Elmwood Receives Second Grant To Repair Damaged Downtown

ELMWOOD - Elmwood is slowly rebuilding its downtown following the 2010 tornado that tore through the area. The town just received a second grant to help finish up its streetscape projects.

A $1.7 million grant from the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program will pay for the rest of Elmwood's downtown repairs.

President of the Elmwood Economic Development Association Amy Davis said the town already received an ITEP grant, but it wasn't enough to pay for everything. She said the second grant will help enhance the downtown and make it even better than before. Davis said, "What it's mostly going to do is make our sidewalks and entries into the businesses that are already here more attractive. All new sidewalks, plantings, planters, new ramps, and stairways into the buildings."

The town hopes beautifying its downtown will bring in new business and new tenants, to be a part of its progress.

Davis said, "It kind of just woke everyone up to the fact that you know we had to rebuild and that got us going and now we're moving. We're just going to keep going I think."

Davis said the town of 2,100 has a bright future, starting with phase one of the streetscape project, which is set to begin this spring.