New Ulm gets $365,000 grant to revitalize downtown

Downtown New Ulm is about to upgrade its look.

The southern Minnesota city of 13,000 that wears its German heritage proudly has received a federal grant that will pay for rehabilitation to 14 commercial buildings.

The $365,000 will also go toward improvements or construction of 20 upper-floor rental units in downtown.

The total downtown rehabilitation effort is expected to reach $700,000 when non-interest loans issued by the city and investments by property owners are added in.

Storefront businesses participating in the project will focus on facades, many of which resemble the kind of aesthetics visitors might see in Germany.

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Information from: The Free Press, http://www.mankatofreepress.com

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