Historic preservation is driving Tulsa's latest move on the iconic Route 66, where the local Route 66 Commission just expanded its grant program to cast a wider net over the buildings that line the Main Street of America. Now, properties constructed before 1980 are up for a financial boost to spruce up their exteriors, a shift from the previous cutoff of 1959, as the centennial celebration of Route 66 inches closer.
The Façade Matching Grant Program, initially launched in 2023, is seeing an infusion of energy and cash to help property owners restore, preserve, or repurpose buildings that stand as landmarks of the historic route. According to the City of Tulsa commission's announcement, the grant offers a 1:1 match, doling out $10,000 to $40,000 to qualified applicants, this major expansion aims to keep the nostalgia of the storied highway intact while promoting heritage tourism, the Commission's chair, Josh Stout, said "The Commission is excited to expand the grant to encourage rehabilitation of both historic and more modern buildings along Tulsa’s Route 66 alignments," in a policy push that recognizes the steep costs tied to such architectural endeavors.
To snag this grant, buildings not only need to be old, but they also have to be in commercial, industrial, or mixed-use zones, and importantly, visible from Route 66 itself. The Commission has an eye for aesthetics, prioritizing those projects that will most elevate a building's curb appeal in line with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation of Historic Properties.
Matching grants aren't just for show; they'll cover a range of restoration expenses from facade touch-ups to lighting updates to window replacements and masonry work, but the clock starts ticking once you get the green light: construction must kick off within six to 12 months from approval and don’t forget applications have to be in, reviewed, and approved before any work begins, drawing on funds from the Vision Tulsa Route 66 Revitalization Project.
If you want to restore your property or add some retro style, the City of Tulsa website has details on eligibility and what expenses are covered.
