Marietta Development Director Geoff Schenkel discusses the levee’s history during a meeting inside The Armory Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

MARIETTA — Local and state leaders gathered in downtown Marietta this week for a meeting focused on the city’s levee improvement project, an initiative fueled by nearly $10 million in state funding through the Appalachian Community Grant Program.

The project is expected to break ground in September and finish by the following fall, just in time for the 50th anniversary of the Ohio River Sternwheel Festival.

“So much of what we’re doing now, post-1980s, 1990s, is building on things that were drawn up in the 80s and 90s, but there weren’t the resources to carry to the finish line,” said Geoff Schenkel, city development director. “What we’re able to do now is almost like carrying forward the dreams of those past that those past community members.”

Among the speakers was Director of the Ohio Department of Development Lydia Mihalik, who emphasized the project’s selection as part of the Appalachian Community Grant Program. Marietta received $9,415,911 from the grant.

“You were one of the select few that was selected to be awarded a fairly substantial grant award,” Mihalik said.

Director of the Ohio Department of Development Lydia Mihalik discusses the volume of applicants for the Appalachian Community Grant Program at a meeting at The Armory on Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

Deana Clark, executive director of the Marietta Convention and Visitors Bureau, noted that 20 river cruises are scheduled to dock in the city this year, bringing out-of-state visitors to local attractions like the Castle Historic House Museum and the Campus Martius Museum.

“We should all know the value of tourism and the economic driver that it really is for our communities,” said Clark “Of course, a renovated and new, vibrant levee is important for us.”

The meeting also highlighted the importance of long-term planning and flexibility. While the levee project is currently the centerpiece, stakeholders acknowledged the value of planning other projects, even those that didn’t initially receive funding.

“Even the proposals that didn’t get funded were allowed to mature,” said Marietta City Council member Bret Allphin. “They’ve now found new paths forward. That early-stage support was just as important as the money.”

More than 2,200 project ideas were initially submitted statewide, But for Marietta, the combination of strong planning, community engagement, and effective leadership made the difference.

“It was very clear to me, in reviewing the application, that there was a collaborative nature that had put the application together,” said Mihalik. “It was well supported, had some great documentation, but you could see that there was a vision and a plan and a team around it that was ready to execute.”

Construction is expected to begin shortly after this year’s Sternwheel Festival in September. City officials are aiming for completion by the following fall, a goal timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the festival.

Gwen Sour can be reached at gsour@newsandsentinel.com.