Hamilton County administration is recommending the Board of Commissioners sign off on $3 million in Community Revitalization Grants. Two communities were also selected for separate impact grants totaling $1 million.
This is the second time Hamilton County has offered the CRG program. Two years ago it handed out $1.5 million for several projects. This year, partial funding is being awarded in order to spread the funding to more communities.
"This year, the project's lend themselves to being able to scale up or down easily as opposed to all-or-nothing, so we're able to get more funding to more places," says Senior Policy Manager Marc Von Allmen.
"I followed up with all of the applicants that we're recommending partial awards for and all of them informed me that the project would still be able to move forward. Now, that being said, with the amount of inflation going on right now, I guess I can't guarantee that there won't be continued road bumps, but we made sure to follow up with all of these because this program is about impact."
Commission President Stephanie Summerow Dumas also wants to make sure the county is keeping track of which communities receive funding from year to year, and consider that when making new funding decisions.
"We just need to keep track and make sure that the same entities are not getting money over and over," she says, adding she's happy the administration will help communities not slated to receive funds with how to make stronger applications in the future.
Sixteen communities submitted applications totaling $6.9 million. Eight projects are recommend for funding. They include:
- Cheviot: Façade improvement program for commercial property along Harrison Ave. Requested: $328,000; recommended to receive: $150,000
- Delhi: Demolition and new construction of 90,000-square foot mixed use building to include a fitness center, township offices, rec center, pre-k classrooms, and public plaza. Requested: $1 million; recommended to receive: $600,000
- Golf Manor: Site acquisition and demolition near the intersection of Wiehe Rd. and Losantiville Ave. Requested: $800,000; recommended to receive: $400,000
- Lockland: Sidewalk repair and replacement along Mill St. and Wyoming Ave., improved pedestrian signals and crosswalks, street tree replacement, and other
improvements. Requested: $253,000; recommended to receive: $200,000 - North Bend: Site acquisition and funding to construct a riverfront park connecting with the Harrison tomb site. Requested: $400,000; recommended to receive: $400,000
- Norwood: Partial demolition on an industrial site. Requested: $250,000; recommended to receive: $250,000
- Silverton: Formation of land trust over several blocks in the Silverton business district. Requested: $600,000; recommended to receive: $500,000
- Springfield Township: Rehabilitation of a vacant bowling alley to attract new brewery end user and food vendors. Requested: $670,000; recommended to receive: $500,000
The $1 million Community Impact Grant is aimed at making a big difference for a small community with limited funding. Eight communities were invited to apply for the funding and seven did so. They include: Addyston, Arlington Heights, Cheviot, Golf Manor, Elmwood Place, Lincoln Heights, and Lockland. Mt. Healthy was eligible but did not apply.
The administration is recommending Lincoln Heights be awarded $975,000 toward various infrastructure repairs and improvements, as well as its signature Memorial Field project. The village is working on a comprehensive revitalization plan. Cheviot is recommended to get $25,000 to do some additional planning related to a portion of the Harrison Ave. rehabilitation plan.
