Verona Council Takes Steps Toward Business District Revitalization

Verona Council took steps to ensure the borough receives funding for infrastructure improvements to the Allegheny River Boulevard business district.

At Monday night's council meeting, officials agreed to contribute money to the project if the borough receives a $200,000 county Community Development Block Grant grant. 

The borough applied for the $200,000 county grant, and officials said the higher the borough percentage match is, the better the chances of getting the full amount asked.

If the full $200,000 is granted, the borough would have to contribute an additional $30,000 through municipal funding.

County officials recommended the borough match the grant by the 15 percent, said Michael Vento, the architecture and design chair for the Verona Business District Advisory Committee, which is spearheading the project.

The money will go toward infrastructure improvements—such as lighting and landscaping.

“This $200,000 will give us something worth seeing,” Vento said.

The borough had to decide if it would match the grant by today (Wednesday, July 27), and will have about nine months gather funds.

Verona has $120,000 in bonds, and Councilman Tony Futules suggested if some of this money is used toward the project that it be replaced with fundraised money.

There also was some discussion of using money in the parking fund to pay for the project.

Officials discussed selling engraved bricks to raise money.

The county already has awarded the borough a $40,000 grant towards the architecture and design of the project, Vento said.