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Tempe maintains one of the most thriving economic environments in the country. Find what you need to start, grow and thrive here. Our Tempe Economic Development team is ready to help make your business successful.

Get a start with facts, figures and details in the Mill Avenue Retail Brochure or reach out to our team.

Do you need help finding the perfect restaurant space in Downtown Tempe? Find a current list of vacancies here.

This grant is designed to facilitate the DTA and the City’s mutual goal of increasing the economic and civic value of Downtown Tempe by helping commercial property owners and businesses make high-quality exterior improvements to their commercial buildings and property in Downtown Tempe.

What Are We Trying to Accomplish?

• Encourage property investment that directly relates to improving the aesthetics of buildings and places in the Downtown Tempe Business Improvement District.
• Enhance and impact the pedestrian experience Downtown by improving the exterior appearance or safety of buildings and commercial store fronts.
• Help new and existing businesses succeed by enhancing their curb appeal.
• Increase commercial property values Downtown.
• Restore, Refurbish, Refresh, add Unique Charm, enhance Character of properties

What Kind of Projects Are Eligible?

Eligible participants include property owners or tenants of commercial buildings located within the Downtown Tempe Business Improvement District – see Area Map below. Business owners leasing space must have written approval from the property owner to participate in the program. The Façade Improvement Grant is available from until March 31, 2024. The Grant is designed for tenants who have a signed lease with a minimum term of 36 months to occupy ground-floor space.

Eligible improvements must contribute to the visual enhancement of the façade as visible from the street or public sidewalk. Examples of eligible improvements include:

• Exterior painting and façade repair
• Tuck-pointing and masonry repair
• Window & door repair/replacement
• Storefront repair/replacement
• Canopies & awnings
• High-quality Patio fencing
• Exterior façade lighting
• Fees for design and permitting
• Public art from COT list (must include long term maintenance/funding plan)
• Addition of patio or outdoor space
• Plants and landscaping with maintenance program

Learn more about this grant

This grant is designed to help businesses bridge the financial gap between property owner and tenant by providing financial assistance of up to $100,000 on qualified permanent improvements to the interior of a tenant’s space. This program is designed to support new, unique food and beverage-based businesses, but retail, and creative arts & entertainment businesses may also be considered.

What Are We Trying to Accomplish?

• Encourage new, unique, elevated dining/retail businesses to open ground-floor locations along Mill Avenue.
• Motivate property owners to work with tenants to improve spaces.
• Increase the total number of elevated dining businesses Downtown.
• Increase commercial property values Downtown.

What Kind of Projects Are Eligible?

To be considered eligible for this Grant, the proposed ground-floor business must be an approved (i) food & beverage business, (ii) a retail business, or (iii) a creative arts & entertainment business. The location must be within the Downtown Tempe Business Improvement District – see Area Map below - and is specific to spaces that have been vacant for 3 or more years along the Mill Avenue corridor. Business owners leasing space must have written approval from the property owner to participate in the program. The Retail Tenant Improvement Grant is available from August 2023 – July 2024. The Grant is designed for tenants who have a signed lease with a minimum term of 36 months to occupy ground-floor space with preference given to elevated dining establishments.

The Retail TI Grant is designed to assist:

• Dining tenants interested in ground-floor retail bays with street frontage
• A new business locating within the target area
• An existing business relocating from outside the downtown district to within the target area
• Vacant spaces 3 years or more

The Retail TI Grant is not designed to assist:

• Existing businesses within the target area
• Office tenants and similar non-retail uses
• Ineligible business types include, but are not limited to, liquor store, CBD and tobacco stores, adult entertainment and product stores, building developers, and short-term loan businesses

The maximum grant amount is capped at $100,000 per project, regardless of size or length of lease. Please note that the approved amount of a grant may be less than the maximum, depending on funding availability and eligible project expenditures. DTA staff will work with each applicant to confirm the total grant amount based on the scope of the work as presented in the application. Grant funding will be split between upfront distribution of 50% and 50% post completion reimbursement of tenant improvement.

Final decisions regarding eligibility and grant funding awards will be made by the DTA Grant Review Committee. Applications must be submitted by March 31, 2024 in order to be considered.

Learn more about this grant

Downtown Tempe Authority - Mill Avenue

Lori Foster
Interim President and CEO
Lori@downtowntempe

Tempe Tourism Office

Michael Martin
President and CEO
480-894-8158 
Michael@tempetourism.com

Tempe Economic Development team

Mike DiDomenico
Economic Development Director
480-858-2395
Mike_DiDomenico@tempe.gov

April Kroner
Economic Development Deputy Director
480-815-5938
April_Kroner@tempe.gov

Josh Rutherford
Economic Development Special Project Administrator
480-350-8813
joshua_rutherford@tempe.gov

Madalaine McConville
Management Assistant 
480-350-2927
madalaine_mcconville@tempe.gov