ASHTABULA, Ohio — Crews kept busy along Main Avenue Tuesday afternoon, replacing much of the sidewalk as part of an approximately $2 million project.
The project, funded by Ohio's Appalachian Community Grant Program, also includes renovating about two dozen storefronts in the city's downtown district.
"We're doing this to bring more people to downtown, really to give it a facelift," Ashtabula City Manager Jim Timonere said.
The Appalachian Community Grant Program entails a $500 million investment in Ohio's 32-county Appalachian region that began four years ago.
A separate $2 million state grant will also fund the rebuilding of Collins Boulevard, adjacent to Main Avenue.
Among those excited for the changes is Christy Tobias Detore, who owns Christy Tobias Hair Salon on Main Avenue.
"It's huge, it's huge, we've been waiting a long time," Tobias Detore said.
She told News 5 that Main Avenue has been part of her life for decades.
"My dad had a business down the street — Main Avenue is my playground, and I've been in this building since I was 19," she said. "When we first came here, it was really thriving. Gradually, things started to get pretty bad."
Her salon is among the storefronts being renovated as part of the project.
"I'm getting all new glass, new windows, and the building painted with new awnings," Tobias Detore said.
Timonere told News 5 the city saw a similar project done to its harbor about 10 years ago, when it received a $600,000 grant.
"It's really bloomed and blossomed," Timonere said. "We have the unique distinction that we have two downtowns. You see what's happened with $600,000 investment. We're putting about $4 million downtown. We're expecting it to take off."
Nearly all of the work is required to be completed by fall as a condition of the grant.
Other communities in Northeast Ohio are also benefiting from the program by improving their waterfronts or downtown districts, including Conneaut, Geneva-on-the-Lake, Geneva and Newcomerstown.
Clay LePard is the Ashtabula, Geauga and Portage counties reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow him on X @ClayLePard, on Facebook ClayLePardTV or email him at Clay.LePard@wews.com.
