Connellsville
CONNELLSVILLE – The Connellsville Redevelopment Authority will conduct a public hearing today to garner input as it moves to redirect $105,000 in state funding in order to purchase a downtown property. The hearing will be held at 4 p.m. in the city municipal building.
Authority executive director Michael Edwards said that the hearing is required when a community opts to alter the received state Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from one project to another.
The funding was initially earmarked in 2008 to purchase a lot at the Widewaters Commons shopping plaza for development.
Last month, council directed the authority to instead pursue the acquisition of the 224 W. Crawford Ave. property and create a recreation activity fund for the eventual construction of a park with any funding remaining from the purchase.
While the authority oversees the expenditure of the CDBG funding, council selects the projects that are undertaken through the program.
“The hearing will give individuals or groups the opportunity to offer comment on the city’s decision to move the funding,” said Edwards.
Mayor Judy Reed said that the half-acre property, owned by DJB Associates of Connellsville, has been identified as a “high value” property by several agencies now working with the city.
The property lies at the northwest corner of the Crawford Avenue Bridge.
“This location has been identified as the gateway,” said Reed.
“It will serve as a gateway to visitors to cross over the bridge into historic downtown and open the gateway view of the Youghiogheny River.”
The state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) must approve the property acquisition as eligible for the spending of CDBG funds before the city can move forward with the purchase.