RESIDENTIAL AND LOCAL BUSINESS FOCUS When asked what residential opportunities exist in Ebensburg the Mayor is quick to answer. “We do not have a lot of open residential land at this point; there are a few empty lots here and there. We also have some apartment buildings and there is quite a bit of residential growth taking place in CambriaTownship which is just right outside the borough, this is where we are seeing most of our growth” Mayor Datsko notes. The Mayor attributes the restricted growth directly in the borough to the age of the community (200 years) and challenges in terms of growing outward with limited lands available to build on. In terms of commercial and business growth, the Mayor draws attention to the strength of Ebensburg’s local business. “We don’t have any empty storefronts in the borough.” “This is highly unusual and shows that there is such a vitality within the town and because of the events and the people it attracts, it is a very sought-after area for some businesses to gain entry into,” Kelly Cook, Borough Manager specifies. “We try to make it more attractive by seeking grants through the year for facade improvement projects and by highlighting what makes it more desirable, more attractive to local businesses to choose our downtown to set up shop here,” Koss says. To help bring foot traffic to the local businesses Ebensburg has worked hard to make the downtown area more accessible and pedestrian-friendly, embarking on a massive sidewalk project. The borough was also recently offered a $52,000 grant to put in a rapid rectangular flashing beacon to light a major crosswalk in the downtown core. LOOKING AHEAD All of these streetscape projects as well as the ongoing borough support for local businesses coupled with a continued focus on business attraction equal a strong growth trajectory for Ebensburg as we round out 2024 and welcome a new year ahead. 171 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 12 EBENSBURG, PA
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