NORWICH – After receiving more than $400,000 in the first two rounds of funding, the Norwich Business Improvement District will be applying for a third in the Main Street Grant Program.

At its October meeting, the City of Norwich Common Council passed a resolution supporting the BID’s application to the program.

Over the past year, downtown Norwich has seen many improvements as the result of the Main Street Grant Program, a 50/50 matching grant offered by the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR). Businesses in the downtown area, including Chiarino’s Insurance, The Broad Street Tavern, A Cut Above, Cafe Connection, Garf’s Deli, Hayes Office Supplies, Ives Cream, McLaughlin’s, McNeil Jewelers, Irmin Mody and The Masonic Temple, have undergone facade and interior improvements as part of the grant program. The grant provided $400,000 to be used on renovations to downtown businesses, and as required by the grant, business owners contributed a matching amount, resulting in $800,000 worth of improvements to downtown Norwich.