News of upcoming Yampa Avenue sidewalk undertaking produces blended feelings for business proprietors
Some downtown business proprietors have combined inner thoughts about the sidewalk reconstruction project along the 400 and 500 blocks of Yampa Avenue.The news that construction would begin on the extend of downtown was introduced on Jan. 6 at a Community Functions meeting.
According to Landmark Consultant’s associate, Eric Griepentrog, the venture will consider most if not all of 2021.
Some enterprise house owners be concerned building could block off entryways to their enterprise. The effects of diminished foot traffic could strike even more challenging coming on the heels of the pandemic.
“I am bummed that they are carrying out it a summer time after we’re recovering from COVID,” Barrel Cathedral Manager Savanna Crow mentioned. “I’m concerned about the park remaining taken above by development and contractors and how that may prohibit us from getting activities in the park this summer time.”
The owner of Downtown Textbooks and Coffee, Liane Davis-Kling, welcomes the sidewalk enhancements and benefits from obtain to a backdoor that consumers can use to enter the bookstore.
“That would be my business enterprise I are unable to speak for other businesses,” she said.
Some organization homeowners questioned the will need for this sort of a undertaking. 1 of people business owners is Kyann Mounts, the owner of Buckaroos Western Wear.
“Honestly, I assume it’s high-quality. I really do not really consider it’s necessary to expend the cash to redo it when there is things there now in position and the trees are fine and the lights are good,” Mounts said. “So I am not positive why we need to have to devote income with the city to have it all redone, individually.”
Other business owners, these types of as Embroidery Shoppe proprietor Rodney Beason, believe it should get carried out no matter of outside impacts.
“Yeah, do it whenever. That need to have zero impact in any respect on this job,” Beason stated.
That belief was also echoed by Davis-Kling simply because of the concern of a pedestrian receiving harm on the uneven streets.
“It continue to is needed since they have been there for so extensive and they are starting up to tumble apart. As the floor shifts, you’re likely to have a lot more dips,” Davis-Kling mentioned. “Somebody is likely to get into an incident and then you have a lawsuit. … In addition it aids most people who is a minimal little bit disabled to get about a very little bit greater.”
In addition to the prepared sidewalk improvements on Yampa Avenue, the town is also bettering the mild poles, which could assistance increase business enterprise as soon as the project is entire, a person enterprise owner said.
“I would like to see a lot more lights due to the fact at like 5, 6 o clock, it is dark. Extra mild than what we have. I hope they have that in the projections simply because if it is just fixing the sidewalk and leaving like it is,” Renata Beason, the owner of the Embroidery Shoppe said. “It’s not excellent. I assume for downtown to enchantment a lot more it requirements to be extra noticeable due to the fact individuals are not going property when it’s darkish.”
