Greensburg awards grants to apartment project, spa

Greensburg will pay almost $9,000 in grant money to transform a vacant building into apartments and expand a Maple Street spa.

The city will pay $7,500 to City Cribs, a company converting a long-vacant building at 136 S. Pennsylvania Ave. into 10 apartments and a first-floor boutique.

The second grant of $1,400 will go to 309 Spa, which is planning to expand from the first floor into the basement of its location at 309 Maple St.

“We are extremely excited, and we are very happy with what the city has done to help us,” said City Cribs co-owner Suzanne Ward.

Renovating 136 S. Pennsylvania Ave. will cost almost $775,000, she said.

The company plans to pursue several grants to pay for part of the work.

Greensburg’s grants are the result of a new city program that covers some costs for new and expanding businesses. It’s funded through fines and fees paid to the city planning department.

Sun Dawg Cafe on Main Street, which plans to expand into an adjoining building, was the program’s first recipient. It received $4,250 from the city in February.