WEST CHESTER (August 2, 2021) – Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. (OMI) will receive $25,000 in state grant funding to support facade improvements in the historic downtown business district.
The funding, made available by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s Keystone Communities Grant Program, will support ongoing efforts to assist business and property owners in enhancing the aesthetics of downtown Oxford.
“Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. is thrilled to receive this funding for facade improvements so that merchants can restore and revitalize their infrastructure in historic downtown Oxford,” said Christianna Hannum, OMI Executive Director.
State Senator Carolyn Comitta, who supported OMI’s application for the grant funding, said it will be another way to help the small business community continue to recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic.
“Oxford continues to make great progress in attracting new businesses and revitalizing the downtown business district,” she said. “This grant funding is just one more tool to assist and support small, locally owned businesses in fully recovering from the pandemic and promoting downtown Oxford as a destination for shopping, dining, and entertainment in the region.”
The urban center of six growing municipalities in southern Chester County, Oxford Borough is in the midst of a revitalization effort that has attracted investment, preserved and repurposed historic buildings, and created a unique sense of place. In addition to streetscape improvements that have transformed the look of Oxford’s downtown, OMI provides façade grants and guidelines to help businesses and property owners restore and enhance their exteriors in line with the historic and architectural character of the community.
OMI’s grant comes as part of $5 million in total Keystone Communities Program grant funding awarded to 41 revitalization projects in 21 Pennsylvania counties.
“The Keystone Communities Program helps Pennsylvania’s towns and cities enhance their quality of life to the benefit of residents, visitors, and businesses alike,” said Gov. Wolf. “The program is flexible enough to serve the needs of any municipality—whether they’re aiming to improve their downtown, rehabilitate buildings, or create new housing or community gathering spaces.”
In addition to the façade upgrades, other projects supported blight reduction, building renovations, mixed-use facility and accessible housing construction, downtown and storefront enhancements, and playground construction.
“At DCED, we often say that Pennsylvania is the best place to live, work, and play, and the Keystone Communities funding approved today will help ensure that adage holds true for years to come,” said Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin. “Continued investment in our communities is so critical to the health and vibrancy of our commonwealth, and we look forward to seeing these projects come to fruition.”
According to DCED, the Keystone Communities program is designed to encourage the creation of partnerships between public and private sector that jointly support local initiatives such as the growth and stability of neighborhoods and communities; social and economic diversity; and a strong and secure quality of life. The program allows communities to tailor assistance to meet the needs of specific revitalization efforts.
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