Newcomerstown gets nearly $800,000 for downtown revitalization
NEWCOMERSTOWN (WJER) (May 10, 2024) – The village is getting $786,290 to help revitalize its downtown.
The grant comes from Ohio’s Appalachian Community Grant Program. Newcomerstown Mayor Pat Cadle says officials have been working on that grant application for two years and had almost given up hope before they were announced as winners this week.
Cadle says the funds will be used to paint and improve the facades of 22 downtown buildings, replace utility poles with lamp posts and underground electric, and make improvements to water and sewer connections.
The grant will also help Newcomerstown connect with Dennison and Coshocton on a passenger train route that Cadle says will open up tourism opportunities. Cadle says the plan is to build a depot in Newcomerstown and rehab a railway spur.
Newcomerstown’s grant is part of $51 million announced last week and $500 million total awarded by the state to reinvigorate Appalachian communities. Other Tuscarawas County recipients include the city of New Philadelphia, which received $2.9 million for a downtown revitalization project. Several area school districts received grants to build health centers on their campuses.