HONESDALE, Pa. — State and local officials gathered along Main Street in Honesdale on Tuesday to announce the borough's designation as a Main Street Community.
The Greater Honesdale Partnership spent the last three years working toward getting the Maple City into this program that focuses on revitalization and economic development.
"This is such an awesome thing for Honesdale. With this designation, we will get priority funding to work on the revitalization plan that we have had in place," said Sandi Levens, executive director of the Greater Honesdale Partnership.
Honesdale has seen an increase of new businesses moving into its downtown over the last few years.
Gather Boutique owner Olivia Santo says she opened her business four years ago and has seen the growth. She hopes this new designation attracts more businesses and visitors to Main Street.
"Seeing a lot of people move to the area and discover and rediscover Honesdale has been really exciting to see, and, you know, I'm optimistic for the future," Santo said.
This new designation should help speed up the revitalization plan, and it will help get those funds a little bit quicker.
"It'll improve stormwater drainage, sidewalks, crosswalks, and overall pedestrian safety, and then also aesthetically, it'll bring back that Honesdale charm," Levens said.
"New lights, new sidewalks, do streetscape; we have other grant opportunities out there for a 12th Street grant with a pavilion and parking area and a sidewalk, and there's many other revitalization opportunities that are not available if you're not in the designated zone," said Brian Wilken, Greater Honesdale Partnership.
Honesdale previously received state money for a facade program for businesses and engineering plans for the overall revitalization project.
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