fresh paint, new signage,” Beaver said. “Sometimes signage is what a business needs to help people know that they are there. That makes a big impact. We have also helped with shutters and structural repairs to the front of the building.”

The grant totals $100,000, which is spread out between business that apply for repairs.

Beaver says the business owner is required to match 25% of the repairs, with the state paying the rest.

There are also certain guidelines that owners must meet to preserve the historical buildings.

“We can’t come in and take wood siding off and put vinyl or plastic siding,” said Beaver. “We want to keep what is historic, historic.”

Business owner Jaclyn Eubanks says she is filling out an application for this year, and says when she heard about the grant, she jumped on the opportunity.

“It is just a way for us to beautify our square and only have to pay a certain percentage of it,” Eubanks said. “I just think that it is a great opportunity for our downtown to just keep it up and keep it going.”

And as a Brownsville native, Eubanks says preserving the history is crucial.

“You can tell that the outsides of these buildings still have so many remnants of the past and history,” Eubanks said. “It is so important to preserve all of those things.”

Applications are open until September 15. Click here for more information.

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