Wheeling offers reimbursable grants ranging from $50,000 to $225,000 for sit-down restaurants, fast-casual eateries, and retail shops. This grant is available in select parts of the Village, including the northeast business corridor close to the Westin Chicago North Shore Hotel and Convention Center as well as within a mile east and west of Village Hall. The complete application and program details can be found on the link at the bottom of the page.
The Village of Wheeling provides grant dollars to help with build-out costs associated with existing and prospective restaurants, entertainment venues, and retail businesses within the Town Center II and North Milwaukee Avenue TIF Districts through the Wheeling Restaurant, Entertainment, and Retail Build-Out Grant Program. This program can provide up to $225,000 in reimbursement grants for existing or new anchor restaurants and entertainment venues, up to $150,000 for sit-down restaurants, and up to $50,000 in grants for other food and beverage businesses as well as to retailers on eligible building improvements. The outline identifies the three programs that make up the grant program and covers the general details of the program.
All applicants applying for restaurant, entertainment venues, or retail grant assistance must be a tax-generating business. The grant can only be utilized in existing commercial spaces.
Existing commercial properties within the Town Center II and North Milwaukee Avenue TIF District are eligible for funds through this program.
Up to $150,000 is available.
All eligible building improvements are identified on pages 2 and 3 in the application.
A sit‐down restaurant is defined as a space that serves food and beverages in a commercial space of at least 4,000 gross leasable SF and contains at least 100 indoor seats. 50% of costs can be reimbursed for eligible building improvements 25% of the labor costs associated with installing these eligible building improvements are reimbursable.
The applicant must have owned a restaurant for at least five years to qualify for this program.
Up to $50,000 is available.
All eligible building improvements are identified on pages 8 and 9 in the application. 50% of costs can be reimbursed for eligible building improvements 25% of the labor costs associated with installing these eligible building improvements are reimbursable.
Retail spaces that apply for this grant must have at least 50% of their floor space dedicated to the sale of retail goods.
Up to $225,000 is available.
All eligible building improvements are identified on pages 14 and 15 in the application.
An Anchor Restaurant is defined as a space that serves food and beverages in a commercial space of at least 6,000 gross leasable SF and contains at least 150 indoor seats. An Entertainment Venue is defined as a space that encompasses at least 15,000 gross leasable SF and has the minimum capacity to host at least 200 guests.
An Anchor Retailer is defined as a space that encompasses at least 20,000 gross leasable SF of which at least 85% of the space is subject to sales tax. 50% of costs can be reimbursed for eligible building improvements 25% of the labor costs associated with installing these eligible building improvements are reimbursable.
The applicant must have owned a restaurant for at least five years to qualify for this program.
An application cannot be accepted by the Economic Development Department until a pre-application meeting has taken place. Please call 847-499-9094 or e-mail lbecker@wheelingil.gov to schedule a time to meet.
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