Cassidy, who played big role in Phoenixville, offers solutions to revitalize Coatesville
By Jamie Richard, Staff Writer, CoatesvilleTimes.com
A local consultant is suggesting that Coatesville offer a grant program for homeowners, such as these just off 11th Street, that could offer up to $5,000 for home improvements and an overall boost in local property values.
COATESVILLE – Community and economic development specialist Barry Cassidy spoke before the Coatesville Redevelopment Authority to propose ways to revitalize Coatesville at their meeting Monday.
Cassidy was involved with redevelopment efforts in Phoenixville several years earlier and proposed several options for the redevelopment of Coatesville. According to Cassidy, one of Coatesville’s largest problems is housing and improving its home ownership base.
“I think Coatesville’s problem is a housing problem,” said Cassidy.
Cassidy suggested using community redevelopment grants to encourage tenants and apartment residents to become homeowners. According to Cassidy, a $50,000 grant could be divided among homeowners, granting each of them $5,000 for home improvements provided they match $500 to receive the funding.
“It’s about utilizing the existing housing, not looking at attracting people from outside but seeing who’s living here and who can become homeowners,” said Cassidy.
Cassidy also suggested making improvements to Coatesville’s downtown area in order to make it more appealing to visitors, as well as designating certain areas as enterprise zones, allowing them to be eligible for grants of up to $350,000.
“There’s problems with the streetscape up and down that might not take that much money to fix,” said Cassidy. “That’s the first thing people see when they come in.”
Cassidy offered his services to facilitate the program in exchange for 10 percent of the awarded grant. While members of the authority said they agreed with Cassidy’s proposals, Vice President Jack Burkholder said they would need to further discuss the matter with the City Council.
“We couldn’t operate in a vacuum; we need to have the support of City Council,” said Burkholder.
The authority took no further action on the matter, but Cassidy assured the authority he would be willing to discuss the proposal with the City Council.
