Amherst News-Times, 1999-02-17

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Amherst News-Time
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Wednesday,  February   17.   1999
Ainherst.  Ohio
I
Plans explored
for revitalization
Even though revitalization of
downtown Amherst is still a dream,
city officials and business people
are preparing the groundwork for a
group that may help it become a
reality.
Plans are being made for a visit
and assessment of the historic
downtown by Downtown Ohio, Inc.,
a non-profit revitalization organization the city joined last year for
$200.
For another $250, two or three
group representatives from the organization will explore and review the
downtown area on March 13 with
mayor John Higgins. The following
day, they will meet with city officials, merchants, business people
and others to hear and discuss
downtown issues, strengths and concerns at the newly opened Veranda
Restaurant on Milan Avenue.
Among those in attendance will
be the 16-member downtown revitalization committee created by the
mayor shortly after he took office in
1996. Even though the group has
not met on a regular basis, it is expected to play a significant role in
any improvements that are implemented, the mayor said.
A report outlining the representative's findings and recommendations will be presented at a later
date.
The main speaker will be Kevin
Kuchenbecker, executive director of
Downtown Ohio, who will discuss
the Main Street program and how it
has benefited other cities.
"This is something we need to really give revitalization a boost," said
Higgins. "They can help give us the
direction and guidance we need."
| Councilwoman Nancy Brown has
noted many new area residents don't
shop downtown because they think
of the Amherst Plaza and the comer
of Cooper Foster Park and N. Leavitt Roads as the central business
district.
It is hoped the Main Street program can help change that perception. It is a comprehensive statewide
revitalization effort created to promote historic and economic redevelopment of older business districts
like Amherst's.
The city also will receive technical support and training needed to
restore the downtown area and make
it a center of community activity
and commerce.
Each year the mayor said Main
Street Ohio officials select a community on a competitive basis for
Main Street projects, which involves
assistance in getting redevelopment
grants. It provides information on
private, state and federal financing
alternatives, including grants, city
officials explained. They range between $400,000 and $600,000, and
usually are for building renovations,
facade work and street or downtown
landscaping improvements.
; Among those interested in the
program is the newly created Amherst Downtown Business Association (ADBA.) Its creation was a
helpful step because it helps show
business people are interested in improvements. Brown said.
"We can't just walk in and
plop an application down," she explained. "You have to have groundwork done and they (the state) want
. to see interest, and that some organization supports it and backs it."
;'. She and Judy Recknagel, owner
of the Mermaid's Tail, are co-
chairing a Downtown Ohio, Inc. visitation committee. A proponent of
downtown revitalization, the coun-
cilwoman is particularly anxious to
hear its representatives.
"We need direction and advice on
getting started and getting grams because the grants don't come easy."
Brown added.
■The mayor agrees. The applies-
tioa process for state redevelopment
grants is tough because applications
often are not approved on the first
IT
He it hoping tips provided by
Downtown Ohio representatives and
possible help from the county development department will give ihe
dty an edge in tte process.
, "It's a highly competitive one, ao
ax can use all the help we can get"
Higgins said.
,< The program also can help the
newly fanned group set priorities
help market and promote tte down
town, Higgins said.
"There's lots of benefits we can
get from it (Main Street Ohio) that
we don't realize. It can be a brain-
trust,'' he added.
The goals of the multi-phased
Main Street Ohio Program range
from increasing retail sales to enhancing the visual quality through
building restoration and conservation programs.
Several area communities have
adopted all or pan of the Main
Street philosophy, including
Oberlin.
Oberlin City manager Rob DiS-
pirito, with whom Higgins has been
in contact, said the college community has opted to develop its own
revitalization using some, but not
all, of Main Street Ohio's guidelines. This involves possibly hiring
someone who would serve as both a
chamber of commerce director and a
Main Street Ohio coordinator.
The evaluation of Oberlin's
downtown gave city officials "a valuable insight" into its strengths and
needs, and how it might be improved, DiSpirito added.
"It showed us there is more to
think about than just the bricks and
mortar of buildings, it's marketing,
promotion, business retention and
other things that are to be considered also," he said. "It gives you a
very in-depth program that helps by
giving you a tailor-fit set of recommendations you can use."
Amherst city officials and ADBA
members have said they believe a
healthy downtown helps create and
retain jobs plus strengthens the tax
base, especially income tax.
There are four key elements vital
to a downtown's revitalization that
are part of the Main Street Ohio
Program, according to documents
provided by Downtown Ohio, Inc.:
• Organization and cooperation
between merchants and other groups
that have a role in a downtown.
• A downtown's physical appearance, including the streets, buildings, parking, landscaping and window displays.
• Marketing and promotion of a
city's unique; characteristics to attract shoppers, investors and
tourists.
• Strengthening the existing economic base of the downtown while
emphasizing diversity in it This includes helping to expand and recruit
new businesses, and converting unused space into usable property.
Winter royalty
Winter homecoming festivities at Marion L.
Steele last Saturday began with the crowning
of the Winter King and Queen, seniors Steve
Szucs and Abbrn Jankowski. The night began
with a junior varsity win over North Ridgeville,
followed by a varsity win, and capped off with
a dance.
Scout achieves highest honor
Greg Yuhasz received the rank of
Eagle Scout at a special court of
honor on Sunday, November 8,
1998.
Yuhasz is the son of Ruth and
Nick Yuhasz. He is a member of
Boy Scout Troop 427 in Amherst
The troop belongs to tte Great
Frontier District of tte Heart of
Ohio Council.
Tte Eagle Scout award is tte
highest Boy Scout honor. In order to
achieve this rank, a scout must earn
21 merit badges, te an active member of tte troop, hold leadership
positions and complete a community service project ■
• Tte Eagle court of honor, held at
tte Nordson Train Depot began
with tte opening flag ceremony presented by Sean Bailey, Kevin Burls,
Chris Ferris. Andy Cotton, and Eric
Jones. Jeff Rider, William Loar,
Joel Rivenburg, Matt Butler. Jesse
Parkhurst and Matt Adkins. Tom
Cotton presented tte Scout
Ceremony. Master of
Josh Sailer read the Eagle poem,
treasurer Ken Ferris reviewed
Yuhasz's scouting record. Yuhasz's
aeyanfjM career began with Cob Scout Pick 494 of Amhent when te
earned tte Arrow of light the high-
eat rank of Cub Scouting. He joined
Troop 427 on Febiuary 7,1994. He
earned tte rank of Tenderfoot oa
October 3, 1994, Second Class on
December 3, 1994, First Gam on
April 3. 1993. Star oa October 9.
1995, Life on July 12,1996 ami I*-
naBy tte rank of Eagk on
tore, 1998.
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nsosnny to tn* roaoh tne Nghtat honor posslbte as a boy scout
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der of the Arrow Brotherhood.
Other programs of participation included Troop Junior Leader Training, New Frontiers Program, Outdoor Wilderness League (Firelands),
and snorkeling BSA. In 1996, te
was the second recipient of tte Donald Jameson Lifetime Scouting
Achievement Award.
Eagle Honor Guard Matt Adkins
and Jesse Parkhurst escorted Yuhasz
to Scoutmaster Jeff Rider, who presented the Eagle award. Yuhasz is
the 43rd Eagle Scout in Troop 427,
and joins his grandfather, uncle and
cousin as Eagle Scouts.
Tom Cotton, Troop 427's 42nd
Eagle Scout invited all Eagle Scouts to come forward and take the
Eagle charge with Yuhasz. Mr.
Rider recalled highlights of Yuhasz's Scouting years. Following Mr.
Rider's remarks, Yuhasz's name
was added to Troop 427's Eagle
plaque.
Yuhasz then took tte floor and
thanked his family, friends, adult
leaders and tte troop members for
their help and encouragement along
his Eagle nail.
Scoutmaster! Owen
Mite Bailey described
t's Eagle Project Yukon
planned, organlied. led and worked
to clnarrldan s new 12 foot wide
trail at tte Mill Hollow Metro Fa*.
Tte new iral connects to tte existing Bluebird trafl. A total of 340
hours was roasjnd by al
ants to comnlsttpf I Ml
Tte Ifouonbls Mayor John Nf~
•
DonauvM iw
for park
requested
by Mayor
by OLEN MLLER
News-Times reporter
With corporate and business donations all but tapped out the city
admimstration is renewing its request for public donations to help
build a 60-acre West Side Park.
The city is about $53,000 shy of
meeting its $600,000 goal, tte
amount of public and private funding agreed to in a 1997 agreement
with the Lorain County Metroparks
board.
Under the agreement tte city and
park system agreed to each provide
$600,000 in funding for tte $1.8
million facility. The remaining third
was to come from public fundraising and donations.
Fundraising and donations were
chosen over the creation of a possible tax levy.
In his Feb. 8 report to city council, mayor John Higgins said te has
approached and received donations
from every major business in tte
city.
"We need some public support to
complete this job," he said.
The park is to be built between N.
Lake and N. Main streets and will
have a childrens' playground, picnic
facilities, a soccer field and a walking and biking trail.
More than two months ago, te
and MetroParks director Dan Martin
jointly announced progress in tte
fund drive and asked residents to
begin digging into their purses and
wallets.
Of the more than $346,000 donated so far, about 30 donations
have come from businesses and corporations. They have contributed
amounts ranging from $1,000 to
$25,000. Only nine have been
checks of $300 or less, tte kind of
contributions sought from families
or individuals, Martin said.
"But these are tte* kind we are
seeking now and we need more of,
not necessarily $300, but of smaller
amounts — kits of them," te added.
"We've heard from very few
families."
Higgins and Martin said they
would like to conclude tte campaign by the end of March so engineers can be hired in April or May.
Construction work would te bid out
before tte end of tte year and tte
park built in 2000.
Unless tte goal is reached by tte
end of next month, tte mayor said
the city may have to resort to special
fundraisers. The other option would
be to scale back tte park, although
that decision would have to te made
by the parks board. Martin said.
Donations can be made to tte
Lorain County Metro Parks. 12882
Diagonal Road. LaGrange, 44030.
Post office
options
considered
by QLEN MLLER
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