By Kevin Jefferies
Commerce – The City of Commerce is submitting grants applications to TxDoT for the Corridor development Project. In regular session this week, the council approved the application for grants for a project totaling about $3.2 million.
TxDoT would pay 80% of that price tag if Commerce is approved. The project would be part of the redevelopment of the corridor between A&M-Commerce and downtown Commerce. City Manager Bill Shipp said the whole project is an investment in the future of Commerce.
SHIPP: What we are doing is investing in the future of Commerce. This is not pretty streets and pretty sidewalks for the sake of pretty streets and pretty sidewalks. Its for the sake of making something attractive that will attract business owners to invest and bring private investment; and then make it attractive for those customers then to stroll up and down the street and make those businesses profitable.
Officials should know by the end of summer if Commerce has been approved for the grant. Funds will not be available until 2008.