Commercial Street Historic District residents, business owners and visitors can expect to see increased activity in the district as construction for the City’s Parking Lot and Alleyway Improvement Project is set to begin Monday, Aug. 24.
The project consists of improvements to the “Dr. Tickle” alleyway located between Campbell Avenue and Boonville Avenue, the C-Street Market alleyway, between Robberson Avenue and Jefferson Avenue, and the public parking lot located at Blaine Street and Jefferson Avenue. The project will include lighting improvements, parking lot resurfacing, minor stormwater and water quality improvements, stamped crosswalks, and other decorative elements.
The overall goal of the project is to enhance parking options along Blaine and create friendlier pedestrian connections from the parking lot to businesses along Commercial Street.
As construction kicks off, contractor Hunter Chase is expected to begin in the Dr. Tickle alleyway which will be closed to pedestrians for approximately three weeks. Activity will then shift to the C-Street Market alleyway and then to the parking lot. The public should expect parking availability in the Blaine Street and Jefferson Avenue lot to be limited, as the south portion will be used for staging of materials and equipment.
This project is expected to cost $523,000 and will be funded by the Commercial Street Tax Increment Financing (TIF) fund and the 1/4-Cent Capital Improvement Sales Tax, with pedestrian lighting improvements provided by City Utilities. Completion of the project is expected by late October.