ZELIENOPLE — The Main Street Revitalization Project here has received a $500,000 matching state grant, the first major state grant that has been awarded to the project.

Zelienople, PA Revitalization is still awaiting word on several other large state grants before any decision will be made by borough council to move forward on the project.

The group has applied for several state grants that total $3.85 million. Officials hope to learn later this year whether they will receive those grants.

Council Monday night accepted the grant, which the revitalization project group will have until June 2015 to use or it will be returned to the state.

The first phase of the revitalization project would to build a new parking lot between Spring and New Castle streets along Main Street’s business district.

Borough council in January had awarded the $225,000 contract to EG&G to provide engineering and final designs on the revitalization plans.

The overall revitalization project is estimated to cost about $9 million. It is designed to be done in several phases and depends on grants.

The project’s three goals are to improve the appearance and infrastructure in the borough, to stimulate economic revitalization and to promote the borough.