The Iowa Economic Development Authority on Wednesday announced $2.6 million in grant funding to help 26 communities across the state revitalize their downtown districts. The grants were awarded through the Community Catalyst Building Remediation program. Each community was awarded a $100,000 grant to help redevelop or rehabilitate underused buildings as a way to stimulate economic growth and reinvestment in the community. Among the projects was a remodeling of the former Irish Hospital Building in Forest City into eight apartment units, and restoration of a vacant iconic building in Centerville into a commercial wellness studio and eight loft-style apartments. The Community Catalyst program was created in 2018 and is funded through an appropriation from the Iowa Legislature. A full list of the 2021 Community Catalyst Grant recipients is available at this link.