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Council hears about $180,000 unlocking‑capital funds aimed at Zion Church parcels on High Street
Summary
Main Street staff said Portsmouth secured unlocking‑capital funding (a Main Street America pilot) and will commit $180,000 in predevelopment work to de‑risk a seven‑parcel Zion Church site on High Street to attract private mixed‑use redevelopment.
Main Street presenters told the council that a pilot “unlocking capital” award is being used to underwrite predevelopment services for a seven‑parcel site on High Street known in the presentation as the Zion Church parcels. Liz Pasqualini said the program allowed Portsmouth to access funds typically reserved for accredited Main Street communities and that the award package totals roughly $180,000 split into a $70,000 and $110,000 component that will be put directly into predevelopment work for the parcels.
Pasqualini described the site as seven contiguous park parcels that have been vacant since a church fire in 2007 and said the city and partners are pursuing a residential mixed‑use project to improve continuity of retail on High Street and help relieve parking constraints. “All this is funded through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, through Main Street America,” Pasqualini said during the presentation. Council members noted the equity focus of the grant, and staff emphasized the award aimed to reduce risk so the private sector will invest in the infill project rather than starting from scratch.
