Downtown Pullman draws hefty grants

Pullman has been chosen to receive tens of thousands of dollars for additional improvements to Main Street.

The Downtown Pullman Association was awarded a $49,965 Hometown Grant by T-Mobile, according to a news release. The initiative was kick-started to assist small towns with populations of 50,000 or less with revitalization efforts.

Since its launch in 2021, T-Mobile has awarded over $11 million in funding to 250 cities across 43 states, according to the news release.

Judy Kolde, president of the association, said the grants are quite competitive and this isn’t the first time the organization has applied. Each quarter the company will pick 25 recipients from hundreds of applications nationwide to fund an array of community projects.

Kolde said Avista has agreed to donate $5,000 toward the new fixtures.

“This is a huge deal,” she said. “We’re able to amplify the ongoing revitalization … and activate our community by creating a thriving downtown.”

Kolde said the funding is separate from the city’s Project Downtown, but they have a common goal to reinvigorate Main Street.

She said a big challenge with the project is costs can vary during construction, and parts of the design could be lost while completing it within budget. She added the association began to think of ways to help contribute to the beautification of downtown, and applied for the grant to enhance essential areas of Main Street.

The funding will be used to purchase furnishings for Pine Street Plaza and blocks from Paradise to Kamiaken streets. Kolde said the city agreed to install the new benches, bike racks and hanging baskets when the time is right.

But Kolde said that, although there wasn’t enough funding to decorate all of Main Street, picking a location to furnish was easy. She added the association wanted to ensure the community gathering space was decorated to draw more people downtown.

“Main Street is the heart of our community, and the crown jewel definitely is Pine Street Plaza,” she said. “When people come downtown we want them to stay, but in order for it to be more appealing we need to make it more welcoming.”

Kolde said the furnishings will go a long way enhancing downtown and making people feel comfortable. She added the improvements are something people can see and feel, enabling them to enjoy the space more.

“We’re just so grateful,” Kolde said. “Every piece of this will go toward bettering the community and creating a welcoming atmosphere that is our historic downtown.”

Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com