The Philadelphia Storefront Improvement Program (SIP) has been reimbursing local business owners for façade improvements to their shops and offices since 2009. The city rewards “smart growth along commercial corridors” with grants covering 50% of the cost of improvements, up to a total of $12,000.
Eligible Projects
Examples of projects eligible for SIP funds include:
- Costs of windows/glazing
- Exterior doors
- Masonry/brick pointing
- Cornices
- Exterior painting
- Exterior façade lighting
- See-through security grills
- Signage
- Awnings
Cypress Door & Glass LLC is proud to be involved in SIP, and our technicians are more than qualified to handle all storefront door and glass needs. Together, we can help make the business landscape of our city more beautiful and functional.
For projects to be eligible, they must be located in one of a few commercial corridors around the city. To find out whether your property is located on an eligible commercial corridor and who your Corridor Manager is, contact the Storefront Improvement Program Manager at 215-683-2017 or SIP@Phila.Gov.
Click here to download the Philadelphia SIP Application.
Nearly 400 Philly Businesses Spruced Up So Far
Since SIP began in 2009, the program has helped more than 380 business owners in the Philadelphia Metro Area beautify and modernize their storefronts, often spurring neighboring businesses to follow suit. For a complete list of SIP funding recipients, check out OpenDataPhilly.org’s database.
The City itself even went to bat for its SIP in 2015 when the inclusion of federal funds from a Community Development Block Grant drove renovation costs up and threatened the participation rates of small businesses. A petition among Philly business owners gained 300 signatures urging Mayor Michael Nutter to “Save SIP.” Nutter obliged, and for the city’s 2016 fiscal year budget, $400,000 of federal funds were replaced with money from the Philly’s general fund, along with $100,000 from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a $35,000 city grant to the Community Design Collaborative, which provides free design advice to the business owners.
Call Cypress Door & Glass
Have more questions about your project’s eligibility for the Philadelphia Storefront Improvement Program? Contact Cypress Door & Glass today and get your questions answered.