Court Avenue building marked for restaurant, Airbnb

MARENGO — An empty building in downtown Marengo will became an Airbnb with a first-floor restaurant thanks to a Catalyst and Remediation Grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

The Catalyst grant was established to help redevelop or rehabilitate underused buildings to stimulate economic growth. Ben and Bobbi Miller, with the help of MarenGo Community Development and the City of Marengo, were awarded $100,000 toward the renovation of the building at 1159 Court Avenue.

Renovations will maintain the historical characteristics and integrity of the building, as required by grant parameters.

“The grant has to be established through the city,” said Karla Marck, Marengo city administrator.

“The last four years or so, we, locally, have been really focusing … on economic development, said Marck. “We’re really trying to concentrate [on] forward movement.”

The Millers and MarenGo supplied documents and information for the application.

“Basically, they had to have a design,” said Corienne Dally, program director of MarenGo. “For the Catalyst grant they don’t need an architect.

Iowa Economic Development wants the buildings that receive Catalyst grants to be used as they were originally, said Dally. Original windows have to be windows. They can’t be filled in as walls.

IEDA wants original storefronts restored, making the buildings look as much as possible as they did when they were built, Dally said

The Millers purchased the Court Avenue building, hired a contractor and submitted a written proposal explaining what they will do with the building and how they will accomplish their goals.

Dally, a licensed contractor, used her software application to create pictures of the design the Millers proposed. She also provided photos of what the building looks like now.

The Catalyst grant requires that the recipient match the funds. The Millers and the City will have to find the additional money.

MarenGo has a verbal agreement with a restaurant for the lower level of the Miller building, Dally said, but nothing had been signed as of last week.

In pursuing new businesses, MarenGo works with landlords of vacant buildings that might fit a company’s needs. “If it’s for lease, it will provide a place for someone to come in,” said Dally.

According to Dally, MarenGo has filled seven downtown spaces in the last year. “I just kind of push the landlords and the owners to get their spaces filled,” said Dally. “It’s not doing good for anyone if it’s just sitting vacant.”

Bringing in new businesses to fill vacant spaces is good for the entire community, Dally said.

“This is the first [Catalyst grant] that we have gotten. We definitely would like to be on board for next year.” said Dally.

“We do plan on looking for sponsors for the next go around,” said Marck.