It’s good news for downtown Austin.

Eight more buildings will receive facelifts thanks to Austin’s Main Street Project.

On Wednesday, the Austin Port Authority approved the new applicants for the program and has now given the green light to the exterior renovations of 10 downtown buildings since late March.

The Austin Main Street Project began in 2005 and enables building owners to make improvements to the exterior of their structures with the help of forgivable loans. With the most recent additions, the project has either completed or is in the process of completing 27 storefront renovations.

The Port Authority makes decisions on the recommendations of the Main Street Project board, with the goal of the program to revitalize the city’s downtown.

The newest additions include two longtime Austin businesses, including Knauer’s Meat Market at 121 First Ave. N.W., which opened in Austin in 1886, and Donut Connection at 507 First St. N.W., which celebrates its 33rd anniversary May 25.

Other locations approved Wednesday for the Main Street Project include the property at 209 Fourth Ave. N.E. that is being purchased by James and Karen Benson to house an insurance agency and a bookkeeping and accounting business; the 125 N. Main St. property being purchased by South Central Athlete owner Mark Nagle that is slated to also house two apartments; The Bakery bar on Second Ave. N.E., a project that includes revamping the back entrance to The Bank Building on the corner of Second Ave. N.E. and North Main Street; and Beltone, Top Ten Nails and Thompson Insurance, all located in the same strip of 507 First St. N.W. as Donut Connection.

“The primary reason (for the Main Street Project), I think, is to try to turn Main Street into a desirable place for people to live and work and shop,” Commissioner Brian McAlister said.

The Austin Main Street Project is funded through a combination of easement purchases by the Austin Port Authority and forgivable loans that come from grants obtained from the Hormel Foundation, and in some cases — with roofs or certain interior projects — a state Small Cities Development Program grant.

The SCDP grant of roughly $440,000 was awarded to the City of Austin for the Austin Main Street Project through 2010.

Out of those applications approved Wednesday, the only location that will utilize SCDP funds is the 125 N. Main building that is scheduled to include the apartment conversion.

Through the Port Authority easements, the business owners taking part in the project cannot alter the finalized look of their business exterior without the approval of the Austin Main Street Project. They also must remain at their location for the amount of time listed on their contract, which ranges from five to seven years, or they will have to repay the loan at a prorated cost for every year they break the contract.

Since the beginning of the program, more than $4 million has been spent on downtown renovations that includes private investment of roughly $2.6 million, grants of $465,025 and tax dollars totaling $940,355.

Craig Byram, vice president for the Austin Main Street Project, said he expects the work on the eight businesses approved Wednesday to begin in the near future.

Also on Wednesday, the Port Authority reconfirmed their interest in providing a loan of up to $150,000 to Patrick Bradley, who owns The Bakery bar and the Bank Building for an interior project at that site that will include installing an elevator. That work is estimated to cost a total of $235,100. The item will be sent back to the Port Authority for final approval at a later date.