Economic Development Corp. of Wayne County has awarded nearly $3 million to help downtown businesses across the county improve their buildings, and it sees progress in its efforts to improve additional housing stock that could attract or retain workers.
Downtown grants
At its Sept. 14 meeting, EDC announced the 19 winners sharing $2.99 million in the first phase of its current downtown revitalization grant program. More than $17.2 million in total project investment is planned.
Thirty-five applications were submitted. EDC’s Economic Development Manager Sarah Mitchell called the committee’s selection process “incredibly competitive.”
Money comes through Indiana’s Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative 2.0 through Lilly Endowment Inc. funding, along with Wayne County and Consolidated EDIT funds.
Grants are to help advance commercial redevelopment, façade and accessibility improvements, create 44 new upper-story housing units and other revitalization designed to strengthen downtowns, eliminate blight, and spur private investment.
Awards ranged from $24,248.50 to $200,000.
Three recipients are in Cambridge City (12, 105 and 109 W. Main). Two are in Hagerstown (98 W. Main St., 110 E. Main St.)
Fourteen are in Richmond: 532-536 E. Main and 4 N. Sixth (same building) and 600, 715, 726/728, 800-808, 801, 903, 920, 930 and 931 E. Main; 35-43 N. Eighth; and 9, 20 and 32 S. Ninth St.
Applications are now available for the second of three funding rounds at whywaynecounty.com/downtown-grant. They’re due Nov. 9. Eligible areas in this phase include Cambridge City, Centerville, Dublin, East Germantown, Fountain City, Greens Fork, Hagerstown, Milton, Mount Auburn, Spring Grove and identified unincorporated areas. Flood damage will be one factor for decisions in this cycle.
Home updates
Twenty prospective homeowners graduated from Intend Indiana’s second home ownership workshop series. It’s hoped that some will pursue one of 22 new affordable homes being built near Richmond’s Vaile Elementary through a partnership with Intend Indiana and Forward Wayne County.
One newly constructed Vaile home has already been spoken for as more are being built.
EDC staff recently toured two homes, and President Valerie Shaffer described them as “very, very nice.”
Richmond-based Trademark Construction will be the contractor for the next seven homes just southeast of downtown.
Meanwhile, EDC is establishing a pool of qualified developers interested in rehabilitating historic properties in Richmond’s nearby Starr neighborhood.
With startup help from EDC, the new Wayne County Land Bank is buying a total of 16 homes by the end of 2027.
Local, regional, small-scale and emerging developers are encouraged to submit qualifications by Sept. 28. Accepted developers can submit proposals for individual properties or small groups of properties as they become available, likely starting in November.
EDC anticipates providing subsidies on a property-by-property basis to help address gaps between rehabilitation costs and post-rehabilitation market value.
In other business
- EDC’s board agreed to hire Indianapolis-based public accounting firm KSM for five-year strategic planning. KSM said its site selection, government and nonprofit consultants could help establish EDC’s community-informed priorities and implementation framework after gathering data and residents’ comments. They’ll also provide follow-ups such as workforce and labor market reviews to track progress. The $85,000 will come from consolidated EDIT funds.
- Midwest Industrial Park had a little flood-related damage that has been documented and reported; next steps are being determined.
- Twenty-nine of the 44 properties approved through EDC’s countywide blight elimination program have been demolished.
- EDC’s next meeting will be 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, at 900 N. E St., Richmond. The public is invited.
A version of this article appeared in the September 23 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.
