Six Main Street businesses will be getting a facelift this year. On March 6, the Ames City Council approved $88,300 worth of façade grants.

Because the total of the grants exceeded the amount left in the program budget for this fiscal year, the City Council chose to shift funds from 2013 to this year to get the projects underway.

“It’s fantastic that all six applied got awarded, letting these projects get up and going instead of waiting six months to apply again,” said Tom Drenthe, executive director of Main Street Cultural District.

The city of Ames provides downtown facade assistance to improve non-residential buildings in the Main Street Cultural District.

“I’m very supportive of this,” councilman Jami Larson said. “I think we’ve done a tremendous amount with our grant program.”

The six businesses that received grants are: 121 Main, formerly Pyle Photo; 123 Main, Sportsman’s Lounge; 208 5th, McClanahan Studio; 203-205 Main, formerly Antique Ames; and 301 Main, StylEyes. The six projects are scheduled to begin this spring and summer.

The façade grants are essential to the design and success of downtown Ames.

“The aesthetic improvement of downtown is something the whole community can benefit from,” city councilman Matthew Goodman said.