by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
Improvements to Riverside’s Park and King district reached the halfway point this month. A collaborative effort between the City, JEA and local initiatives, the $5 million project broke ground last October and should conclude by early 2005.
According to project representatives, work remains largely on schedule despite a minor set back earlier this year. Construction workers uncovered JEA utility wires by mistake, resulting a roughly seven-week delay.
“That was unfortunate for us,” said Sherry Hall, a spokesperson for the Public Works Department. “You never anticipate that kind of thing, but by working closely with JEA we managed to take care of it.
“We’re continuing to make excellent and well-timed progress over there.”
Council member Michael Corrigan, who represents the area, said he was happy the project remains on track.
“JEA was happy to work with us to fix the problem,” he said. “That’s obviously a huge relief and I’m confident that once the neighborhood is completely restored it will, once again, be a beautiful and historically valuable shopping district.”
Corrigan and Hall said area merchants have been “very cooperative.”
“They’ve been a pleasure to work with,” said Hall, “they pushed really hard for these improvements and they’re so happy to see them finally happen.”
As part of the project, utility and streetscape improvements and upgrades to sidewalks and street lighting will be established when it is unveiled.
“This was one of the first areas in town to get adequate street lighting years ago and people would come for miles to see it,” said Corrigan. “When we’re finished here, people will come back again to see the new great white way.”