Village grant part of larger picture LEIPSIC - Village officials and business owners are hoping receipt of a major new grant from the state will spell growth for downtown.
With receipt of the $400,000 Community Development Block Grant late last week, the village is now turning toward figuring out how to put the money to good use.
"Nothing can start until 2008," said Village Administrator Jim Russell. "It's a 2-year process."
Up first for the village will be completing the sanitary sewer project in the village before any other downtown project begins on top of that.
"One of the first things we'll be doing is completing the downtown sanitary sewer [project]," said Russell. "There's no point putting in benches and everything and having it torn up again."
Russell said work on that project would begin in the spring and would last approximately six months. The first phase of the project was visible last summer with blue pipe lining village streets.
While the award is substantial, the community itself will match the funds at approximately 3-1.
"When it's all said and done, we're talking $1.5-$2 million," said Russell.
Meanwhile, downtown businesses for their part are pleased at the news.
"Yes, we're very excited," said Grace Mangas, a manager at Howard's Coin Shop. "We're hoping it will bring some more business and customers to downtown."
See the print edition of the Dec. 19 Sentinel for additional coverage including an interview with the president of the Leipsic Chamber of Commerce.
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