New Philadelphia gets $2.9 million to enhance downtown square quadrants

NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (May 9, 2024) – City officials have secured funds for a significant facelift to the downtown area.

City Service Director Ron McAbier says New Philadelphia is getting $2.9 million out of the state’s Appalachian Community Grant program to make improvements to three of the quadrants at the downtown square at High Avenue and Broadway.

McAbier says he spent a few months working with Columbus landscape architect Design Local to develop these plans.

“The vision was I just wanted a downtown that felt everybody could go down and sit and just have a great time,” said McAbier.

He says there will be space for community events and outdoor dining on two of the quadrants and landscaping and pavement improvements on the third. He says this will add more seating room to better accommodate everything the city offers downtown, such as Music on the Square.  He believes the quadrants have “felt old” at times and needed attention.

McAbier says the preliminary sketches show more grassy areas where residents could go to play cornhole or eat a bagged lunch from one of the downtown businesses.

The project also includes welcome archways that will go up above the streets at that intersection.

McAbier estimates after the bidding process that construction on the project should begin next spring and take about 5 months to complete.

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