FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2026
Mayor Noble Announces Stockade District Signage & Awning Grant Program
KINGSTON, NY – Mayor Steven T. Noble is pleased to announce that the City of Kingston has launched a Minor Exterior Improvements Grant Program to provide up to $9,000 for signage and awnings on commercial buildings in the Stockade Business District.
Mayor Noble said, “Removing the non-historic canopy from Wall and North Front Streets has transformed the Stockade Historic District and brought to light hidden facades. We are already seeing major improvements underway. The City of Kingston has been working with property owners to provide legal settlements that could assist with repairs and restoration, we are working with property owners who are interested in having the City provide a historically compatible signboard, and we are now offering grants for signage and awnings to continue beautifying our beautiful historic district. We won’t be able to fund every project, but I encourage property owners to apply for this additional support.”
The City of Kingston has approximately $70,000 in funding for the Minor Exterior Improvements Program to provide grants from $1,000 to $9,000 for property owners seeking to install approved new signage or awnings to their commercial property building in the Stockade Historic District of Kingston.
The eligible grant area is the entire Stockade Historic District, which is bounded by the Esopus Creek and Route I-587 to the north and east, St. James Street to the south, and Washington Avenue and Dietz Stadium to the west. View the boundary map here.
Commercial property owners in the eligible area can apply for reimbursement for projects that do not exceed $10,000. Eligible expenses include signage (projecting or wall sign), awnings, and, in some cases, signage lighting. Applicants must have Planning Department/HLPC approval for design, which in most cases can be achieved with a desk review.
The Planning Office can be reached at 845-334-3955 or [email protected]. Fees associated with the signage and façade reviews will be waived until October 2027.
The deadline to apply for the Minor Exterior Improvements Grant Program is Friday, April 17, 2026, by 4:30pm.
The Minor Exterior Improvements Grant Program is part of the DRI Stockade Business District Small Grants Program, administered by NYS Homes and Community Renewal.
More grant information is available at www.engagekingston.com/kingston-stockade-restoration.
In addition to the grant opportunity, City officials will be communicating with property owners in the next couple of weeks, offering the option to have the City provide a more weather-resistant signboard to the area where the canopy was attached. All affected property owners who grant permission will be part of a City bid for the sign board façade work, which will likely take place this summer when weather conditions improve.
Property owners choosing to move forward with their own façade restoration work will have the support of the City of Kingston’s Planning Office with historic design resources. Restoration will need to follow Historic Landmark Preservation Commission (HLPC) guidelines.
City contractors, Beam Construction, will be responsible for maintaining the black plastic ice/water shield on building façade until August 27, 2026. After that point, the building owner will be fully responsible. The City- provided sign board work will be completed to correspond with the end of ice/water shield warranty.