Kewanee nabs $3 million downtown improvement grant

Kewanee will receive nearly $3 million in state and federal funds for a major overhaul of the city’s downtown, Mayor Gary Moore announced Monday.

“I am very, very excited to announce Kewanee was selected to receive $2,954,460 in grant money to begin revitalizing our downtown,” Moore wrote in a Facebook post. “I could not be any happier about this news.”

The money comes from state and federal sources, and was sought in a grant application filed with the help of an engineering firm, Hutchison Engineering.

Moore thanked that firm, and Kewanee Economic Development Corp. director Kathy Albert, for their work in obtaining the grant.

“I already have a team in place that includes several business owners to begin drawing up plans and ideas to use this money in the best interests of Kewanee,” Moore wrote. He said he would call the team together soon to start the planning process.

A design proposal from Hutchison earlier this year included such things as improvements to sidewalks, streets and lighting; and decorative archways over entrances to the downtown, as possible elements of a revitalization plan.

“Even though this is a lot of money, it will not complete the entire town,” the mayor wrote, “but we will continue to seek future grants and funding to finish the entire project.”

The mayor said he hopes the downtown improvements will attract new stores and other businesses to the area.

Moore said he’s a lifelong resident of Kewanee and is very proud of his hometown.

“I am looking forward to having a beautiful downtown that business owners will be proud to be a part of, and citizens from the entire region will enjoy shopping in,” he wrote.

This article originally appeared on Star Courier: Kewanee nabs $3 million downtown improvement grant