Restaurant and Retail Build-Out Assistance Grant

The Village of Wheeling provides grant dollars to help with build‐out costs associated with existing and prospective restaurant and retail businesses within the Town Center II and North Milwaukee Avenue TIF District through the Wheeling Restaurant and Retail Build‐Out Assistance Program. This grant program can provide up to $150,000 in reimbursement grants for existing or new sit‐down restaurants and up to $50,000 in reimbursement grants to other food and beverage businesses as well as to retailers on eligible building improvements. The outline identifies the two programs that make up the grant program and covers the general details of the grant program. All of the program details, policies and the application can be found by clicking here.

 Wheeling Restaurant and Retail Build-Out Assistance Program 

• All applicants applying for restaurant or retail grant assistance must be a tax‐generating business
• The grant can only be utilized in existing commercial spaces
• Existing commercial properties within the Town Center II and North Milwaukee Avenue TIF District are eligible for funds through this program

Program A - Sit Down Restaurant Program - Up to $150,000 is available

•  All eligible building improvements are identified on pages 2 and 3 in the application
•  A sit‐down restaurant is defined as a space that serves food and beverages in a
   commercial space of at least 4,000 SF and contains at least 100 indoor seats
•  50% of costs can be reimbursed for eligible building improvements
•  25% of the labor costs associated with installing these eligible building improvements
   are reimbursable
•  The applicant must have owned a restaurant for at least five years to qualify for this
   program
•  The landlord shall contribute at least 10% of the build‐out costs in order for the applicant
   to qualify for these funds

Program B - Food and Beverage, Retail and Shopping Center Assistance Program - Up to $50,000 is available

• All eligible building improvements are identified on pages 7 and 8 in the application
• 50% of costs can be reimbursed for eligible building improvements
• 25% of the labor costs associated with installing these eligible building improvements are reimbursable
• Retail spaces that apply for this grant must have at least 50% of their floor space dedicated to the sale of retail goods
• The landlord shall contribute at least 10% of the build‐out costs in order for the applicant to qualify for these funds

Click here to access all of the grant policies and the application.

Note:  An application cannot be accepted by the Economic Development Department until a pre-application meeting has taken place.  Please call 847-499-9094 to schedule a time to meet.