Governor Shapiro recently announced the recipients of the PA DCED Keystone Communities Grants, three of which are going to Oil City entities.

The first is a $500,000 Public Improvement grant to the Oil Region Alliance (ORA) for preparing the site of the former Days Inn hotel for future development. The second is a nearly $50,000 Implementation grant to the City of Oil City to beautify and coordinate the north and south sides. The third is a nearly $25,000 grant to the Venango Chamber for a study of the Allegheny riverfront.

“Community enhancement is best achieved through collective action,” said Emily Lewis, Executive Director of the Venango County Economic Development Authority. “The award of these Keystone Communities’ grants is the realization of our cooperative efforts to revitalize the community, and I commend the ORA, the Oil City Main Street Program, and the Venango Chamber for their efforts in securing these awards.

These funds represent a transformative amount of capital for projects that will have wide reaching positive impact on the Oil Region.

Reimagining the property at 1 Seneca Street is an opportunity to improve the connection between the riverfront and Justus Park with the rest of the northside, including other developments underway such as the Downs Building, 100 Seneca Street, and the Lyric Theatre.

The ORA’s plans for the property dovetail with those of the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce and OCMS Program. The infusion of these funds into Oil City will have lasting positive effects on the region for years to come.

This article was published in the Venango Chamber’s June 2024 VenangoWorks! Newsletter.