OECD Hopes to Build on Elm Street
Success with State Grant Money
Building on the success of the Elm Street Neighborhood project, the Office of Economic and Community Development is hoping to receive a Keystone Communities Development Grant.
OECD Executive Director Sara Andrews and Elm Street manager Lisa Keck said they have accomplished most of their goals in that section of town, but have about another years’ worth of work to do.
During a public hearing prior to Tuesday’s city council meeting they talked about what’s been accomplished and what they’re still looking to do.
Keck said they would like to continue infrastructure improvements to complement what has already been done in the area of School, Pearl, Bank and Howard streets and Merrow Avenue.
She said they are also looking to continue the façade improvement and housing rehabilitation assistance programs, saying they have more engagement now with people willing to do that.
“Working with code enforcement department, we have been able to engage a lot of landlords who hadn’t been interested in participating,” Keck said. “That makes this component very critical to us moving forward because that’s a dollar for dollar match instead of a full grant.”
In the previous five years $300,000 has been spent on façade improvements to 32 units and $700,000 has been spend on housing rehabilitation to 30 units. She said there are currently waiting lists for both programs and they are rolling them over as fast as they can.
A little more than $2.6 million has been spent on the area’s streetscape projects, and more will be done this year.
Keck said residents in the area consistently said safety – sidewalks, roads, lighting and housing repairs dealing with blight – are their main concerns. She said the grant money would help them further their efforts in those areas.
She added that they’ve been able to demolish some properties, rehabilitate the lots and get them ready for new housing.
An example of that, Andrews said, is the corner of School and Pearl streets, where an apartment building and dilapidated houses were demolished. She said Jeff Andrews of the OECD has come up with a “unique plan” for townhouses on the lot.
She said they are hoping to get a construction subsidy for in-fill housing to go through with the plan.
After discussing the improvements and plans councilman Jim Evans said, “There certainly seems to be a whole new feeling of pride in that neighborhood. He added later that anyone who hasn’t been to Bradford in years goes into that section of town, as well as Onofrio Street, can see the difference.
Andrews said they’ve “proved some people wrong in Harrisburg who basically said a city couldn’t do this” and only a non-profit could be the centerpiece of this type of project.
She thanked council for its support over the years.
In a brief meeting following the public hearing approved the promotion of police officer Todd Erickson to sergeant effective last Thursday.
Council also approved the final $8,000 payment to Delta Development for its consulting services on the Bradford Master Plan. The money came from a DCED grant and local donations.
Also Tuesday, council approved a certificate of appropriateness to Bradford Publications to remove the existing overhead door at the back of The Bradford Era building and replace it with a larger door for loading and unloading, and to install a man door.
The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...
since 1947
OECD Executive Director Sara Andrews and Elm Street manager Lisa Keck said they have accomplished most of their goals in that section of town, but have about another years’ worth of work to do.
During a public hearing prior to Tuesday’s city council meeting they talked about what’s been accomplished and what they’re still looking to do.
Keck said they would like to continue infrastructure improvements to complement what has already been done in the area of School, Pearl, Bank and Howard streets and Merrow Avenue.
She said they are also looking to continue the façade improvement and housing rehabilitation assistance programs, saying they have more engagement now with people willing to do that.
“Working with code enforcement department, we have been able to engage a lot of landlords who hadn’t been interested in participating,” Keck said. “That makes this component very critical to us moving forward because that’s a dollar for dollar match instead of a full grant.”
In the previous five years $300,000 has been spent on façade improvements to 32 units and $700,000 has been spend on housing rehabilitation to 30 units. She said there are currently waiting lists for both programs and they are rolling them over as fast as they can.
A little more than $2.6 million has been spent on the area’s streetscape projects, and more will be done this year.
Keck said residents in the area consistently said safety – sidewalks, roads, lighting and housing repairs dealing with blight – are their main concerns. She said the grant money would help them further their efforts in those areas.
She added that they’ve been able to demolish some properties, rehabilitate the lots and get them ready for new housing.
An example of that, Andrews said, is the corner of School and Pearl streets, where an apartment building and dilapidated houses were demolished. She said Jeff Andrews of the OECD has come up with a “unique plan” for townhouses on the lot.
She said they are hoping to get a construction subsidy for in-fill housing to go through with the plan.
After discussing the improvements and plans councilman Jim Evans said, “There certainly seems to be a whole new feeling of pride in that neighborhood. He added later that anyone who hasn’t been to Bradford in years goes into that section of town, as well as Onofrio Street, can see the difference.
Andrews said they’ve “proved some people wrong in Harrisburg who basically said a city couldn’t do this” and only a non-profit could be the centerpiece of this type of project.
She thanked council for its support over the years.
In a brief meeting following the public hearing approved the promotion of police officer Todd Erickson to sergeant effective last Thursday.
Council also approved the final $8,000 payment to Delta Development for its consulting services on the Bradford Master Plan. The money came from a DCED grant and local donations.
Also Tuesday, council approved a certificate of appropriateness to Bradford Publications to remove the existing overhead door at the back of The Bradford Era building and replace it with a larger door for loading and unloading, and to install a man door.
The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...since 1947
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