Friday, June 28, 2002
One grant will help Sebring to revitalize its downtown.
BY BOB JACKSONVINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County commissioners doled out more than $490,000 Thursday for developments around the county.
The money comes from the Community Development Block Grant program, which is state funding administered through the county.
Among the grants was $89,800 awarded to Sebring for sidewalk and curb improvements in its downtown.
Mayor Daphne Cannell said the grant is a piece of a total $2.9 million the village is using to revitalize the downtown.
The rest of the money will come from the Ohio Small Business Administration and other state sources, Cannell said. The county also contributed through its community development fund, made up of revenue from a county sales tax.
Praise for Sebring
"Sebring is a classic example of what can be done when you really go out and look for multiple funding sources," said Commissioner Vicki Allen Sherlock. Cannell said the target area includes 15th Street, from Pennsylvania to Maryland avenues; and Ohio Avenue, from 14th to 16th streets.
Some of the sidewalks will be done with decorative bricks, while others will be concrete. There also will be new planters and other decorative features installed, and a small park will be beautified.
The next step, though it's not included in this phase of the project, will be improvement of downtown building facades, the mayor said. She said all of village's downtown storefronts are occupied.
Where else
Besides administering the grants they awarded, commissioners also will administer a $12,000 grant to Canfield for new curb ramps to make sidewalks accessible to the handicapped, and an $11,800 grant to Mahoning Valley Fair Housing Authority.
bjackson@vindy.com