Ceremony to launch Wheaton's downtown revitalization
Wheaton officials will meet Friday to launch a multiyear downtown streetscape project that will overhaul public spaces in the central business district and could cost more than $30 million.
City council members, project designers and leaders of a downtown business group who have spent years shaping the plan will hold a groundbreaking ceremony at Martin Memorial Plaza, an aging event venue that will be demolished this summer and replaced with a new gathering spot closer to shops and restaurants on the other side of Front Street.
Architects have mapped a plan to turn downtown into a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly destination with rebuilt streets, wider sidewalks, reconfigured parking, new landscaping and amenities.
The ceremony will start the first stage of the project along a five-block stretch of Front Street between West Street near the Metra station to Cross Street near the Wheaton 121 apartment complex.
Building materials selected for the Front Street improvements will serve as a template for later phases of the project that could take four years.
One piece of the plan involves roadwork: Crews will reconstruct the pavement between Main and Hale streets and resurface the pavement on other segments.
But new streetscape elements - lighting, signs, planters, bike racks and trees - will leave the lasting impression on visitors, architects say.
For the north side of Front at Main Street, architects have designed a space inspired by the city's railroad history and a former train depot. The concept by Design Workshop also calls for stringing catenary lights and planting trees in the space to provide shade without blocking storefronts.
Outdoor water and fire features would add to the ambience, and an obelisk would mark the entrance.
Earlier this month, the city council awarded a $4.5 million contract to Landmark Contractors Inc. to turn that vision into reality along Front Street. The Huntley-based firm submitted the lowest bid at roughly $860,000 below a previous $5.4 million estimate.
Contractors will start removing trees on Front Street this week, Downtown Wheaton Association Executive Director Paula Barrington wrote in an email to businesses.
"You also may see them doing some preparation work, removing benches or pots, adding construction signs or saw cutting," wrote Barrington, adding that the group is planning promotions to encourage shoppers to patronize businesses during construction.
Crews typically will work from 7 a.m. through 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The city plans to keep at least one lane of Front open to traffic during the project, though there will be occasions that will require a full closure.
The construction company contract includes provisions requiring crews to install temporary sidewalks that patrons will enter from intersections to access shops and restaurants. That access will be cut off on days when crews are pouring concrete.
General contractors must complete the Front Street work by Aug. 31 or pay the city a $3,500 penalty each day the project extends beyond that deadline.
Capital project funds and tax increment financing money will pay for the Front Street stage of the project. The council has not settled on a scope or funding for later phases, but officials pegged the cost at $34.7 million.
TIF dollars could provide an estimated $23.7 million. But last October, council members were at odds over how to pay for other improvements that don't fall within the boundaries of two downtown tax increment financing districts.