Center Street Set For Rehab
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Warsaw street crews are scheduled to begin this month to finish work on the block of Center Street that was renovated last fall, downtown merchants were told Tuesday.
According to Kim Leake, superintendent of public works, brick crosswalks at the intersections of Center and Lake streets and Center and Buffalo streets will be installed and final paving will be laid. Weather permitting, Leake said, the work should be done in approximately three weeks - no later than the week of April 21.
Leake discussed the downtown beautification project with at least 60 interested people at the meeting in First United Methodist Church. The audience of mostly downtown business owners also included rehab committee members and several members of the city council.
Instead of continuing the street rehab project around the county courthouse as originally planned, Leake said the committee decided to extend the street work down Center Street to Detroit Street (Ind. 15).
The block of Center Street between Buffalo and Indiana will be tackled next, with a projected start date of April 21 and an estimated completion date of June 27.
Leake said the plan calls for never closing more than one intersection at a time, and for the city to repave the alleys downtown so pedestrian access to downtown merchants may continue.
Merchants asked that lighting in the alleys be improved to reassure pedestrians during night hours, and Leake and Mayor Ernie Wiggins said they would look into the matter.
The street work will include new sewer and water lines under the street and new pavement, curbs, sidewalks, benches, lights and trash receptacles, Leake said.
Trees downtown will be removed, he said, to give the area a clean look.
After the intersection of Center and Indiana streets is completed, which is expected to be around the middle of July, work will begin on the block of Center Street from Indiana Street to Detroit Street. Leake said he expects to start that block around July 21 and end construction by Sept. 26.
The intersection of Center and High streets will be done last, with a projected end date of Oct. 14.
Some of the merchants objected to the inconvenience over the summer, but most were either resigned to the activity or appreciative of the city's efforts to revitalize the downtown area.
Leake said he understood the merchants' concerns about reduced traffic flow and keeping shoppers coming to the downtown area.
"Whatever it takes, we'll work with you to make it as easy as possible," he said. Possible solutions could include city maintenance of the alleys during construction and improved signage on feeder streets.
During construction last fall, many business owners complained that the city did not take their concerns seriously and did not fully inform them of what was going to be done when.
During this phase of the project, Leake said, updates will be sent out every two weeks through the Warsaw Community Development Office to let the community know the status of the construction and any scheduling revisions.
Eventually the entire downtown area will be renovated, he said, but the project will take place over a period of five to six years.
Downtown Warsaw is defined as that area from Main Street south to the railroad tracks, and from Lake Street east to Detroit Street. [[In-content Ad]]
Warsaw street crews are scheduled to begin this month to finish work on the block of Center Street that was renovated last fall, downtown merchants were told Tuesday.
According to Kim Leake, superintendent of public works, brick crosswalks at the intersections of Center and Lake streets and Center and Buffalo streets will be installed and final paving will be laid. Weather permitting, Leake said, the work should be done in approximately three weeks - no later than the week of April 21.
Leake discussed the downtown beautification project with at least 60 interested people at the meeting in First United Methodist Church. The audience of mostly downtown business owners also included rehab committee members and several members of the city council.
Instead of continuing the street rehab project around the county courthouse as originally planned, Leake said the committee decided to extend the street work down Center Street to Detroit Street (Ind. 15).
The block of Center Street between Buffalo and Indiana will be tackled next, with a projected start date of April 21 and an estimated completion date of June 27.
Leake said the plan calls for never closing more than one intersection at a time, and for the city to repave the alleys downtown so pedestrian access to downtown merchants may continue.
Merchants asked that lighting in the alleys be improved to reassure pedestrians during night hours, and Leake and Mayor Ernie Wiggins said they would look into the matter.
The street work will include new sewer and water lines under the street and new pavement, curbs, sidewalks, benches, lights and trash receptacles, Leake said.
Trees downtown will be removed, he said, to give the area a clean look.
After the intersection of Center and Indiana streets is completed, which is expected to be around the middle of July, work will begin on the block of Center Street from Indiana Street to Detroit Street. Leake said he expects to start that block around July 21 and end construction by Sept. 26.
The intersection of Center and High streets will be done last, with a projected end date of Oct. 14.
Some of the merchants objected to the inconvenience over the summer, but most were either resigned to the activity or appreciative of the city's efforts to revitalize the downtown area.
Leake said he understood the merchants' concerns about reduced traffic flow and keeping shoppers coming to the downtown area.
"Whatever it takes, we'll work with you to make it as easy as possible," he said. Possible solutions could include city maintenance of the alleys during construction and improved signage on feeder streets.
During construction last fall, many business owners complained that the city did not take their concerns seriously and did not fully inform them of what was going to be done when.
During this phase of the project, Leake said, updates will be sent out every two weeks through the Warsaw Community Development Office to let the community know the status of the construction and any scheduling revisions.
Eventually the entire downtown area will be renovated, he said, but the project will take place over a period of five to six years.
Downtown Warsaw is defined as that area from Main Street south to the railroad tracks, and from Lake Street east to Detroit Street. [[In-content Ad]]