ZELIENOPLE — Representatives of the state Department of Community and Economic Development will visit the borough Thursday as they consider grant funding for its Main Street revitalization project.

Alan Walker, secretary of the department, state senators, state representatives and borough officials will take a one-hour tour of the borough’s streets and landmarks.

The first phase of the revitalization project includes infrastructure improvements estimated to cost $9.8 million, much of which would need to come from state grants.

“We’re excited that Mr. Walker and his team are coming to Zelienople to learn about this project and see for themselves how special Zelienople is and how these improvements will be an asset to our community,” said Allen Bayer, council president, in a news release.

Planned improvements include adding new sidewalks, building a new parking lot, and moving utility lines underground.

The borough has applied for grants from several state agencies. The largest would be up to $3.1 million from the Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program. Of that, 74 percent would go to the Main Street projects and 26 percent would go to the Kaufman House.

County and borough officials want to reopen The Kaufman House, which has been closed since 2011 due to a fire, as a hotel and restaurant staffed by Butler County Community College students.

The new Kaufman House would be used as a facility to train and educate BC3 hospitality management and culinary arts students.

The borough has allocated $1.8 million for the Main Street revitalization project, some of which has already been used to hire the engineering firm EG&G, which has drawn up preliminary plans and is handling the grant applications.

Members of the community also have formed a Main Street revitalization project corporation, which earlier this year got its 501c3 nonprofit status. The group, which includes members of borough council, has been working with the borough to get grants as well as seeking donations.