OUTLINES PROJECT - Chip Hendrick of R.C. Hendrick and Son, Saginaw, construction manager for the estimated $2 million East Tawas streetscape project, outlined the scope of work for downtown business owners last week. - Photo by John Morris

Downtown streetscape project slated to start in May
by John Morris

EAST TAWAS - Work is expected to begin in May on the more than $2 million facelift of downtown East Tawas, the project’s construction manager told about 25 business owners at an informational meeting on Wednesday, March 26.

“Yes, it will be disruptive,” construction manager Chip Hendrick of R.C. Hendrick and Son, Saginaw, told the business owners. “You are each going to have a rough two weeks.
“We will keep you open - you won’t be closed at all.”

Hendrick was the city’s construction manager for its community center and waterfront development projects. He also worked in the same capacity for Frankenmuth’s phased streetscape project.

TALK PROJECT - Helen Pasakarnis, East Tawas Tax Increment Finance Authority director, right, looks over the blueprints for the city’s upcoming streetscape project with several downtown business owners. - Photo by John Morris

The East Tawas streetscape project includes new streetlights similar to those at Harbor Park and the community center, decorative brick pavers and exposed aggregate sidewalks, new bike racks, planters benches, drinking fountains and waste receptacles, four decorative concrete intersections with brick crosswalks and traffic bump-outs along Newman Street, including a “compass rose” at the Westover Street intersection, greenbelts added to parking lots and several new trees and tree guards and grates and new planters and floral hanging baskets for the street lamps.

Hendrick said bids for the streetscape project went out earlier this week and will be due back in about three weeks. The project will be funded for through a 20-year bond paid for by the city’s Tax Increment Finance Authority (TIFA). The project is estimated at between $2.2 million to $2.4 million.

In essence, tax increment financing is a tool which has been used for redevelopment and community improvement projects throughout the United States. Tax increment financing captures a percentage of increased property taxes that a new real estate development generates to finance costs of projects.

Hendrick said during the sidewalk reconstruction portion of the project, crews will build ramps to the front entrances of each downtown business. “We’re going to keep you open the entire summer,” he said. “Everyone will come into your front door.”

He said, while the Frankenmuth streetscape project was disruptive for businesses downtown, “they said business actually increased. There was activity downtown. People wanted to see what was going on.”

Hendrick said many businesses held “construction sales” during the project.

“Tawas business is more seasonal than Frankenmuth,” one business owner noted at the meeting. Others added that the summer months are “make it or break it” times for their businesses.

Hendrick assured the business owners that the lines of communication with them will be open during the course of the streetscape project.

He said, while the Frankenmuth streetscape project was disruptive for businesses downtown, “they said business actually increased. There was activity downtown. People wanted to see what was going on.”

Hendrick said many businesses held “construction sales” during the project.

“Tawas business is more seasonal than Frankenmuth,” one business owner noted at the meeting. Others added that the summer months are “make it or break it” times for their businesses.

Hendrick assured the business owners that the lines of communication with them will be open during the course of the streetscape project.

“We’re going to be talking with you constantly,” he said. “If we don’t, you’ll be coming to us.”

Hendrick anticipates there may be a delay in the delivery of the street maps, as was the case in Frankenmuth. “We waited close to seven months for the new ones to come in,” he said.

Although ideally, officials said they would would like to see the streetscape completed this year, some parking lot projects may have to be done the following summer.

Helen Pasakarnis, TIFA director, said there are drainage issues with some parking lots that first need to be addressed. She said those issues could significantly raise the overall cost of the project. In the meantime, Pasakarnis said she is looking at other funding sources, such as grants, to offset those anticipated costs.

“It may make financial sense to hold off this year,” she said.

Additionally, Pasakarnis said the second phase of the city’s “way-finding” signs project will be completed during the streetscape project. A total of 54 new signs were installed last fall during the project’s first phase and the remaining 56 will be put up this year.

Hendrick also said the crosswalk portions of the project will likely be done one at a time, rather than all at once, as the intersections will need to be blocked off and there will be detours.