Downtown renovations see progress

ALACHUA – Over the past year, the City of Alachua has been seeing restorations and improvements to the community as a part of the city's Amended Community Redevelopment Plan.

The plan, according to official public documents, is meant to “eliminate or prevent blight and rehabilitate or conserve areas of community” within the city of Alachua.

The Community Redevelopment Plan is set to develop the area between Northwest 142nd Place, past U.S. 441, up to Northwest 154th Place. In addition, it includes the area around Northwest 137th Terrace up to Northwest 147th Drive.

The intersection of Northwest 142 Terrace and U.S. Highway 441will get straightened out to a 90-degree angle, and the road is being moved slightly closer to City Hall.

Rainwater flooding has affected several parts of town, especially around the intersection of Northwest 150 Avenue and Main Street. The city put in a concrete retention reservoir under the ball field near City Hall. Other underground improvements include pipes to direct water flow.

The majority of underground facilities have been constructed, curbing installed, and lime rock asphalt has been laid down, according to city officials.

The entire $2 million redevelopment plan is being funded by the Downtown Redevelopment Trust Board. The redevelopment board has taken on this job to help stop flooding, provide parking, create safer roadways and have roads more perpendicular to U.S. 441. Through the redevelopment plan, the baseball field has been restored.

“The project is moving along very well, we’re pleased with current activities and look forward to the conclusion of this project in 2014,” said Adam Boukari, assistant city manager. “It will be a great enhancement to the community.”

City officials hope to have the majority of construction done by mid-December and the project completed by early February.

“It's all part of a grand plan that we had started four or five years ago," said Mayor Gib Coerper in an earlier interview.

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