Eight projects in downtown Dallas just received some welcome funds: Downtown Dallas, Inc. (DDI), the nonprofit that champions Dallas' Central Business District, has awarded eight matching grants for projects that enhance the appearance, safety, and functional quality of public spaces in Downtown Dallas.

The recipients were awarded funding totaling more than $155,000.

DDI budgets funding every year to support proposed projects that meet the program requirements to receive a matching grant in an amount up to $25,000. This year, they received a record 19 applications.

Grants were awarded to the following organizations:

• Thanks-Giving Square: $20,000 for lighting, murals, outdoor furniture, and landcaping

• Dallas Farmers Market: $10,270, to replace grass at the main entrance to the Dallas Farmers Market, with turf grass and rerouting the sprinkler system

• Former Gatbsy nightclub: $25,000 for façade improvements to deter crime activity and loitering, and help CBRE lease the space to a retail or restaurant business

• 2220 Canton Lofts: $25,000 to to beautify the front entry and streetscape by improving the public path, visibility, and landscaping. The larger project scope includes exterior drainage issues, main lobby modernization, and exterior streetscape upgrades.

• Dallas Black Dance Theatre: $22,855 to upgrade its irrigation system and address the removal of large rocks, concrete debris and rusted metal barriers.

• 2036 Main Street: $25,000 to address damage suffered to the historical building causing significant harm to the structure. The proposed project will remove the temporary plywood covering the damage, install a new façade, and restore the building to its original state.

• Dallas Arts District: $20,625 for the Wall of Lights project to transform Pearl St. into the Avenue to the Arts and address safety, connectivity, and accessibility. This project will create a passageway on one of the main corridors in the Arts District while also serving as a deterrent to crime.

• Elm Street Cask and Kitchen: $12,000 to open the patio to showcase it from the street and offer pedestrians a clear view of the outdoor dining space. The project would include removal of the existing rail siding, installation of new railing, addition of a drink rail, enhanced seating, and umbrellas to protect patrons.

The annual selection process is overseen by DDI’s Public Space & Improvements Committee, chaired by DDI Board of Directors member Steve Hulsey, AIA, NCARB, President and Principal at Downtown-based Corgan.

"The surge in applications and the record-setting investment from both public and private sectors speak volumes about our shared commitment to Downtown Dallas," Hulsey says in a statement. “These selected projects not only elevate our public spaces, but also symbolize a collective dedication to fostering a vibrant city center."