Council approves $24,000 reimbursement grant for River Bluff Brewing under River Bluff Gateway project

The Saint Joseph City Council approved a resolution authorizing execution of a River Bluff Gateway Project revitalization agreement that provides a $24,000 reimbursement grant to River Bluff Brewing toward installation of an exterior storage silo with custom-painted signage at 1224 Frederick Avenue.

Tamela Wagner, director of the St. Joseph Community Alliance, explained the silo is a working grain silo affixed to the building and will also serve as a design element for photos and signage. Wagner said the project had been reviewed with the Missouri Department of Economic Development and met its guidelines for facade and corridor improvements.

Council members asked procedural questions about program eligibility and whether the silo fell under facade-improvement guidelines; Wagner and staff said the project had gone through DED review and would also be subject to local approvals. The council voted in favor of the resolution by voice vote.

Staff noted earlier that the Riverbluff Gateway grant program had encountered applicant-area limitations with DED that were since resolved, allowing use across the full corridor rather than only downtown.