By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Round two of Barton County's Facade Improvement Grant Program is coming to a close. The board approved the final two round-two projects during Wednesday's meeting. Chelsea Morris provided details about her photography business located at 1217 Main Street, the former Riggs Studio in Great Bend.
"We've owned it for about a year and a half, but it will probably permanently say Riggs on it forever because it's a little bit of an icon for our town," she said. "At least, that's how I feel about it. It's historic for me."
The commission awarded Morris $20,000 for improvements, which will include new windows. Morris will contribute $9,427 to the project.
My Town was also awarded $20,000 for improvements to the Gambinos Pizza building at 1309 Main Street in Great Bend. My Town will contribute $7,500 to the improvements. Mark Bitter with My Town told commissioners he recently spoke with new Great Bend City Administrator Brandon Anderson, who recently toured the various communities in Barton County and saw some of the impacts of the facade improvement program.
"He felt like we're all in this together, which I thought was a great testament to the effort you guys are making to make everybody feel that we work together," Bitter said.
In 2021, the commission dedicated $630,000 to the Facade Improvement Grant Program. An additional $250,000 was set aside for round two of the program this year.