BINGHAMTON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – The City of Binghamton is hoping to spruce up the appearance of some of its buildings with matching grants.

The Binghamton Local Development Corporation is offering commercial facade improvement grants.

The BLDC will pay 75% of the cost of upgrades including repairs, painting, siding, doors, windows, awnings and signage.

The maximum award for historic buildings is $50,000, $35,000 for non-historic buildings.

Developer Jon Korchynsky purchased 25 and 27 Court Street 13 years ago.

He plans to apply for the program to do some repointing of his brick facade and perhaps replace some of the wooden siding, all of which would be very costly without the assistance.

“It’s very important. What you view the exterior of the building as really gives you a key idea of what’s inside. I definitely want it to have good curb appeal.”

By the way, Korchynsky says he should have a new tenant within the next month for the former home of the Old World Deli which closed a year ago.

For more information about the facade grant program, call the Binghamton Economic Development Office at 772-7161.