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Businesses are open despite construction on College Street in Cedar Falls Tuesday.
(BRANDON POLLOCK/Courier Staff Photographer)
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A Hill of a project
By JON ERICSON, Courier Staff Writer
CEDAR FALLS --- The calendar on the wall of the College Hill Sub City bears six marks, one for each time a broken water main gushed out of the construction zone outside.
After several months of dirty, noisy construction work outside the door, the marks could be a sign of owner Jodee Neptune's disgust with the streetscape project. But the calendar is tacked onto freshly painted walls, which Neptune said is to keep up with a freshly spruced-up College Hill.
"You have to think positive, when it's done it will look gorgeous. We definitely needed the repair work done," she said.
Work on reconstructing the 2200 block of College Street, the heart of the business district, began in June. The $2.8 million project includes reconstructed roadways along College Street and part of 23rd Street. It began last year, with the bulk of that work involving a new culvert to usher Dry Run Creek under College Street. This year has been marked by heavy construction as the core business district has been torn up installing infrastructure, such as water, storm and sewer lines.
City Engineer David Scanlan said they still expect the streetscape will be complete up to 23rd Street late this fall. The project had faced delays from weather and flooding, problems dealing with the old infrastructure below the street and some back ordered materials.
"There have been compounding factors with everything else," Scanlan said. "That is kind of the goal is to have the street back, but that depends on how everything else goes."
As students returned for the new school year, College Hill merchants were eager to see business pick up.
Tonya Clayberg, manager at The Library, said business had been slow the past few months.
"Summer is always slow, but it was worse this summer," Clayberg said.
But as the students returned, Clayberg said business was back to normal as most of the clientele walks to The Library anyway.
Parking has become even more of a premium with College Street closed off through the business district. Pedestrian access requires more effort to negotiate narrow sidewalks and construction fencing in the work zone.
But through it all, many of the merchants have remained positive and kept a sense of humor about it. They deal with the orange fences, dirt and noise by picturing the future when shiny new signs, a smooth street and a vibrant pedestrian scene contributes to a revitalized College Hill.
"We've had some customers who liked the vibrating chairs," joked Colleen Dietz of the College Hill Barber Shop in regard to the building shaking during some parts of the construction.
Mohair Pear owner Barb Schilf said her business hasn't been hurt by the construction. The work has also provided a diversion. Her 2-year-old son loves construction equipment, so they have spent time at the Blue Moon Cafe watching the Weichers Construction guys do their jobs.
Merchants said the construction workers have been good about warning them when a water line breaks or water will be shut off. The age of infrastructure under the street caused problems.
"It's kind of like a jigsaw puzzle," Scanlan said of the way water and sewer lines were tied in to main lines. "The old water main was so old that it would spring leaks just by working around it. In old parts of town like this you dig down and you don't really know what you're going to find."
Construction will most likely still be in progress during homecoming weekend at the University of Northern Iowa the weekend of Oct. 11.
Plans do call for the sidewalk paver bricks to be placed yet this fall, with the contractor following the street construction up the hill.
Next year the project would go west on 23rd Street, but that part of it will be dependant on how the university progresses on its parking garage. The final part of College Street, from 23rd Street to Seerley Boulevard, would also be on the schedule for next year.
A hallmark feature of the streetscape is a plaza area planned across from the Kwik Star at the bottom of the hill. That feature will be the last phase of the project, as the space is being used as a staging area for construction.
As far as the merchants, the best way to deal with construction is to look to the future.
"The new design will be awesome, it's a long time coming," Schilf said.
Contact Jon Ericson at (319) 291-1461 or jonathan.ericson@wcfcourier.com.
After several months of dirty, noisy construction work outside the door, the marks could be a sign of owner Jodee Neptune's disgust with the streetscape project. But the calendar is tacked onto freshly painted walls, which Neptune said is to keep up with a freshly spruced-up College Hill.
"You have to think positive, when it's done it will look gorgeous. We definitely needed the repair work done," she said.
Work on reconstructing the 2200 block of College Street, the heart of the business district, began in June. The $2.8 million project includes reconstructed roadways along College Street and part of 23rd Street. It began last year, with the bulk of that work involving a new culvert to usher Dry Run Creek under College Street. This year has been marked by heavy construction as the core business district has been torn up installing infrastructure, such as water, storm and sewer lines.
City Engineer David Scanlan said they still expect the streetscape will be complete up to 23rd Street late this fall. The project had faced delays from weather and flooding, problems dealing with the old infrastructure below the street and some back ordered materials.
"There have been compounding factors with everything else," Scanlan said. "That is kind of the goal is to have the street back, but that depends on how everything else goes."
As students returned for the new school year, College Hill merchants were eager to see business pick up.
Tonya Clayberg, manager at The Library, said business had been slow the past few months.
"Summer is always slow, but it was worse this summer," Clayberg said.
But as the students returned, Clayberg said business was back to normal as most of the clientele walks to The Library anyway.
Parking has become even more of a premium with College Street closed off through the business district. Pedestrian access requires more effort to negotiate narrow sidewalks and construction fencing in the work zone.
But through it all, many of the merchants have remained positive and kept a sense of humor about it. They deal with the orange fences, dirt and noise by picturing the future when shiny new signs, a smooth street and a vibrant pedestrian scene contributes to a revitalized College Hill.
"We've had some customers who liked the vibrating chairs," joked Colleen Dietz of the College Hill Barber Shop in regard to the building shaking during some parts of the construction.
Mohair Pear owner Barb Schilf said her business hasn't been hurt by the construction. The work has also provided a diversion. Her 2-year-old son loves construction equipment, so they have spent time at the Blue Moon Cafe watching the Weichers Construction guys do their jobs.
Merchants said the construction workers have been good about warning them when a water line breaks or water will be shut off. The age of infrastructure under the street caused problems.
"It's kind of like a jigsaw puzzle," Scanlan said of the way water and sewer lines were tied in to main lines. "The old water main was so old that it would spring leaks just by working around it. In old parts of town like this you dig down and you don't really know what you're going to find."
Construction will most likely still be in progress during homecoming weekend at the University of Northern Iowa the weekend of Oct. 11.
Plans do call for the sidewalk paver bricks to be placed yet this fall, with the contractor following the street construction up the hill.
Next year the project would go west on 23rd Street, but that part of it will be dependant on how the university progresses on its parking garage. The final part of College Street, from 23rd Street to Seerley Boulevard, would also be on the schedule for next year.
A hallmark feature of the streetscape is a plaza area planned across from the Kwik Star at the bottom of the hill. That feature will be the last phase of the project, as the space is being used as a staging area for construction.
As far as the merchants, the best way to deal with construction is to look to the future.
"The new design will be awesome, it's a long time coming," Schilf said.
Contact Jon Ericson at (319) 291-1461 or jonathan.ericson@wcfcourier.com.
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