State announces $1.76M grant towards phase II of Shenandoah innovation center

SHENANDOAH – State legislators announced Thursday a hefty boost towards phase two of the Center for Education, Business, and the Arts in downtown Shenandoah.

Downtown Shenandoah, Inc. was awarded $1.76M towards the second phase of the project which will include a health clinic, event center, and co-working spaces.

The center is being built on the site of the former Davison’s Furniture Store and Thunder Road nightclub, all of which burned in the 2000s.

“The excitement is building in Shenandoah now that the project is underway,” Rep. Dane Watro (R-116) said. “I am a strong supporter of DSI and was happy to advocate for state funding to help complete Phase II of the work. CEBA is going to be much more than just bricks and mortar. It represents a collective commitment to creating a brighter future for the community.”

“The dedicated volunteers at DSI have worked for many years to breathe new life into their downtown and CEBA is the key to their plans,” said State Sen. David Argall (R-29). “This highly competitive funding will assist them with constructing a health center, event space, and additional business incubator space – just one piece of their plans for a property that was a vacant and blighted eyesore just a few years ago.”

The grant was awarded through the Pennsylvania Multi-Purpose Community Facilities Program which offers competitive grants to community anchor institutions and local governments for projects to acquire or improve public facilities.

“CEBA is already strengthening our community,” said Susan Williams, DSI executive director. “New businesses are opening, blighted buildings are being removed and an increasing positive energy is happening. We are looking forward to this momentum continuing and are very thankful for this grant.”

Phase I of the project began construction over the summer.

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