PAINESVILLE, Ohio — The City of Painesville is working on a new plan to attract more people to its Downtown area.
Just recently, the city received $500,000 from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to build an amphitheater.
Also included in the city’s project is a mixed-use development site with apartments and restaurants.
Local businesses like Flavors Around the Square, or F.A.T.S. says this gives them hope for the future.
“I’m just excited to just see something new and the joy that it gives to people,” said Flavors Around the Square (F.A.T.S.) Co-Manager Shayla Zamora.
When the restaurant first opened in 2013, Shayla Zamora said they tried to stay open during the evening hours.
But Zamora said it didn’t work out quite as they had expected.
“We weren’t getting any business at all because the city basically shuts down after 3 p.m.,” said Zamora. “It's just mainly breakfast and lunch.”
Zamora says the business has been able to survive off the limited schedule.
However, when the city’s new development is completed, she said it would boost their sales even more and add more excitement to their community.
“One of my favorite things though like in the morning and lunchtime, I love seeing like in the summertime, walking around and stuff, you know seeing life and so I’m excited that’ll continue out through the day now,” Zamora said. “Ma and Pop shops are here, but it’s nice to have more entertainment stuff too,” said Zamora.
City Manager Doug Lewis said the community would call the new development the Grand River Walk, and it will be located near the Kiwanis Recreation Park entrance.
In the next several years, the area will turn into a mixed-use development site with apartments, restaurants and even an amphitheater. The area will become the city's new entertainment district.
Lewis said the entire project is expected to cost about $30 million. The amphitheater is expected to cost around $1.9 million.
“This will be huge, and it will be able to expand that entertainment district, bring people into the Downtown after 5 p.m., and create some excitement in the Downtown,” Lewis said.
Construction will begin in the middle of next year.
Once it starts, Lewis anticipates it will take a year and a half for the residential apartments to be completed. The amphitheater should be finished by the end of 2024.
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