Villages receive funding to boost businesses, jobs

Kristi R. Garabrandt, The Daily Jeffersonian
·2 min read

The villages of Caldwell and Byesville have been selected to participate in a program designed to bring jobs, business support and investment into central Appalachia area.

According to Opportunity Appalachia, 34 projects were selected from 75 applications for technical assistance grants from the Central Appalachia which encompasses Southeast Ohio, East Tennessee, Western North Carolina, Southwest Virginia, and West Virginia.

"The selected projects propose to create over 1,700 jobs and attract over $177 million in financing to develop manufacturing facilities, downtown development, community centers, health, wellness, and childcare centers, food and agricultural facilities, hotels and retail enterprises in downtown and rural areas across Central Appalachia," Opportunity Appalachia said.

Caldwell will receive $100,000 for development plans for the 4,545-square-foot Mills Building. Some of the redevelopment concepts for the building could include retail, food, office and living spaces. The third floor could potentially be designed into a community event venue and the courtyard renovated for outdoor events.
Caldwell will receive $100,000 for development plans for the 4,545-square-foot Mills Building. Some of the redevelopment concepts for the building could include retail, food, office and living spaces. The third floor could potentially be designed into a community event venue and the courtyard renovated for outdoor events.

Caldwell

Caldwell is receiving $100,000 for development plans for the 4,545-square-foot Mills Building downtown.

Opportunity Appalachia describes the Mills Building as being of prime architectural significance and a key to the economic and cultural health of Caldwell.

The three-story building according to Caldwell Mayor Misty Wells, which currently houses a coffee shop, a boutique, offices and apartments, is under utilized and in need of repair. The third floor is currently vacant.

The building is going to need an elevator installed to make it ADA compliant, Wells said.

Some of the redevelopment concepts for the building could include retail, food, office and living spaces. The third floor could potentially be a community event venue and the courtyard renovated for outdoor events.

The project is estimated to cost $1 M and create 10 jobs.

Wells said it was pretty exciting that the Mills Building was selected as one of the chosen projects and that the building was being included in a downtown revitalization plan.

Byesville Elementary School could transform into the Shops on Main to give the Village of Byesville room to accommodate more businesses coming into the community. Byesville Village was awarded $75,000, to be used for the purpose of creating an architectural rending and business prospectus for the possible acquisition of the school.
Byesville Elementary School could transform into the Shops on Main to give the Village of Byesville room to accommodate more businesses coming into the community. Byesville Village was awarded $75,000, to be used for the purpose of creating an architectural rending and business prospectus for the possible acquisition of the school.

Byesville

Byesville was awarded $75,000, to create an architectural rending and business prospectus for the possible acquisition of Byesville Elementary School which the village plans to turn into a business incubator known as The Shops on Main.

The 11,068-square-foot building will be vacated pending Rolling Hills Local School District moving forward with its plans to construct a new campus.

The estimated cost of the project according to Opportunity Appalachia will be approximately $500,000 and it should create about 20 permanent jobs in the village.

See Byesville hopes to transform elementary school into retail, community space

This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Villages receive funding to boost businesses, jobs