Signature Associates

Perking up Perrysburg: $6.3 million downtown revitalization project begins

Posted By: Toledo Blade on May 15, 2025.  For more information, please click here to read the source article.

Downtown Perrysburg has had many looks over the last 200 years.

It’s evolved from horses and buggies trotting the streets, hotels hosting tourists, the first electric streetlights glowing, and a median dividing the main road.

“Change has happened multiple times in uptown,” Mayor Tom Mackin said at Tuesday’s groundbreaking for yet another transformation on Louisiana Avenue, between Front Street and Indiana Avenue.

The city was also involved in revitalizing the area, circa 2000, when it became evident that people weren’t patronizing businesses or visiting, he said.

“Pictures now show a thriving community — a farmers market, full shops, cars parked day and night at stores, and people supporting local businesses,” Mayor Mackin said.

But it can be even better, he said.

The city is sinking more than $6 million into the downtown revitalization, widening sidewalks, replacing trees, and creating “zero-step” entries into businesses.

“We realized one of the reasons we need to do this was access,” Mr. Mackin said. “The plan will hopefully address those concerns and make it more accessible and more welcoming.

“Simply put, this is an investment by the community,” he said. “Our downtown is a critical part of Perrysburg’s success.”

Mayor Mackin said the project was born out of transparency and conversations.

“We listened to what the suggestions were, and the plans were drastically changed,” he said. “That’s a process of how much the community cares and how the process for change can be done that benefits everyone.”

The project evolved over the last few years to focus on the access.

Sally Fish, a disability rights advocate with the Ability Center of Greater Toledo, said that organization was involved in the city’s plans.

“Historic downtowns are typically not accessible, so seeing this unfold has been amazing,” she said. “A lot of the businesses will have zero-step entries, which will be really helpful. And where there aren’t zero-step entries, they will be putting in ramps to make sure every business has an accessible entrance.”

Judy Hagen, who’s lived in Perrysburg for 40 years and spent 26 years with the city’s department of public service, will again have a front seat to the downtown metamorphosis.

“People are going to have to get used to it. It’s going to be not attractive for a little bit. But the end result will be worth it,” said Ms. Hagen, who is on the downtown revitalization ad-hoc committee. “A lot of people put a lot of thinking into this, and there was input from everybody of what they’d like to see to keep the flavor of the downtown — the historic value — and still be able to be accessible.

“You didn’t really realize, until you look at it, how inaccessible the downtown is,” she said. “The big thing is being able to get into the stores. Because they’re old historic buildings, it’s difficult to get in.”

Tim Anstead, executive director of the  Perrysburg Area Chamber of Commerce, said the revitalization has been years in the making.

“I know it’s been a long time coming for a lot of us — lots of focus groups, lots of service committee meetings, lots of council meetings,” he said. “It’s an exciting time in downtown Perrysburg.”

Melanie Allen was setting up her Freezy Foods vendor area before the weekly farmers market started on Thursday afternoon. She has a prime spot in her first year at the market, just north of the construction on Louisiana Avenue.

“Any improvements to help those with disabilities is a great thing,” Ms. Allen said. “Making it accessible for everyone is important for any community.”

The project is estimated to cost $6.3 million. The city has secured $200,000 from the Ohio Office of Budget Management toward the construction. The rest will come from utilizing reserve funding, money from the general fund, paying with cash set aside in the 2024 budget, or a combination of borrowing and cash.

Construction has started in the 300 block of Louisiana Avenue. Improvements to the 100 and 200 blocks are anticipated to begin in the spring of 2026.