An ancient wellness care practice that supplies continuous emotional and informational help to ladies prior to, in the course of, and just after childbirth, and a constructing that housed a mid-1800s pharmacy as properly as the Covington Masons have been amongst six enterprises offered economic assist by the Covington Board of Commissioners.

The Commission authorized 3 rent-subsidy and 3 façade-improvement incentives by means of the City’s internationally recognized Tiny Organization Plan.

The incentives came in the course of the fourth round of funding this fiscal year below the system, which sets aside $150,000 a year in 3 places — assisting fledgling enterprises with very first-year rent and industrial home owners upgrade their exteriors or restore an historic electric enterprise sign.

“This is the fifth round of Tiny Organization Incentives I’ve worked on considering the fact that beginning my position final March, and the selection of enterprises and buildings under no circumstances ceases to impress me,” mentioned Covington Assistant Financial Improvement Director Sarah Allan. “This round is no distinctive, with recipients ranging from a burgeoning wellness-connected enterprise that supports new parents to the reimagining of a constructing that was historically household to a Masonic Lodge. The possibilities in Covington to develop a enterprise are infinite.”

The awards:

(Photo from City of Covington

Rent Subsidies:

• $five,070 to Doulas of Cincinnati, a lady-owned exceptional wellness-connected enterprise offering solutions to pregnant ladies that has a regional increasing industry share. The enterprise aligns with the City’s target sector of “A Healthier You.”

• $six,000 to Rivertown Vintage at two W. Pike Street, a lady-owned vintage clothes retailer that focuses on men’s clothes, positioned in the Central Organization District.

• $six,000 to Skoolaid LLC, a exceptional educational enterprise at 800 Church St. in Latonia that focuses on growing the physical wellness, mental properly-becoming, and independence of youngsters and seniors, along with spreading know-how of kindness by means of its disability awareness presentations.

Façade Incentives:

• $six,000 to Covington 6th Street COA toward a $26,700 façade project at 201-203 W. 6th St. that will include things like painting, windows, lighting, and tuckpointing. The constructing is in the Old Town/Mutter Gottes neighborhood.

• $six,000 to Felicity Properties LLC toward a $13,860 façade project at 404 W. Pike St. that will include things like painting. The constructing is in MainStrasse Village.

• $six,000 to Covington Commandery LLC toward $63,959 in exterior improvements at 401 Scott St. that will include things like painting, windows, lighting, and rebuilding of the storefront. The constructing is in the Central Organization District.

Orleans Improvement owner Tony Kreutzjans mentioned the façade grant funds are “essential” to the restoration of the constructing on Scott Street, which has a lengthy and varied history in Covington.

“401 Scott has been underutilized for decades,” Kreutzjans mentioned. “It’s a cornerstone constructing in the Scott Street corridor, and we’re excited to breathe some life into it. Restoring the storefront to its original height and design and style will be transformational. The City’s façade grant is crucial to this piece of the project.”

The constructing was constructed in 1865 by Charles Fechter, a druggist/pharmacist in the course of his lifetime. Kreutzjans mentioned later deeds label the constructing as “Fecter’s Corner,” with the very first floor occupied by Fechter’s drug retailer and the upper floors occupied by the Covington Masons. For additional than one hundred years – from 1865 by means of the mid-1970s – the very first floor remained a pharmacy. The faint remains of the word “Pharmacy” is on the storefront’s upper transom, and an intact shower area is on the third floor, which was as soon as a health club. The Center for Terrific Neighborhoods occupied the second-floor offices in the course of the late ‘70s.

“We also found it was an art gallery in the ‘90s. It definitely had a myriad of utilizes,” mentioned Kreutzjans. “I assume we have all passed this constructing a thousand occasions, but subsequent time you are on foot, notice all of the Masonic symbols that are in the center of the stone trim on the upper floor windows. It was one particular of my preferred discoveries of the constructing.”

Companies interested in applying for either the façade, historic electric sign, or rent help incentives must make contact with Sarah Allan at 859-292-2144 or sarah.allan@covingtonky.gov. For facts, see applications and recommendations.

In between 2017 and 2023, the system has assisted 128 enterprises or projects (not counting 58 COVID-connected Tiny Organization Emergency Grants) … supported 36 enterprises with ladies, veteran, or Black owners … leveraged practically $7.three million of private investment … helped build or retain more than five,800 jobs … and impacted just below 470,000 square feet of vacant industrial space that has been filled or enhanced.

In 2021, the system received an award from the International Financial Improvement Council, the world’s biggest organization of improvement specialists.

City of Covington