Johnson Announces More Than $70 Million for Ohio's 14th District Riverfronts

COLUMBUS - State Senator Terry Johnson (R-McDermott) announced the investment of more than $70 million through the Appalachian Community Grant into riverfronts along the 14th Senate District.

"Throughout my time in the General Assembly, I have supported and advocated for revitalizing communities along the Ohio River," said Johnson. "These chosen projects will provide significant economic and tourism boosts to their communities, and I look forward to seeing how they transform the 14th Senate District."
 
Projects receiving these dollars:

• Portsmouth Riverfront Improvements (City of Portsmouth, Scioto County) $34,216,387: The city of Portsmouth’s riverfront will be redeveloped to include outdoor parks, recreational amenities along the river, riverfront murals, an amphitheater, improved walking paths, and the installation of a fishing pier and campsites. Revitalization efforts will bolster downtown walkability and better connect businesses to the riverfront.
• Ripley Riverfront East Improvements (Village of Ripley, Brown County) $16,387,086: Ripley’s riverfront will undergo improvements including the amenities to allow better access to nearby Underground Railroad and historic sites. A new public gathering space will also be constructed to improve public access to the scenic riverfront.
• Slim Sallee Park Redevelopment (Village of Higginsport, Brown County) $6,303,288: The village of Higginsport will revitalize an abandoned ballfield into a seven-acre community park, creating a public gathering space and allowing for connection to the Ohio River. A boat dock and launch from the community park will establish public access to water recreation that currently doesn't exist within the village. A fishing pier, bridge, and mural will also be incorporated into the park to create a transformational space for outdoor recreation.
• Liberty Landing Redevelopment (Village of New Richmond, Clermont County) $13,472,404: The Liberty Landing redevelopment will create riverfront space for community-centric recreation in New Richmond. Improvements include the construction of a river marina, a trail connecting to waterfront access, an amphitheater, a boat ramp, a natural landscape terrace and sidewalk, and ties to the U.S. 52 bike trail.

This funding comes from the Appalachian Community Grant Program, which is administered through the Governor’s Office of Appalachia and will invest $500 million into Ohio's Appalachian region. The $70,379,165 awarded to Senate District 14 comes from the Wonderful Waterfronts Initiative.
 
Several other projects in the 14th Senate District also received funding through the Appalachian Community Grant’s Downtowns and Destinations Initiative, which was announced recently and totaled an additional more than $20 million. These projects include:

• Serpent Mound New Observation Tower & Village of Peebles Streetscape-Downtown Improvements (Village of Peebles, Adams County) $6,426,700: The observation tower at Serpent Mound will be reconstructed and reopened for the first time in several years. Additionally, the village of Peebles will make improvements to sidewalks, safety, and roadways including bump-outs and new crosswalks.
• Village of Georgetown Downtown Courthouse Square Streetscape & U.S. Grant Boyhood Home and Schoolhouse Improvement (Village of Georgetown, Brown County) $8,693,300: The Village of Georgetown intends to make improvements across several blocks of the village. First, the four streets surrounding the Brown County Courthouse Square will be realigned to create a more vibrant and walkable downtown core for the village. A shared-use path will also be created to connect the fairgrounds, courthouse, and Ulysses S. Grant’s Boyhood Home and Schoolhouse. The National Historic Site will also undergo structural and environmental repairs, in addition to new gathering and recreational spaces for tours and groups. Finally, an existing downtown building will be transformed into the new U.S. Grant Historic Site Visitor's Center, which will feature programming and exhibits.
• Mount Orab Healthcare Services Revitalization (Village of Mount Orab, Brown County) $5,006,180: The Adams County Regional Medical Center will construct a new medical facility near Mt. Orab to serve Brown County. Healthcare services will include primary care, physical, occupational, and speech therapy, radiology imaging services, and a lab draw station. The facility will also allow specialists in partnership with the University of Cincinnati Physicians Group to provide expanded services.

Senator Johnson supported funding the Appalachian Community Grant Program in House Bill 377 last General Assembly. Learn more about the program and these projects here.