Main Street Wooster, Inc. announced plans last Thursday to renovate homes surrounding the business district of downtown Wooster.
Those behind the Howey House project plan to purchase ìthree to four houses in the 400-500 blocks of North Buckeye Street for the purposes of renovation and resale as single family residences,” states Executive Director of Main Street Wooster, Inc. Sandra Hull.
According to Hull, the Howey House, LLC project seeks to promote ìeconomic development and preservation.”† Eight local banks, including† the Commercial & Savings Bank, First National Bank, FirstMerit Bank, N.A., the Huntington National Bank, Ohio Legacy Bank, Wayne Savings Community Bank and Western Reserve Bank, have provided zero-interest loans to fund the projects totaling $400,000.† Stanley C. Gault í48 is one of many community members acting as guarantors of the loans.
Other participating organizations include The Ralph and Grace B. Jones Foundation, The Donald and Alice Noble Foundation, The Seaman Family Foundation, The Wayne County Community Foundation, and The Wooster Area Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to the $400,000 provided by the local institutions, National City/PNC has provided Main Street Wooster, Inc. an $8,000 grant to purchase appliances for the renovated homes..
The loans will fund the purchase of and renovations to homes constructed in the 1890s and 1915.† One ìHowey House” has already been purchased at 546 N. Buckeye.† Hull notes, ìone [home] is under contract, and one is under verbal agreement.”† Plans for renovation include replacing roofing, heating and air-conditioning units, stringing new wiring and repairing plumbing, as well as refurbishing the homesí exteriors, bathrooms, and kitchens.† Final touches will include a thorough cleaning of the homesí floors and woodwork.† Hull said the projectís timeline is 24 months.
Hull hopes the project will facilitate ìstrengthening the residential neighborhood on North Buckeye that connects to downtown Wooster.”† Hull hopes structural renovations will inspire families to purchase the homes which will create a more vibrant neighborhood.
Treasurer Mike Kramer and incoming board Chair Roger Propper of Main Street Wooster, Inc. received the 2009 Chairmanís Award from the organization for their work on the Howey House project.
Main Street Wooster, Inc. envisions building downtown Wooster into ìthe cornerstone of the community dedicated to the development of public/private partnerships, maintenance of small town tradition, development of specialized retail, professional, and governmental businesses/offices and celebration through events.”† Its mission is ìto enhance the community of Wooster by improving the quality of its downtown business and living environment.”
Renovation of the Howey Houses hopes to anchor the neighborhoods surrounding downtown and feed potential customers into the downtown Wooster business district.