AUBURN - After four months, saplings, bricks and benches are all in place - the downtown improvement project is done.
Sam Tenney / The Citizen
Mayor Tim Lattimore speaks at the dedication ceremony for the Exchange Street Mall on Tuesday afternoon. Lattimore is joined by Mayor-elect Mike Quill, Auburn City Councilor Thomas McNabb and BID Director Dan Schuster.
Mayor Tim Lattimore speaks at the dedication ceremony for the Exchange Street Mall on Tuesday afternoon. Lattimore is joined by Mayor-elect Mike Quill, Auburn City Councilor Thomas McNabb and BID Director Dan Schuster.
After a tumultuous start, the beautification project finally got under way in May and officially ended at a ribbon-cutting dedication ceremony Tuesday at Exchange Street Mall.
The revitalization venture was in various planning stages for years, failed to get enough votes last year, and eventually won favor in April.
Nearly 40 people listened to Mayor Timothy Lattimore at the dedication across from Auburn Public Theater.
“A plan may start locally with an idea, but it takes professionals to move from concepts to construction,” Lattimore said before slicing a shiny, red ribbon that stretched across the alley.
Exchange Street Mall was the project's last major portion to be completed.
The former concrete walkway includes rustic-colored pavers, trees, planting beds, lighting improvements and seating.
Angela Daddabbo, APT co-founder, lauded the refurbished mall, which also serves as the entrance to the theater.
When she started the organization two years ago, there was talk about redoing the concrete pedestrian walkway. However, the end result went beyond Daddabbo's expectations.
“I feel very emotional about this because I know this is just the beginning,” she said.
Rizzo Construction served as general contractor for the $1.3 million downtown improvement project, overseeing planting small trees along Genesee Street, installing sitting areas with benches and trash containers, replacing some sidewalk, and laying bricks along main corners on Genesee Street, Loop Road and South Street.
The Syracuse office of Environmental Design & Research drafted the plans, at one point repackaging them to create money-saving options.
Michael Moore, an independent contractor who oversaw the project and acted as a liaison to the city, called the first plan “grandiose” but said it didn't match up with the available funds.
“Based on the money that was available, I think they got a lot of bang for their buck,” Moore said.
Budget constraints dictated the design mix new and old elements, only replacing broken or worn portions of concrete. Planners also decreased the amount of brick to only install pavers near intersections and in some sidewalks.
The business owners are excited about the downtown renovations, Moore said.
“Most (merchants) are crossing their fingers that this will be a shot in the arm, as we all are,” Moore said.
Businesses from Wegmans to Parker's were impacted directly by this improvement plan, and city residents will see a difference daily, Moore said. At last week's holiday parade, Auburn Downtown Business Improvement District Director Daniel Schuster said the mall was crowded and he heard countless positive remarks about the changes.
Residents weren't getting excited about the work until the tail end when the brickwork took shape. Moore said most people were “pleasantly surprised” at the outcome.
Crews planted 60 trees in downtown, but residents will not see the full affect until spring, Moore said. The trees likely will maintain themselves, but the shrubs and plants in Exchange Street will take more care. Daddabbo was pleased with the amount of green in the mall.
The pavers, too, may take more time during snow removal, but the bricks are stronger than concrete. Public pressure for the upkeep of the more-than-million-dollar investment also may contribute to the streetscape's maintenance, Moore said.
He is excited that downtown has a new “quaint” vibe to it.
Schuster meanwhile hopes the renovations may help pull business investors downtown.
“This is something that really will make a difference,” Schuster said.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext. 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net
Before the Bricks
The downtown beautification project has been a long time coming, with years spent drafting ideas, refiguring designs to fit in the budget, and groups disagreeing on what they want.
Here are some highlights from the project's timeline.
• June 24, 2004: An engineering firm is contracted to draw plans for revitalizing downtown. This includes cleaning up East Genesee Street, redoing Exchange Street Mall, and improvements to Loop Street.
• Sept. 28, 2006: The council votes 2-2 to accept a Fairport company's $1.86 million bid to improve downtown. Mayor Timothy Lattimore abstains saying he wants the planning board to review the concept, which causes the measure to fail.
• Dec. 4, 2006: City Planning Board reviews the plans and recommends the city approves them.
• April 4: The council approves 4-1 the current $1.3 million revitalization project and awards Auburn-based Rizzo Construction the job.
• April 13: Council hires Auburn native Michael Moore to oversee the project and act as a liaison to the city.
• May: Crews break ground. They aim to complete the project in October.
• June 14: Council agrees 3-2 to add another element to the project - parking kiosks. Eleven kiosks will go along Genesee Street and in a parking lot near the YMCA.
• Nov. 27: Ribbon cutting and dedication of the downtown improvement project at Exchange Street Mall.
The revitalization venture was in various planning stages for years, failed to get enough votes last year, and eventually won favor in April.
Nearly 40 people listened to Mayor Timothy Lattimore at the dedication across from Auburn Public Theater.
“A plan may start locally with an idea, but it takes professionals to move from concepts to construction,” Lattimore said before slicing a shiny, red ribbon that stretched across the alley.
Exchange Street Mall was the project's last major portion to be completed.
The former concrete walkway includes rustic-colored pavers, trees, planting beds, lighting improvements and seating.
Angela Daddabbo, APT co-founder, lauded the refurbished mall, which also serves as the entrance to the theater.
When she started the organization two years ago, there was talk about redoing the concrete pedestrian walkway. However, the end result went beyond Daddabbo's expectations.
“I feel very emotional about this because I know this is just the beginning,” she said.
Rizzo Construction served as general contractor for the $1.3 million downtown improvement project, overseeing planting small trees along Genesee Street, installing sitting areas with benches and trash containers, replacing some sidewalk, and laying bricks along main corners on Genesee Street, Loop Road and South Street.
The Syracuse office of Environmental Design & Research drafted the plans, at one point repackaging them to create money-saving options.
Michael Moore, an independent contractor who oversaw the project and acted as a liaison to the city, called the first plan “grandiose” but said it didn't match up with the available funds.
“Based on the money that was available, I think they got a lot of bang for their buck,” Moore said.
Budget constraints dictated the design mix new and old elements, only replacing broken or worn portions of concrete. Planners also decreased the amount of brick to only install pavers near intersections and in some sidewalks.
The business owners are excited about the downtown renovations, Moore said.
“Most (merchants) are crossing their fingers that this will be a shot in the arm, as we all are,” Moore said.
Businesses from Wegmans to Parker's were impacted directly by this improvement plan, and city residents will see a difference daily, Moore said. At last week's holiday parade, Auburn Downtown Business Improvement District Director Daniel Schuster said the mall was crowded and he heard countless positive remarks about the changes.
Residents weren't getting excited about the work until the tail end when the brickwork took shape. Moore said most people were “pleasantly surprised” at the outcome.
Crews planted 60 trees in downtown, but residents will not see the full affect until spring, Moore said. The trees likely will maintain themselves, but the shrubs and plants in Exchange Street will take more care. Daddabbo was pleased with the amount of green in the mall.
The pavers, too, may take more time during snow removal, but the bricks are stronger than concrete. Public pressure for the upkeep of the more-than-million-dollar investment also may contribute to the streetscape's maintenance, Moore said.
He is excited that downtown has a new “quaint” vibe to it.
Schuster meanwhile hopes the renovations may help pull business investors downtown.
“This is something that really will make a difference,” Schuster said.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext. 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net
Before the Bricks
The downtown beautification project has been a long time coming, with years spent drafting ideas, refiguring designs to fit in the budget, and groups disagreeing on what they want.
Here are some highlights from the project's timeline.
• June 24, 2004: An engineering firm is contracted to draw plans for revitalizing downtown. This includes cleaning up East Genesee Street, redoing Exchange Street Mall, and improvements to Loop Street.
• Sept. 28, 2006: The council votes 2-2 to accept a Fairport company's $1.86 million bid to improve downtown. Mayor Timothy Lattimore abstains saying he wants the planning board to review the concept, which causes the measure to fail.
• Dec. 4, 2006: City Planning Board reviews the plans and recommends the city approves them.
• April 4: The council approves 4-1 the current $1.3 million revitalization project and awards Auburn-based Rizzo Construction the job.
• April 13: Council hires Auburn native Michael Moore to oversee the project and act as a liaison to the city.
• May: Crews break ground. They aim to complete the project in October.
• June 14: Council agrees 3-2 to add another element to the project - parking kiosks. Eleven kiosks will go along Genesee Street and in a parking lot near the YMCA.
• Nov. 27: Ribbon cutting and dedication of the downtown improvement project at Exchange Street Mall.
