City slashes requestfor state money to redevelop areas

By Joe Pinchot
Herald Staff Writer

The city of Farrell has scaled back its request for state Capital Budget money, which would be used to redevelop parts of town.

Council had applied for $1.5 million but the dollar-for-dollar match proved to be too costly. Mayor William Morocco said the city is now asking for $500,000.

Consultant Rick Grossman of Graney, Grossman, Ray and Associates, New Wilmington, is preparing a redevelopment plan that details how the money would be spent.

“We’re actually pinpointing areas and specific properties,” said City Manager LaVon Saternow, who declined to divulge which areas might be targeted. “We’ll see how far we can make the money stretch.”

Officials had previously said the money would be used to buy properties and demolish buildings to try to make parts of town more attractive to developers.

The match would come primarily from the revolving loan fund, which has generally been used to give low-interest loans to businesses, and the city’s annual Community Development Block Grant from the state, which is generally earmarked for street improvements, code enforcement and demolition of dilapidated structures.

Mercer County commissioners have identified the Farrell project, as well as Mercer County Area Agency on Aging’s planned renovation and expansion of the Shenango Valley Multi-Service Center, Farrell; Legacy Commons Industrial Park in Farrell; Columbia Theatre in Sharon; and the former Westinghouse Electric Corp. plant in Sharon, now owned by James E. Winner Jr., as priorities for Capital Budget funding.

The money was generated by a state bond issue for economic development under the so-called Stadium Bill.

Grossman will have the redevelopment plan finished Friday for the commissioners, Mrs. Saternow said.

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City slashes request for state money to redevelop areas

City slashes requestfor state money to redevelop areas