New Geneva grant program aims to preserve historic buildings

Geneva City Council has approved a new grant program to help fund preservation and adaptive reuse projects for older buildings, aiming to support economic growth while maintaining the city’s historic charm.

Author

Sam Kraft
May 01, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

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The Geneva City Council has approved a new grant initiative aimed at preserving the city’s historic character while encouraging thoughtful reuse of older buildings for modern needs.

The unanimous vote officially established the Historic Preservation or Adaptive Reuse Grant Program. The goal: to help property owners restore and repurpose aging structures through financial support for improvements that preserve Geneva’s identity and boost local economic vitality.

What the program covers

The grant can be used for a range of improvements, including:

  • Exterior renovations and preservation

  • Utility upgrades and ADA improvements

  • Fire prevention and safety upgrades

  • Interior work to support modern commercial use

The program builds on the city’s previous ARPA-funded grant efforts but will now be sustained as a formal city initiative, reviewed and evaluated as part of the annual budget process.

More details

  • Grants will include project-specific agreements with performance deadlines built in.

  • Government and tax-exempt properties may also be eligible on a case-by-case basis.

  • While the program itself has no cap, available dollars will be set annually.

Council members expressed broad support for the initiative.

Watch the City Council discussion (beginning at 4 minutes).

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