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Borough seeks federal funds for transportation center

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Borough officials hosted a town tour this week with U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker, R-16, of Lancaster, and Kate Schramm — a representative of U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey’s office — with an eye toward connecting with some federal funds for Oxford’s planned Multimodal Transportation Center.

With the support of state Rep. John Lawrence, R-13 of Landenberg, who spoke often on behalf of the group, they met at the Wholly Grounds coffee shop on Third Street for a sit-down to discuss the $7.7 million project and the benefits it will bring to the town and the surrounding region.

Present at the table in addition to Schramm, Smucker and Lawrence were Oxford Mayor Lorraine Bell, borough Manager Brian Hoover, Architect Steven Krug, grant writer Pauline Garcia-Allen, Oxford Mainstreet Inc. Director Brian Wenzka and Smucker aide Zach Peirson.

In the works for several years, plans for the fourstory/five parking level building evolved out of the need for additional parking to serve the borough’s downtown renaissance, including both establishing and retaining significant business growth. When completed, it will rise from the site of the current bank parking lot alongside Octoraro Alley and Second Street. It will house not only parking facilities but a new borough hall and bus routing center.

Lawrence told Smucker that much has gone on in the past five years in the borough, but parking has been an issue and a limiting factor when it comes to continued vigorous development.

“We’ve got $5 million of the $7 million needed. We have $1 million from the county, $2 million from PennDOT, $1 million from DCED and $1 million from a private donation. It’s shovelready,” Lawrence said, adding that all the historic district and zoning specifications have been approved.

With a location in the middle of town and accessible to present and future businesses, “This is prime,” he said.

The goal is to obtain funding for the building so the eventual fees generated by the parking within will support the operation.

Bell, who grew up in Oxford, said she always has felt the borough is “amazing,” and even as small as it is, her family has always shopped there.

“In the past five years though, there’s been a lot of growth,” she said.

Garcia-Allen pointed out that Oxford has an attractive geographical location, being halfway between Bal-

CHRIS BARBER — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Legislators and borough officials take a walking tour of Oxford with the goal of soliciting government funds and grants for the new Multimodal Transportation Center. From left are: Mayor Lorraine Bell, OMI Director Brian Wenzka, Sawmill Grill owner...