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A new vision for Laurel’s downtown

LAUREL — Residents had the opportunity to listen to a proposed downtown revitalization project last Friday. The presentation was well received with about 20 people attending each of the two sessions offered.

Jon McCarville, a civil engineer with the firm Leo A. Daly, Omaha, led the presentation over the concept he designed for downtown.  Laurel was able to contract the firm by receiving a planning grant.

“The sidewalks have been a major concern on the last few community surveys,” said Keith Knudsen during the noon meeting on Friday.

The approximate two and a half block project would address many of the major concerns for the downtown area.  Concerns include water drainage issues, reducing the slope of the sidewalks, and issues with business entry fronts. The project would then make the downtown compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Association.

The project would begin just prior to Gary’s Food Town and would then continue east the next two and a half blocks. Side streets would be addressed as needed to help with slopes and drainage.

“I feel this would be a good, progressive project for the downtown as a whole,” Gary Anderson, owner of Gary’s Food Town, said following the meeting.

In the proposed revitalization plans, the street would be raised before addressing the sidewalks, ensuring the businesses can remain open and accessible to pedestrians during this process.  A business front entry may be closed at most the duration of a day to allow the concrete to cure, meeting attendants were told.

It would be more cost effective for the street and sidewalks to be completely removed.

A valley gutter system would be put into place to address the drainage issues along the streets of downtown. 

“It was interesting to see the Downtown Revitalization plans,” said Melissa Graham, owner of Missa Sue’s Salon and Spa, “It has been a concern of mine because the streets and sidewalks are hard to get around for my customers. I am looking forward to a safer and more eye appealing downtown through this revitalization,” she said following the meeting.

The median was addressed during the presentation. The current median was installed during the 1960s, in part to prevent cars from bumping into each other.

Since this is in the infancy stages, the plans were designed without a median and then factored the extra four feet being absorbed through parking spots and sidewalks.

While construction of the Downtown Revitalization project would take the duration of a summer, preparing and planning this project could take place over the next few years.  

The city could apply for a $400,000 Downtown Revitalization grant through the Community Development Block Grant next fall. The city would need to match $100,000 or 25 percent of the grant. It is estimated the work on each block costs about $1 million.

A one percent city sales tax is on the November ballot. This one percent city sales tax would be earmarked for city infrastructure improvements, for example, but not limited to, fixing sidewalks and streets.

It is estimated a one percent sales tax would generate $110,000-$115,000 annually for the city, prioritizing this project.

Some of the funds generated from an approved city sales tax would aid in making the downtown revitalization dream a reality.

The city would be able to apply for the Downtown Revitalization grant next September. If awarded, a design would be finalized in the spring, construction would then take place during the summer of 2021.

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