GROVE CITY, PA. College donates $250K for downtown

The bulk of the money will be available in the form of a matching grant.
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- An effort to revitalize the downtown business district got a major boost with a $250,000 contribution from Grove City College.
Grove City Revitalization Inc., a nonprofit group put together to help the town, presented a plan for a first-phase improvement to a three-block section of the business district in May 2003, announcing at the time that the effort would go forward after receiving state and federal grants and raising local funds.
Last month, Grove City Borough Council approved a cooperation agreement in which the revitalization group agreed to raise at least $500,000 from private sources to help finance a first-phase project estimated at $2.45 million.
Dr. Richard G. Jewell, college president, announced the $250,000 gift at a revitalization group meeting this week, saying it was an investment in the community on behalf of the campus.
"We believe it is important to do our part as a good institutional citizen to ensure a bright future for Grove City and Grove City College," Jewell said.
Two-part gift
The college gift will be in two parts.
It includes $15,000 to help pay for consulting engineers hired to develop the revitalization plan and $235,000 in the form of a matching grant.
The college will match every dollar the revitalization group raises from other private sources over the next five years at the rate of up to $50,000 per year with a maximum of $235,000.
David M. Dayton, chairman of Grove City Revitalization Inc., said the gift is one more example of what makes Grove City unique.
"It is so reassuring to our board of directors to receive this gift, knowing the college is making this commitment because they believe in this project and were willing to step forward to do their part and set an example for others," he said.
Donations can be made payable to Grove City Revitalization Inc.,119 S. Broad St., Grove City, Pa. 16127.