The Greater Altoona Economic Development Corp. recently approved a second mini-grant and loan package for Curry Realty’s proposed renovation of the former Vipond building, because the structure is actually two buildings — one originally a Sears & Roebuck and one originally a J.C. Penney Co. store.

The mini-grant will be for $5,000 and the facade loan for $30,000.

A similar double allocation was made for a similar reason for the structure that now houses JJ Hadley and Co. Brewers, according to GAEDC Executive Director Patrick Miller.

GAEDC, an affiliate of Altoona Blair County Development Corp., will combine the two Curry facade loans into one, to avoid a second set of closing fees and other costs, Miller said.

There will be a 10-year payback at a fixed 3%interest on the loan, Miller said.

Curry has also received a $1.55 million loan through the state Department of Community and Economic Development for the $4 million project, as reported in 2019.

And the firm has obtained a total of $1.5 million in tax credits through the National Park Service and the Enterprise Zone program of DCED, the company’s Ron McConnell has said.

Curry expects to be open for business by mid-November, according to McConnell, speaking at a recent meeting of the Altoona Parking Authority.

The site will become headquarters for the complex of Curry companies, now based in Morrisons Cove.

Those comprise Curry Supply, Curry Rail Services, Curry Fluid Power, Curry Trucking, Curry Designs and Curry Realty.

The development will also include rental spaces, one of which will be filled by aspects of Saint Francis University’s engineering and business programs.

The overall development has included demolition of a derelict church building nearby and creation of a parking lot on that site.

Curry has also redeveloped the former Chalk Box on 11th Avenue into Levity Brewing Co.

And it owns the former Kress building, across the avenue from Levity.

GAEDC’s facade loan program has a fund balance of $52,000, with an additional $169,000 in “receivables,” Miller said.

There are eight loans outstanding, all on schedule with payments, Miller said.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.