GUSTINE – The city’s downtown revitalization committee is hoping to soon begin painting the town.....one building at a time.

Armed with $10,000 in seed money from the city to begin downtown beautification, the committee is offering a deal it hopes downtown business and property owners can’t refuse – a fresh coat of paint applied with volunteer labor and the committee picking up half the cost of the paint and materials.

“The colors have been picked for the first building, and they are ready to go as soon as weather allows,” said City Manager Margaret Silveira.

The IOOF Building, located at the central downtown intersection, will be the first building painted.

Bart Garcia, a City Council representative on the downtown committee, said that Dr. Ben Leonard’s office, the Pastime Club and Lee’s Floral are also participating in the downtown painting program.

“I think we will get more interest after those are painted,” Garcia predicted. “I think others will jump on the bandwagon.”

Garcia said he has enlisted the help of two local painters, Rodrigo Huerta and Steve Lanfranco, who have volunteered their services to help get the program started.

Silveira said the painting program, by design, is inexpensive, user-friendly and informal – to the point that committee members may roll up their sleeves to help with the painting projects.

In addition to paying half the cost of materials, building owners must select a color scheme from an pre-approved color charts. If a building owner wants another color, Silveira said, the proposal would have to pass muster with the committee.

Otherwise, there are no strings attached.

Officials said the program is designed to provide the most impact while getting the most from limited financial resources.

“We want to stretch that money out as far as we can,” said Frank Amaral, a council member who also sits on the downtown committee. “With $10,000 to work with we can’t go out and put in new streetlights or redo the sidewalks. This is small, but it is a start. We wanted something to show that we are serious about (downtown beautification).”

He, too, hopes that other property owners will follow suit.

“If we do a few buildings and do a nice job, others will participate,” Amaral commented. “It is like when somebody spruces up their house, and other people in the neighborhood decide to do the same thing.”

Silveira said there will be plenty of money left over to help with painting additional buildings as well.

“I think it is a great starting point for the downtown. There is some volunteerism involved, and it promotes civic pride,” the city manager reflected. “It is a geat way to make a lot of impact with a small amount of dollars.”

Persons interested in participaing in the painting program, or volunteer their labor, may contact Gustine City Hall at 854-6471.