The city of Flat Rock, Mich., is seeking a federal grant for up to $150,000 to preserve historic and commercial metal buildings.

The city council recently approved a resolution to apply for a Preserve America Community Designation from the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of Commerce. It's the first step in a two-step process to make the city eligible for a matching grant.

That grant would help to preserve historic or commercial buildings, metal or otherwise, and to help boost economic development.

The city sent it its application to meet a September 1 deadline, said George Mans, economic development director for the city.

With multiple commercial metal buildings needing preservation, the city is now working with the Flat Rock Historical Society to come up with ideas for using the grant, should the application be approved.

"This is new territory for me," Mans stated. "We have to sit down with (the society) and work together on this. They still have some renovation work to do and may be able to (get a grant) on their own."

The city also could recommend the renovation of a general steel building downtown to make it viable again.

Officials say that a historic building downtown had rotted beams and was about to fall down when it was transformed and restored with assistance from a $150,000 grant.