Lexington Awarded $138K In Grants For Businesses

LEXINGTON, MA — Lexington was awarded $138,980 in grant funding, through two programs, to assist local businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Massachusetts Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD) awarded Lexington $84,150 in grant funding to assist micro enterprises, and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) awarded $54,830 to the Town to assist in expanding sidewalk space for businesses.

The Baker-Polito Administration announced that Lexington and 22 other cities and towns were the recipients of a $4,950,000 grant from the DHCD to assist small businesses across the Metropolitan Boston Region.

A micro enterprise is defined as a commercial enterprise with 5 or fewer employees, 1 or more of whom owns the enterprise and must be a for-profit entity.

The communities that are part of this coalition include Ashland, Beverly, Burlington, Canton, Concord, Dedham, Essex, Lexington, Manchester by the Sea, Marlborough, Melrose, Milton, Natick, North Reading, Norwood, Randolph, Reading, Sharon, Southborough, Stoneham, Watertown, Winchester, and Woburn.

“Lexington's small businesses are at the heart of our community; they are often owned by and employ our residents, and provide services which contribute vibrancy to our local culture,” said Select Board Vice Chair Jill Hai. “The economic impact of COVID-19 has hit them extremely hard, and I am thrilled that the Town has the ability to help,” she added.

The Economic Development Office will be distributing applications in the coming weeks.

In addition to the DHCD grant, the $54,830 in grant funding from MassDOT will assist the Town in extending sidewalk space through a Shared Streets and Space Program (SSSP). The SSSP is intended to support projects that promote public health, safe mobility, and renewed commerce by quickly providing new or repurposed space for socially-distanced walking, bicycling, dining, retail, and bus travel.

The funds requested will be used to create additional sidewalk space for pedestrians and diners to maintain safe social distancing. This would provide the businesses with the opportunity to expand the outdoor dining into the street.

“By safely shifting the outdoor seating into the street, we will free-up space for pedestrians to maintain a safe social distance from one another and avoid crowded sidewalks,” said Town Manager James Malloy. “Town staff are working with the business community to ensure they have the resources needed to safely re-open” he added.

In addition to the grants, the town has been expediting the permitting process for outdoor seating for restaurants. So far, several restaurants such as Ixtapa, Via Lago, Mario’s, and Ma France have received their outdoor seating permits.

“We appreciate the quick response and flexibility the town has provided to give restaurants the ability to expand outdoor dining options,” said Filippo de Magistris of il Casale Cucina Campana + Bar. “This move gives businesses an opportunity to serve more guests outdoors and stay economically viable. We will continue to offer a safe and pleasurable indoor dining experience once the cooler weather arrives,” he added.