Coatesville City Manager Harry Walker is asking the federal government for $49 million to improve public safety and to salvage what remains of the city's redevelopment which has stagnated since the present council was elected three years ago.

The money will be used to hire 10 additional police officers and more paid firefighters. But the bulk of the money, $21.5 million, will go to developer Carl Chetty to build 222 apartment units in downtown Coatesville. Construction costs for the two buildings are estimated at $52 million.

The request for the money comes days after U.S. Sen. Bob Casey toured Fleetwood Street were 15 row homes were destroyed last month by an arson-related fire. The funds, if made available, will come through an Emergency Grant Request. Walker told council Monday night, Feb. 9, that he was confident Coatesville would get the grant. "Then we can start filling in some of these holes," he said.

Two lots made vacant, the north and south corners of Third Avenue and East Lincoln Highway, are where Chetty plans to build two apartment towers. Originally, the towers were to house luxury condominiums. Walker, in the past, has said the project stalled because Chetty was unable to secure financing without first selling a predetermined number of condominium units. Recently, Chetty switched the project to rental units.

Included in the grant request is $1.5 million for the purchase and demolition of homes destroyed in the Fleetwood Fire. The project is estimated to cost $1.9 million. In total, $46.8 million of the request money would go toward redevelopment projects. Iacobucci Homes would get $1 million for Brandywine Ridge, the first 24 units of a 600-unit townhouse community. The Shelter Group Senior Housing, a 72-unit apartment building planned near the proposed Brandywine View, would get $3 million for an $11 million project. The $6 million Artist Colony Project, a five-story, 24-unit apartment building adjacent the Cultural Society, would get $1.5 million.

Other redevelopment projects include $2.5 million for the 26-acre Flats mixed used development; total costs are estimated at $22 million. Another $12.8 million is earmarked for a 3.7-acre industrial part estimated to cost $7.5 million. A 50,000 square-foot proposed Brandywine Creek Recreation Center project estimated to cost $16 million would get $12.8 million. And a Tilapia Fish and Sweet Basil Farm, an expansion of a Cheyney University project, estimated to cost $1.5 million would get $750,000 in grant funds.

Grant requests for the redevelopment projects total $46.8 million. The total cost of the projects is estimated at $121.9 million.

Walker, in his request for the funds, said Coatesville's "core problem is that the lowest property values in Chester County and most of metro Philadelphia has become a magnet for attracting people with undesirable behaviors."

He added: "About 35 percent of the inmates in Chester County Prison are reputed to be from Coatesville, a city which compromises only 2 percent of the county's population. Meanwhile criminal activity still casts a pall of fear and frustration over its residents, causing many to lose courage. Obviously, arrests alone will not solve Coatesville's problems.

In addition to funding 10 new police officers for a five-year period, Walker is also requesting $300,000 for 60 surveillance cameras; $200,000 for a records information system; $10,000 for eight computers with displays; and $120,000 for four, 2009 Dodge Charger police cars. Requests for the police department total $1.6 million.

Walker also is asking $480,000 for a medium size pumper truck. Including two additional firefighters, $580,000 in grant money is being requested for the fire department. Walker is also asking for $100,000 for the "hiring, training, and outfitting a new street cleaner to pick up trash and clean neighborhoods" for the public works department.

Another $50,000 is being requested for an assistant director for building codes enforcement because the "codes department lacks certification for interiors."