The Ironton Downtown Revitalization Project is about to get another big boost from the KYOVA Interstate Planning Commission - a $780,000 boost to be exact.

KYOVA, the metropolitan planning organization that serves the Tri-State, announced Wednesday that it will provide these funds to be used for the streetscaping and resurfacing in Ironton.

KYOVA contributed $480,000 of the $600,000 spent on the 2002 paving project.

This grant was made possible because $360,882 in Empowerment Zone funds had already been allocated and were able to be used as matching funds, Mayor Bob Cleary said.

"Anytime you look at economic development and attracting new businesses, the way the community looks is the first step," he said. "This is just another step towards bringing in new industry to the city and improving the infrastructure and making the city a more desirable place to work and live."

Approximately one third of the funds will be used to continue the downtown enhancement that began in 2002 and included repairs to more than 2-miles of downtown streets.

Planned improvements in this upcoming phase include new sidewalks, curbs, decorative lighting and landscaping from Vernon to Adams and from Second to Fourth streets.

Diaz Construction and West End Electric, both of Portsmouth, were awarded the contracts for the downtown enhancements. It was hoped that this project would start late this year, but most of the work will begin in the spring of 2004.

Also in the spring, the remainder of the funds will be used to resurface streets that include Park Avenue, Second Street from Storms Creek to Hanging Rock and other areas in need that are still being identified, Cleary said.

"We were really fortunate to receive these grant funds and been able to do most of the downtown. With this we will make the downtown complete," Cleary said. "With the $700,000 in paving, it will go a long way because many of these streets are not as bad."

The mayor said that he would like input from the community as to which neighborhoods and areas need street improvements. Anyone who would like to make suggestions can call 532-3833.