ARCHIVED DOWNTOWN NEWS

Downtown Buildings May Be Historic
Several of Chillicothe's downtown businesses are expected to meet the necessary criteria in order to be listed on the National Registry of Historic Buildings. According to Lynn Jackson, Main Street Chillicothe Director, 102 buildings in the Chillicothe downtown area have undergone an initial survey by a historic preservation consultant. Lynn reports that 50-some of those buildings will meet criteria to be on the national registry. The buildings represent over 40 property owners in the downtown area.

Owners of these buildings may now begin the application process to receive tax credits. The tax credits are designed to help restore and remodel the old buildings with the amount of the tax credits based on the cost of the individual building's remodeling and rehabilitation project. The state has 25% tax credits available, and the federal government has 20 percent tax credits available. Due to some overlapping coverage, the qualifying property owners may receive a tax credit of 38% if a combination of state and federal aid is used.

Matching Grants
Main Street Chillicothe is also currently developing guidelines for matching grants which will be offered to its members in March, 2002, for the improvement of historic building facades. These grants will be offered from the Chillicothe Industrial Development Corporation (CIDC) through the Main Street Chillicothe program.

Web Site
The Main Street Chillicothe web site will be available to Main Street members, giving them the opportunity to develop a one-page full-color brochure style marketing tool about their business at cost for the design. The web site gives members who may not have the resources to otherwise be on the World Wide Web an opportunity to be part of a web site that should attract attention to those who are looking at the Chillicothe area on the Internet. Also, all area businesses that have web sites are encouraged to link up to the Main Street site.

Design Committee
Main Street is also looking into the idea of making the downtown area more picturesque. The Design Committee is working with the Rotary Foundation to establish a subcommittee of community members interested in the possibility of adding more murals to the downtown area. The purpose of the committee is to determine community interest in using multiple murals as an attraction to bring visitors to Chillicothe. Given a positive response, the committee will establish a theme and develop guidelines for artists to use in applying for specific projects.

Main Street Survey Assisted by Local Students
Main Street Chillicothe officials and three Grand River Technical School students in the entrepreneurship class have sent out 500 community interest surveys to Livingston County residents last week. When the surveys are returned and compiled, the results will be published here.

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The Chillicothe Industrial Development Corporation (CIDC) board members, with president Stephen Franke, have made a commitment to donate through the Neighborhood Assistance Program tax credits and encourages everyone who is interested in downtown revitalization to get involved. Donations may be in the form of time and ideas; cash; materials, supplies or equipment; technical assistance and professional services; real estate; or stocks and bonds.

The CIDC board members have made a commitment to donate from their personal funds the Toa of $200,000 needed to utilize the $140,000 awarded in tax credits. The credits are to be utilized between July 1, 2001, and June 30, 2004. A total of $103,347.50 has been received in donations since July, 2001. The money is being used to fund current projects, as well as to help develop new ones that will increase the interest in being involved in a vibrant, historic district.

The historic property survey has identified two districts in the downtown containing in excess of 60 buildings. The State Historic Preservation Office, along with the Federal Department of Natural Resources, will determine the exact boundaries and which buildings will qualify for historic tax credits.

The CIDC has established a facade/sign matching grant program for Main Street Members to encourage improvement and restoration of the historic building fronts.

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Chillicothe Commerce Center (04/09/02)

A new look and a new name will be just a part of a major renovation effort at the Chillicothe Area Chamber of Commerce building located at 514 Washington. The building will now be named the Chillicothe Commerce Center and house the chamber, CIDC, the Grand River Area Visitor's Bureau, Chillicothe Fine Arts Council, and the Main Street Program.

Included in the announcement made at the Chillicothe Country Club on April 9, 2002, was that an extended lease agreement with the CIDC and chamber will include the renovation of a part of the building's upstairs and a new entry way to the upstairs through the lobby area. This makes the chamber building the first in the downtown area to follow the new Main Street program guidelines in appearance and signage.

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The 2002 National Town Meeting on Main Street was held in Fort Worth, Texas, and was filled with proven ideas and strategies for commercial district revitalization. Experts in the Main Street arena offered tips, tactics, and true stories that inspired community leaders and gave attendees the tools and techniques to turn local main streets into vibrant commercial centers. The National Town Meeting partnered with Historic Fort Worth and the Texas Main Street Program and more than 75 educational sessions, tours, and networking events combined to create an informative and dynamic conference experience. The 2003 National Town Meeting on Main Street is in Cincinnati, Ohio, May 18-21.

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