SHELBY — The Black Fork Commons Plaza project, which Mayor Steven Schag labeled “the capstone on a grand strategic plan,” received a $500,000 boost from Richland County commissioners on Thursday.
The vote to use American Rescue Plan Act funds followed a brief presentation by Jessica Gribben, the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development liaison to the City of Shelby and northern Richland County, and county Administrator Andrew Keller.
“The final (ARPA) rules issued in January allows for monies to be used toward neighborhood improvement projects when those neighborhoods qualify as a disproportionately impacted community,” Keller said.
“Through the hard work of our team, and research, we have been able to document and demonstrate that this census tract within the City of Shelby does qualify for the federal criteria.”
Shelby officials on Feb. 24 asked commissioners for the funds to assist with the second phase of a three-phase plan aimed at building consistency in the downtown’s public space and transforming the center of the city into an active place for entertainment and gathering.
Gribben thanked commissioners for considering the project.
“This is a huge deal for Shelby,” she said. “It’s part of a three-phase project that’s really going to be transformative to Shelby’s downtown. It’s important for the people who live in Shelby. It’s important for people whom we want to attract to Shelby and to businesses who call Shelby home.”
The plan highlights three projects: Main Street Streetscape (which began in 2021), Black Fork Commons Plaza, and Black Fork Trail and Stream Restoration, all aimed at attracting residents and visitors to the downtown area.
“This is a capstone on a grand strategic plan that the City of Shelby has been working on for many years in creating place,” Schag said after the vote. “I don’t know how you do it any better … in this commons area and in the heart of the city.
“This will have an impact for years and years to come,” the mayor said. “This has been a perfect example of what cooperation and collaboration looks like.”
In addition to the ARPA money, funding for the $1.6-$1.7 million project is coming from a variety of sources, including the City of Shelby, state capital funds, The Shelby Foundation and private donations.
The second phase includes shelter enhancements, a pump house, pergola, two-sided enclosed fireplace, landscaping and more. All of the elements will “withstand” the occasional flood in the area.
Shelby project coordinator Joe Gies said City Council, which recessed its meeting Monday night, is expected to resume on Friday to accept the funding and re-advertise for bids for the project.
Shelby had initially raised $1.4 million for the second phase of the project from private and public sources — $300,000 for design and engineering and $1.1 million in estimated construction costs.
However, when construction bids were sought for the proposal in December, only two were received and the lowest was $1.6 million, leaving a $500,000 funding hap.
Gies has attributed the higher bids to inflation, rising steel prices and the overall complexity of the project.
Jake Penwell, president of the Shelby Community Improvement Corporation, said economic development and attraction/retention of business is at the heart of the organization’s efforts.
He said attracting a “newer, younger generation” to Shelby requires revitalization of the city’s center.
“We know beautification is an active part of making a community stronger, but it’s also an active part of making our economic development world stronger and our business world stronger. That’s the goal,” Penwell said.
“We want to make Shelby a place that people want to continue to live, work, play and raise their families,” he said. “We’re super excited to get this project and continue to move forward.”
The commissioners’ vote to approve the project was 2-1. Commissioner Darrell Banks cast the lone “no” vote after his initial motion for a $450,000 ARPA award died for lack of a second.
Commissioner Cliff Mears made the motion for the $500,000, a proposal supported by Commissioner Tony Vero, who said the extra $50,000 may provide a cushion against continuing inflation.
“I thin this is a project that’s needed and well thought out,” Mears said. “I think Shelby is a growing and dynamic community and one that I have a special affinity for.”
Afterward, Banks said he fully supported the project, but was concerned about funding additional ARPA requests the county may receive, especially for needed infrastructure like water and sewer projects.
“We’re gonna have a lot of requests,” he said. “The different things the money could used for, I just felt until we know what all those requests are going to be and how we’re going to divide it up, I was inclined to hang on to $50,000.”
Richland County will receive $23,532,744 in total ARPA funding with half coming in 2021 and the second half in 2022.
With Thursday’s decision, commissioners have now appropriated $3,806,494 with another $2 million in expected appropriations.
Commissioners have received requests for another $1,070,000 in ARPA spending.
