Temple, TX – (August 15, 2013) At their regularly scheduled meeting this evening, the City of Temple City Council adopted a resolution authorizing a matching grant for building and site redevelopment at 604 North 3rd Street, located within the northern portion of the City’s 3rd Street Strategic Investment Zone corridor. The matching grant can be up to $42,000 and will help the non-profit group, the United Way of Central Texas, in its relocation efforts. The new property will be called The United Way Center for Philanthropy, Leadership and Volunteerism and will be the first ever dedicated facility for the group.

The United Way Center for Philanthropy, Leadership and Volunteerism will be much more than just a new building,” said Bill DiGaetano, president of UWCT’s Board of Directors. “It will serve as a community asset– it’s an investment in the redevelopment of downtown Temple and in our commitment to serve as a community catalyst to improve the lives of children, families and individuals right here in Central Texas.”

A Strategic Investment Zone (SIZ) is defined as a geographical area of the City, which because of its location, history or role in transportation plays a critical link in the City’s future. Within the SIZs designated by the City Council, the City employs economic development incentives, develops and implements regulations and policies, or provides an enhanced level of code enforcement to achieve specific redevelopment goals and objectives. The Redevelopment Grant and Incentive Program, facilitates new public and private-sector investments for the City’s SIZ corridors.

Kim Foutz, Assistant City Manager for the City of Temple, comments, “This redevelopment effort can be seen as a stimulus for additional redevelopment in the northern portion of this SIZ corridor and is complementary of the strategic vision City Council has established for the area.”

The City’s matching grant will be used by the United Way of Central Texas for exterior facade improvements, interior demolition and remodeling efforts, landscaping, irrigation system, sidewalks, signage and roof replacement. Grant stipulations state that the remodeling of the facility must be complete by February 2014.
“We are so excited and appreciative of the support given to, not just the United Way but to our community here today,” said Ann Thompson, CEO of United Way of Central Texas. “This building is not about housing a few people that happen to work for the United Way. It is about a center dedicated to community leadership, organization development and volunteer services and it will serve as a resource for area nonprofit organizations, civic groups, and grassroots initiatives. It will in fact belong to the whole community”. Thompson said. “We can’t thank the City of Temple enough for providing such support for this project.”