ZELIENOPLE — The borough council Monday night passed a resolution designating a portion of the downtown area blighted so that it can potentially receive state grant funding to help pay for infrastructure improvements along Main Street.

Those improvements would be made as part of the Main Street Revitalization Project. The area includes the first phase of the revitalization project from the bridge over the Connoquenessing Creek to Culvert Street.

John Grossman, president of the Akron-based consulting firm EG&G, explained to borough council Monday night that the revitalization group is applying for a Community Development Block Grant of $120,000.

There are two criteria that either of which can be met to qualify for the state block grant, which is administered through the Butler County Commissioners.

The majority of the people living in the improvement area must be considered of low to moderate income. Based on the last U.S. Census figures, Grossman said, the borough did not qualify under that provision of the grant program.

However, it will be able to apply for the grants under the blighted conditions provision of the program. Blighted conditions, Grossman explained, could include items such as aging infrastructure and exterior building deterioration.

Don Pepe, borough manager, explained the term “blighted” has an emotional connotation, but it is the term used in the grant.

“I know it (the designation) doesn’t sound good, but we need it to apply for a grant,” he said.

There are buildings that need work like new roofs, new windows and some bricks repointed because of their age, Pepe said.

The group has applied to several state grant programs including the Community Development Block grant, a DCNR grant and a Governor’s Capital Assistance Grant for $3.85 million to start the revitalization work. Officials hope to learn whether they will receive some of the grants later this year.

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 $7.5 million. It is designed to be constructed in phases and depends on grants.

A group of business leaders and citizens last year formed the nonprofit organization Zelienople, PA Revitalization to jump-start the revitalization of downtown through their contributions and the borough providing seed money.

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