Butler County Ford honored
Progress made in downtown Butler was on display Thursday night.
Butler Downtown, the Main Street Program in the city, hosted its annual Public Celebration at Cornerstone Commons on Main Street. The nonprofit group honored a handful of businesses and people.
Butler County Ford was named the 2014 Butler Downtown Business of the Year by the Past Presidents Advisory Committee of Butler Downtown.
“I'm thrilled and honored to be recognized with this award,” said Cathy Glasgow, owner of the dealership at the corner of Main and Wayne streets.
Glasgow said the company has been part of downtown for nearly 90 years.
“We've been part of this community for a long time,” she said.
The former restaurant situated opposite the dealership also was honored.Natili Restaurants received a special Lifetime Achievement award. The original Natili Restaurant closed in September after being a mainstay on Main Street for 75 years, but Natili North and the Natili North Pizza Shoppe remain open on North Main.Owner Vince Tavolario said the original restaurant inspired many memories.“Our goal always was to make people happy,” he said in his acceptance speech.Before the ceremony started, Tavolario said it was an honor to be recognized as a cornerstone in the community for so many years.“If you live long enough, they'll give you an award,” he joked.Steve Newcaster received the 2014 Downtown Defender Volunteer of the Year award, thanks to nominations from peer volunteers. Newcaster is employed by Stantec.
Tom Panei was recognized as the immediate past president for Butler Downtown and was honored for his contributions.The group also used the event to highlight the progress it made over the past year and to look ahead to 2015. Butler Downtown has completed a lengthy market study using data from Nielsen Holdings.Chelynne Curci, Main Street Manager, said the organization is still evaluating the data. She hopes the study will provide information for prospective business owners to consider.“Much of what we know right now is anecdotal,” she said. “We know people want more places to eat, they want businesses open later. That's all good information.”There are different aspects of the study. Curci said the group did customer surveys to see when and where people are shopping as well as where they live.
The group hopes to have a completed analysis in 2015.Curci highlighted other accomplishments, including an exterior renovation of the Little Red School House on East Jefferson Street.The group has planted shrubs in the lot and plans to add a memorial to Becky Smith, the former Main Street manager who was killed in a car accident in 2011.Butler Downtown also is working on its volunteer task force to help bring fresh faces and ideas into the organization, Curci said.The group has three goals in 2015. It will look to improve its financial stability, increase business engagement and improve the city's streetscape.Curci said a major focus will be on the block of the Centre City Project, which includes a new Rite Aid and a proposed hotel and parking garage.“That can be a model block for the city,” Curci said.Bob Dandoy, president of the group, said it made a lot of progress during the year, and thanked everyone involved with the organization.“You are Butler Downtown,” he said to the crowd. “You make all this possible.”
The owners of Reclamation Brewing talked about their brew pub at 221 S. Main Street.Ben Smith, one of the three owners, said they plan to open in March.Mayor Tom Donaldson also spoke, saying the downtown group is vital to revitalization.“It's great to see all these people in the community have the common goal of making the city better,” he said. “Butler Downtown really pulls the community together. People don't always have the same opinions on things, but we're all working for the same thing.”
