The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
City projects sprucing things up
City improving with beautification projects
Keeping a city beautiful takes a lot of work, and Elyria has been putting that work in to make sure the city is attractive to residents, businesses and potential residents and businesses.
Mayor Holly Brinda said the city has been tearing down abandoned homes and mowing lawns to help beautify the city.
With the passage of Issue 6 money, the city has major road improvement projects all over the city, she said.
“Downtown is a big focus right now,” Brinda said. “We do pride day like everybody else does each year, but we are really trying to focus efforts downtown. There have been a number of initiative, in my opinion, that are improving a lot of things about downtown including the appearance.”
There is $18 million in investments happening downtown, she said.
Issue 6 will be used to add police officers and equipment, park improvements, capital needs and economic development initiatives.
The city received two state appropriation grants for a total of $375,000 to purchase a building and help create an arts district. The building was given to the Elyria Arts Council, Brinda said.
“The money also is being used to create Pioneer Plaza. It’s a space downtown that currently has two beautiful historic murals on either side of the plaza, we used the money to build a beautiful entrance with planters and a streetscape that says Pioneer Plaza.”
The plaza also will feature brick walkways, bike racks, benches and a temporary tent to shelter food and craft vendors and will hold Invest Elyria’s annual Farmers Market, she said.
The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency awarded the city another $250,000 through its Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative.
“The money will be used to create stamped cement crosswalks as well
as historical LED lighting fixtures on Broadway,” Brinda said. “They are actually gorgeous.”
As part of Elyria’s Bicentennial, the city is fundraising to replace the Ely Square fountain.
In April, the city announced it would be selling notes and bonds to finance several city projects, including rebuilding the fountain at Ely Square.
It issued $900,000 in debt to finance the construction of a new fountain at Ely Square and clearing, improving and equipping
the site.
“The fountain has not been updated since the 1970’s, so we are still in the process with it,” Brinda said.
Ely Square fountain will have three tiers and modern LED lighting.
“Construction for the fountain is set for late this fall or early spring,” she said.
The city also converted Second Street to two-way between Chestnut and East avenues.
The county commissioners are renovating the courthouse, which started as a $3.5 million project and is now around $7 million, Brinda said.
“We are very appreciative of the project because it
is such a big part of downtown,” she said.
Along with city improvements, Elyria is seeing a lot of private investments downtown.
There is a new law office going up, McDonalds just rebuilt, Burger King just renovated itself and the city has a couple of developers who have invested in the most challenging properties they are renovating, Brinda said.
The owner of the Foundry restaurant downtown has purchased other buildings to renovate as well.
Residential apartments also are making its way downtown.
“A lot of the buildings downtown are starting to
fill up,” she said.
Another big improvement the city is working on is the reconfiguration
of Midway Mall.
Elyria commissioned a Highest Best Use Study and Redevelopment Plan for
Midway Mall late last year.
The study is being used by mall asset managers to attract a developer interested in investing in the property, Brinda said.
The findings of the study include recommendations to redevelop to smaller, retail and mixed use town center-like attraction, keeping JC Penney at the forefront, adding entertainment businesses and relocating some businesses that are across the street from Midway Mall.
With all the projects going on, Brinda said she can’t wait for the city to thrive.
“We are excited for all the renovations and improvements coming to Elyria,” Brinda said