Edwards Announces $18.2 Million Investment in Athens County

COLUMBUS—State Rep. Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville) is pleased to announce that $18,211,333 will be directed towards transformative economic development projects in Athens County as part of the newly created Appalachian Downtowns and Destinations Initiative.

Project details are as follows:

• $6,564,071 to revitalize the City of Athens Central Business District;
• $7,043,674 to rehabilitate the Mount Zion Baptist Church building into the Mount Zion Cultural Center, a multipurpose community and educational space;
• $2,639,453 to upgrade and repair the Southeast Ohio History Center building, a local hub for regional history; and
• $1,964,135 to revitalize a portion of Main Street in the Village of Chauncy that connects downtown to the Bailey’s Trail system.

“This transformative funding will set Athens County and the greater Appalachian Region up for a future of growth and prosperity,” said Edwards.

In total, over $154 million was awarded to economic development projects, such as downtown revitalization and infrastructure improvements, throughout Ohio’s Appalachian region.