Seymour Main Street once again will receive funding from the city for a program to help fix up downtown buildings.

The Seymour Redevelopment Commission is giving the organization $200,000 this year, the same amount it contributed last year for efforts to improve the downtown.

Becky Schepman, executive director of Seymour Main Street, made the funding request during a redevelopment commission meeting Monday.

“Last year, we came and asked for $200,000, and we used that money for two big things in the downtown,” Schepman told the board. “Over $160,000 we used for new programs to recruit and retain business downtown.”

Other funds were used to hire a company to paint the Seymour mural on the north side of the Edwards Jones building along U.S. 50.

The redevelopment commission’s funds are not generated from local residential property taxes and instead come from tax increment finance, or TIF, districts that were put into place in 2008 by the Seymour City Council.

TIF revenue is the result of capturing a portion of property taxes from new industrial development or increased property values within a TIF district. That money is then set aside to fund infrastructure, downtown redevelopment or incentives to promote economic development in a community rather than being distributed to other taxing units.

Last year, Seymour Main Street was able to help current businesses in need of assistance make improvements to buildings and new businesses, including Vat and Barrel, a restaurant opening up in the next month or so at 212 E. Second St.

“That building looks incredible,” Schepman said.

Assistance also was provided to The Chocolate Spoon, another restaurant which plans to reopen, Lot Hill Dairy Farm’s new drive-through ice cream shop and the new owner of the former Quirky Living building at 113 W. Second St., which will have renovated retail space and upper-level living.

“Upper-level living is also a goal of Seymour Main Street,” Schepman said.

With the city’s financial support, the building renovation program was so successful last year that even more businesses are interested in getting involved, she said.

“We’ve had lots of requests already from businesses that have reached out to me looking to use these programs this year,” she said. “Bite the Bullet is looking at doing some facade work as well as New Legacy Wealth Management.”

Besides support for building renovations, Seymour Main Street also offers a rental assistance program, which will help a new children’s and women’s clothing boutique open up next to Larrison’s Diner, Schepman said.

Another project in the works is Solomon Rust’s new German-themed restaurant called Schwatzers, which will open up in the old Chatterbox building at 113 Indianapolis Ave.

“He’s looking to get $20,000 from us for windows,” Schepman said.

Seymour Main Street also plans to use some of the redevelopment commission funding to pay for another mural to be painted downtown.