LEO-CEDARVILLE, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — Officials in Allen County will Thursday cut the ribbon on nearly $2 million in downtown revitalization projects in the town of Leo-Cedarville. The projects include a $1.2 million streetscape improvement effort that was made possible with funding from the Stellar Communities program.

Leo-Cardarville is part of the NewAllen Alliance, which was one of two regions to receive the Stellar designation in 2018. The designation allowed NewAllen to receive $750,000 for the project from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, with the remaining funding coming from the town.

“These downtown revitalization projects are a great example of what the Stellar Communities program is designed to achieve,” said the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs Executive Director, Denny Spinner. “These improvements will help welcome residents and tourists into town, and further incentivize community and economic development.”

The town is also celebrating a nearly $520,000 streetscape improvement project that included funding from the Indiana Department of Transportation’s Community Crossings Program.

The ribbon cutting will also mark the completion of the Pride of Leo mural on the town’s main street.

Inside INdiana Business will have more on the effort and the ribbon cutting in Thursday afternoon’s INside Edge e-newsletter.

LEO-CEDARVILLE, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — A streetscape revitalization project in downtown Leo-Cedarville has been awarded funding by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs through the Stellar Communities Program. The $750,000 will be used to transform two blocks of Center Street, including the addition of complete sidewalks, ADA compliant ramps, repaved streets, new signage and more. 

The total cost of the project is estimated at over $1.1 million, which includes the OCRA funding and over $428,000 in local matches. 

“This project, along with others planned for this region, will provide an avenue for wellness initiatives, stronger connections to local businesses and a better quality of place for the downtown,” said Jodi Golden, executive director of OCRA. “The NewAllen Alliance has been a great partner with OCRA since their designation in 2018.”

Property owners in the area of the project will be invited to an informational meeting in the spring, with construction tentatively set to begin in late spring/early summer and be done by the fall.

The Leo-Cedarville proposal is part of an overall project by the East Allen Rural Revival Plan, which involves Harlan, Hoagland, Grabill, Leo-Cedarville, Monroeville, New Haven and Woodburn. The $65 million plan focuses on parks, sidewalks, trails and downtown areas. The work coincides with 2021-planned streetscape improvements in Grabill, along with a project in Cedar Creek Parks Trail from Metea Park through Leo-Cedarville and Grabill to Hurshtown Reservoir, which is planned for 2021-2023.