The Albany Civic Theater, shown Wednesday, is one of 13 applicants seeking CARA funding.
Twelve Albany property owners are competing for money in the last round of urban renewal grants from the Central Albany Revitalization Area or CARA.
Their combined requests total almost $1.5 million, nearly three times the amount the city council has made available before CARA goes out of business at he end of June 2027.
The council, acting as the Albany Revitalization Agency that governs CARA, is scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 22, at City Hall to award the available grant money to one or more of the applicants.
The requests are listed in the agenda, which is available here. It is 306 pages long and takes a while load.
All the applicants would like help with their buildings, and they included at least two detailed bids for the work they are hoping to get done.
The owners of Sybaris, the downtown restaurant, are seeking nearly all the available money to complete the renovation and expansion of the former Oregon Electric Railway depot on Fifth Avenue. They plan to move the restaurant into the building when it is ready. Their request is for $421,770.
The other requests range from less than $10,000, to fix a failing sewer line under an old building on First Avenue, to more than $281,000 to complete the restoration and remodeling of the 1875 Briggs Building, also on First.
Among the applicants, there is the Albany Civic Theater, the Cumberland Community Events Center, the Calapooia Brewing Co., and the DeLuxe Brewing Co.
All the applicants were required to pledge a match of at least 25 percent of the amount they are seeking from CARA.
CARA plans to award grants totaling $545,000 — all the spending authority it has left — before the program shuts down at the end of the 2026-27 fiscal year. (hh)
DeLuxe Brewing Company, also on my bike route Wednesday, would like CARA help with renovations.
Giving public money to select / random commercial enterprises seems a bit anti-American. I don’t blame the commercial companies like Sybaris and Calapooia Brewing (two of my favorite establishments) from making the requests since those are the rules. But they are profit-making enterprises and should be able to do their own upgrades from cash flow. That is the free market at work. Public development funds should go to non-profits like Albany Civic Theatre that serve everyone without any profit making goal.
Right, except CARA has a 20 year history of giving money to their competitors, or competitors landlords. Many people made the same point at the start of all of this. In the meantime the community will likely not see the regular increases in tax revenue from this urban renewal district that pays for basic city operations in our lifetime.
I agree. I think they money should go to the Civic Theater and the Cumberland Center.
Cumberland isn’t “Central” Albany and still not a functioning entity. Who would one sue if there was malpractice of some type from them?
Besides, the City purchased and then gave away the building Cumberland has in its possession. It’s received ENOUGH BENEFIT of our tax dollars against the will of many of us.
The sooner this gets done and ended the better, it’s history is replete with examples of silly spending, like buying a second awning after the first one was not maintained and deteriorated. The events center should not qualify, they told us that they would use only private funds, and that was one of the reasons they got a sweetheart deal.
Who got a replacement awning, after letting the first one from our taxpayer dollars deteriorate? I would like to know, so that I can avoid their establishment.
And, yes, this grant should go to Albany Civic Theater.
I do not remember, the name, I do vividly remember being outraged as the second awning was approved over my objection. For clarification, I was talking about the Cumberland Church project that promised to do private funding.
What would really be nice is to see the entire Civic Theatre block bulldozed and a brand new 1500 seat performing arts center built. I know, will never happen. But what a nice downtown addition.
I wonder if the City of Albany can apply for this grant in order to start fixing our streets?
Hmmmm!
I think the money should
Go to the civic theater.. it could also then be used for other events as well. Restoring Albanys history is what should be done. To use funding for a business expansion because an owner wants to up their profits.. just doesnt seem right.
Tracy
Amen…
The generous owners of Sybaris have given back to the Albany community for a long time. They have been leaders on fundraising for several non-profits. CARA should give the Sybaris request a very close look.
hartman: (Note: I am disagreeing with hartman.) “Generous owners of Sybaris,” you say! They can afford to be generous. It costs about $100 for a meal there, and only the Albany rich Republicans can afford to step inside their door!! Give the grant money to Albany Civic Theater. And, whoever suggested the historic building that is ACT’s main stage be torn down and a “new” theater be built is flat-out wrong. It is “Historic Downtown Albany,” not New “Trumpian-like” downtown Albany.
” It costs about $100 for a meal there, and only the Albany rich Republicans can afford to step inside their door!!”
So how would you know how much it costs? Why can’t rich Democrats go there?
I’m sure rich Democrats can go to Sybaris.
Hmm… I wasn’t aware that political affiliation mattered a whit when you crossed their threshold to have a wonderful meal & great service…
“and only the Albany rich Republicans can afford to step inside their door!!”
You can’t have it both ways.
Any restaurant that charges $20-$40 a plate surely doesn’t deserve outside funding.
Any background in running a restaurant? I just went through a drive through for a burger, fries and a drink and it was 15 bucks.
Thank minimum wage for that.
That got ne thinking… My 1st hourly job was working in the stockroom at the downtown Roseburg JC Penney Store for $1.75/hr…in 1972. That was probaby min. wage too
Albany’s shameful acts continue!
And look there it is….check your power bill.
“Water Avenue Project” adding to your power bill. Not just mine, YOURS!!!!!
Sigh….I for ONE will not visit any of these establishments BEGGING for DOLLARS!
Hand out…BITE
I saw that on my power bill today, too!! Give the grant to Albany Civic Theater!! Not to any of the for-profit businesses.
Did they not give Novaks Restaurant a “Loan” for $126,000 to move downtown… and then they closed up shop. Did they ever repay that loan.. ? Sensless to give money to restaurants that may close up shop… all the city is doing is paying for repairs for owners of the buildings… Albany Civic Theater has been here than most restaurants… they don’t have “owners” making a living and purchasing homes… give the money to them.. they have been part of downtown as long as the old theater… Don’t give it to restaurants !! but still want to know.. If that Loan that Novicks took out was ever repaid ?? Thank You !
Loan it, not a forgivable loan, to someone who pays property taxes.
I will repeat my comment from Hasso’s Feb. 5th article over the CARA grant:
If there was anyone in our town who were deserving of a CARA grant for restoring an historic building would be the Bennetts’ project to relocate Sybaris. Matt and Janel attended our meetings before we formed CARA in 2001, to support downtown revitalization. Yes, downtown was quite blighted back then. Matt and Janel have been so devoted to our town and have never received one dime from CARA. They work darn hard. I bet the loads of fundraisers and dinners they have donated for non-profits the past 25 years is way more than this grant. Matt and Janel wanted to purchase the old Wells Fargo building to restore it and that ended up being torn down and sold for way less dollars to Lepman. I hope Matt and Janel apply for the grant and all of the other downtown businesses and property owners should highly recommend they do. I know many folks do not like the CARA program, but that ship sailed and this is the last piece of the funds, so celebrate by giving it to the most deserving Albany business. Please support the new Sybaris and thank them for all they have done for Albany
Support The Albany Civic Theater….not the Sybaris Restaurant that is for the uber rich people in this community only. I was waiting for former mayor, Sharon Konopa, to write and say Sybaris should get the grant money. I knew she would, and I’m sure others knew she would get behind Sybaris, too. As far as downtown Albany being blighted before CARA, it had some bright spots such as Boccherini’s (spelling?). Downtown Albany still has some blight; and that is only natural. And, only the rich can afford to be a customer of most downtown businesses now….except for non-profit Albany Civic Theater, which is open to all people and all income levels.
Downtown Albany dinner costs that much & a nice tip too….What’s another $ 545,000 added to the 22 million brick road….20 years from now…they paid how much & can’t blame the orange man either..oh my…
And here I thought Cara was shutting down finally. Sure the buildings look great I agree with several of people posting these are private enterprises the majority of them this is the city government through CARA taking tax dollars and deciding who the winners and losers are. And that is not right. How many millions and millions of dollars have been diverted away from other very important needs in Albany like schools law-enforcement etc.?
CARA is an urban renewal district which is an economic development tool. ROI occurs through increased property tax dollars. This increase will benefit the city, county and the school district. I believe this has been successful with CARA and private investment – look at the difference in downtown Albany over the last 20 years! Furthermore, Albany would not be the same without Matt and Janel Bennett. Sybaris is a draw to Albany – an award-winning restaurant and chef, known nationally, which bring outside dollars to our economy. Their commitment goes beyond just running their restaurant, they’ve put on countless fundraisers for nonprofits, volunteered their time, and made donations as community members for over 25 years – a proven example of service above self. Matt and Janel have invested their own private money in the restoration of our Albany Oregon Electric Railway Station not just for their business today but for generations to come. As for the price of their menu –compare their prices to Applebee’s or Elmer’s or any other restaurant serving a steak, I have, everything has gone up yet Sybaris has not increased their prices.