Streetscaping moves south, east

Downtown pedestrians will soon have a longer stroll on streetscaped Court Street after crews finish remodeling to Dr. Hicks Boulevard, a project that is to be completed in time for Christmas, according to city officials.

The project includes landscaping on Court Street from Dr. Hicks Boulevard south to Veterans Drive plus more intensive replacement of the cement, asphalt and greenery on the east side of Court Street between Veterans Drive and Bluff Street.

"Cities that have curb appeal are more successful than those that don't," planner Melissa Bailey said. She added that public investments in a city's physical environment can make an impact in the private sector and contribute to economic development. Bailey said the project would add green space to the entrance to Florence in front of the police station.

"It's not only traffic calming, but it should eliminate some of the confusion of traffic moving into and out of the area," Bailey said.

The city will pay 20 percent, or $161,400, of the $807,000 project from budgeted funds, with the rest paid by the state Department of Transportation.

"It really ends up being low cost, high impact, because the state is picking up 80 percent of what you're doing," Bailey said.

For the next two to three weeks, southbound drivers can expect one lane open from Limestone Street to Veterans Drive, and in December, northbound Court Street will be down to one lane from Limestone Street to Dr. Hicks, said Alan Nelms, project superintendent with Joe Keenum Excavation & Construction Co.

"I'm trying to keep as much traffic as possible without as much stress," Nelms said. All the businesses along the street will have access during construction time, he said.

Downtown streetscaping on Court Street started 10 to 15 years ago north of Tennessee Street, and approximately four years ago ventured south to Dr. Hicks Boulevard, said Stan Tomblin, with SKT Architects PC, that designed the streetscape plans.

"Downtown is more than those three blocks," said Carolyn Waterman, president of Downtown Florence Unlimited, of the North Court section. "From university to harbor to hospital, that's my dream."

The new section, on state-owned land, will have differences from the existing streetscaping to comply with state regulations, Tomblin said.

The new streetscaping coincides with a pocket of development in south downtown, Bailey said, including the rehabilitated Shoals office building, Hampton Inn Suites, the redeveloped 412 Court Street office building and Gold's Gym.

"When the city is able to go in with this level of public investment and then turn around and see before and after the response, it's a perfect success for economic development," Bailey said.

Trevor Stokes can be reached at 740-5728 or trevor.stokes@timesdaily.com.