What’s beneath Main Street?
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The action is one of the first baby steps to tangible improvement in the downtown area that is expected to lead to about $5.3 million in public improvements for phase one of what’s being called the “downtown economic development project,” which spans from South Chancery Street to near Sparta Street.
City officials have also approved $3.8 million in this year’s budget to borrow for infrastructure improvements in the phase one area, but said the actual funds won’t be borrowed until after more financing formalities are completed, possibly this fall.
Within the past several weeks, they have talked about other methods of financing that would not be subject to a referendum similar to January’s aquatic center and fire department improvement bond issue, but noted borrowing a different way could cost more due to higher interest rates.
In the meantime, officials gave the thumbs up to hiring EG&G., Inc. to perform the survey work, which could begin within the next two weeks.
According to Mayor Royce Davenport, the work is a necessary precursor to the master plan, which has already been formed by E.G.&G. and publicly presented last year. Davenport said the survey is expected to assess the conditions of the streets and sidewalks as well as other utilities.
“Hopefully people will understand the utilities need to be replaced anyway and the reason it costs so much is because we’re doing the whole thing,” he said. “We’re not going to fix the buildings but hopefully make the area more attractive for use of the buildings.”
According to Main Street McMinnville board member Rachel Killebrew, E.G.&G. is to look at what’s underneath the pavement using high-tech equipment in a topographical survey. The end result will be a map of where everything in the phase one portion of the historic district is located.
Killebrew said some of the buildings downtown date to the early 1900s, and it is reasonable to assume utilities are just as old. She said it’s possible McMinnville may be in for some surprises as to what is there.
If financing for the total project is approved, officials had hoped to be under construction by 2004. Davenport said the city is somewhat off schedule and noted the survey work was supposed to start last month.
Davenport hoped the public would understand the impact of what officials are trying to accomplish downtown and noted the program’s promise of more than 100 potential jobs if the improvements are made.
“They say, ‘We need jobs.’ That’s where we hope we’re headed is jobs,” he added.
Killebrew said while city officials are concerned about utilities and financing on the front end, she hopes the end result will be one that appeals to the public.
“The city had to do this anyway, so we’re kind of teaming up between Main Street and the city. But when they put it all back, we care about how all this looks. That’s where the Main Street program comes in,” she added.