A DONE DEAL
January 31, 2009

Committee member says downtown revitalization is now firmly established

Eric Poole
Ledger Staff

ELLWOOD CITY – In the next few years, if things go according to a revitalization plan, Ellwood City’s downtown business district will be transformed to a tree-lined avenue with sidewalk cafes, anchored by a community plaza.

The Ellwood City Revitalization committee will unveil its complete plans at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday during a public meeting at the Sons of Italy hall.

Dan Franus, a committee member, said the group hopes to open its first phase – a community plaza – by fall 2010.

But that will happen only if the group can raise the $1.1 million needed to pull it off by the middle of this year. The committee has received more than $400,000, most of it in the form of a $350,000 grant from the Hoyt Foundation.

State and federal money will form a significant portion of the remainder, but unlocking that funding source will be difficult without additional local contribution.

Even with the Hoyt Foundation grant, Bazzichi said the committee will need to meet the donation target to obtain federal and state funding to complete the project.

“We need to have the investment from the community,” said Lenore Bazzichi, committee president.

The project’s centerpiece would be the plaza and large stage. The state would be used for a variety of performances.

“Let your imagination run wild,” said Kevin Bowser, a staffer in the office of state Rep. Jaret Gibbons, D-10, Ellwood City. Bowser was a member of the revitalization committee, but resigned to avoid a conflict of interest when the group applies for grants.

Bazzichi credited Dr. Alexander Chang, who owns the building that housed his optometric office on the 500 block of Lawrence Avenue. Chang agreed to sell the building to the revitalization group for less-than-market value.

The building will be demolished by Ellwood City and that space, along with a vacant lot between Chang’s office and the New Dimension comic book store, will become the plaza.

Ultimately, Bazzichi and Franus said they hope to have façade improvements on Lawrence Avenue, including curb extensions into Lawrence Avenue to facilitate establishing sidewalk cafes outside existing or future restaurants.

Each sidewalk café extension would eliminate two parking spaces, Franus said.

The committee also envisions arches spanning the road at each of the main entrances into Ellwood City.

Even though Franus admitted that there is still some work to do, he said revitalization in Ellwood City is a done deal.

“This is going to happen. We’re going to make it happen,” he said. “We’re going to have some bumps and maybe some bruises along the way, but it’s going to happen.

“As people get excited about it, it’s just going to snowball and roll and roll and roll.”



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