Oxford Borough was recently awarded a $854,356 grant through the state’s Multimodal Transportation Fund Program to help transform Niblock Alley. This represents another step in Oxford’s larger effort to rebuild the downtown after a devastating fire ripped through several buildings in the business district in September of 2023.

The historic Oxford Theatre building, apartments, offices, a warehouse, and several businesses were completely destroyed in the four-alarm blaze. The fire was devastating for the businesses and for the dozens of families who were displaced from their homes. But the blaze also hampered Oxford’s decades-long effort to revitalize and reimagine the business district. 

Oxford Borough had developed its first comprehensive plan before the fire, and part of that plan was the reimagining of Niblock Alley to address safety issues, improve multimodal circulation, bring the roadway into municipal ownership, and turn what has been a dilapidated back alley into a safe, pedestrian-friendly destination. 

The funding to redevelopment Niblock Alley will also support rebuilding of the fire site, including the return of the much-anticipated community theater. The grant also provides funds to rehabilitate the Broad Street Bridge.

Oxford Borough also received $1 million from the Chester County Community Revitalization Program and $300,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Multimodal Transportation Fund Program to help with the rebuilding efforts.

Oxford Borough manager Pauline Garcia-Allen has been terrific at helping the borough secure grant funding.

We hope that the borough continues to be successful in securing county and state funding to support efforts at revitalizing, rebuilding, and reimagining downtown Oxford.