LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Lima Mayor Sharetta Smith says in the last two years, there have been $20 million's worth of investments in the Downtown Lima area. A lot of the growth was due to public and private partnerships which tore down blighted buildings, revamped empty buildings, and brought new businesses to the Downtown Lima area.
.A lot of the growth was due to public and private partnerships
"It's great to celebrate the growth of Downtown Lima today," said Smith. "I think one of the most important things to be remembered from today is the stories of the local entrepreneurs, who now have a place to provide their services and sell their goods. We know that small businesses are the backbones of our local economy, and when you invest in those small businesses and those entrepreneurs, you can't beat the return on that investment."
"As they all start to build on each other, with John Heaphy's investments and now what Tracie and Drew have done here, it really just shows that ultimately if government helps but lets the private sector do the development, then we're going to have fantastic results, which is what we have today," said Ohio Speaker-elect Matt Huffman.
Starting in January will be phase two of the street-scape project.
"This project would not be possible without public-private partnerships," said State Senator-elect Susan Manchester. "I'm really excited to see these partnerships, these dreams, and visions come to life. It will be an absolute honor and privilege to be part of some of these projects moving forward."
Starting in January will be phase two of the street-scape project. The project is a $4 million investment into Central Avenue, creating new sidewalks, lighting, and bike lanes.
