by Frank Lee
operations@thenewsleaders.com
A proposal to improve the east/west and north/south alleys between College Avenue N. and First Avenue NW has been met with some resistance by downtown business owners.
The St. Joseph City Council has been considering for the past couple of years improving the Central Business District alleys because of their deterioration and drainage issues.
“We have limited records to show how old the actual pavement dates back to,” said City Engineer Randy Sabart at the public-improvement hearing on Feb. 6. “We have some drawings that show the pavement behind city hall was last graded in 1979.”
The project is planned for two locations if approved: between Minnesota Street W. and Ash Street W., known as “Block 9,” and between Ash Street W. and Birch Street W., known as “Block 12.”
“The street surface is in poor condition,” Sabart told audience members who had gathered for the St. Joseph City Council meeting on Feb. 6 at the new St. Joseph Government Center. “It’s exhibiting several of the failures we call ‘alligator cracking,’ potholes and patching.”
As for drainage in those areas, there is limited storm sewer and inlets and mostly surface drainage, Sabart said, and there are several instances of longitudinal/radial pipe cracking and minimal pipe sags, joint misalignment and protruding taps regarding the sanitary sewer.
Proposed improvements include a “base” improvement with four options; the base project would be to reconstruct/construct new bituminous pavement at the two locations with additional options that can be included for an additional cost, like adding storm drains, curb and gutter, and/or sanitary sewer lining.
The probable total cost just to reconstruct the bituminous pavement for Block 9 is $192,500 and for Block 12 it would be $164,300, with up to 100 percent specially assessed to property owners in commercial/industrial areas, which did not sit well with downtown business owners.
John and Maureen Forsythe have made a lot of sandwiches and sold a lot of soup as the co-owners of BoDiddley’s Pub & Deli at 19 College Ave. N., and recently celebrated their 35th anniversary in St. Joseph. They were at the public-improvement hearing and had concerns.
“As far as who uses those alleys, it’s the whole city – far different from any residential area or almost anywhere else in town – so I really think there is an argument to be made that there should be a greater proportion of cost-sharing by the city,” John Forsythe told the council.
Cory Ehlert owns property in St. Joseph’s downtown area and also spoke up at the city council meeting.
“Those are big (cost) numbers, and nobody’s businesses are flourishing; it’s going to be a tough pill to swallow,” Ehlert said when he stepped up to the podium to address the council. “I just ask that let’s consider partnership between the property owners and the city.”
The city will commission a special-assessment-benefit report to identify the range of market benefit by the proposed alley-improvement project. Special-assessment payment terms and interest rate will be determined by the city council prior to a special-assessment hearing in April.
Cory Ehlert owns property in St. Joseph’s downtown area and asks the St. Joseph City Council at its Feb. 6 meeting at the new St. Joseph Government Center about proposed alley improvements that might affect his property.
Maureen and John Forsythe (middle row), co-owners of BoDiddley’s Pub & Deli, and Cory Ehlert (back row) listen to proposed alley improvements during the public improvement hearing at the Feb. 6 meeting of the St. Joseph City Council at the new St. Joseph Government Center.
City Engineer Randy Sabart (far left) gives a presentation about proposed alley improvements during a public-improvement hearing at the Feb. 6 meeting of the St. Joseph City Council at the new St. Joseph Government Center. City Administrator Judy Weyrens (left) listens along with (left to right) council members Troy Goracke and Dale Wick, Mayor Rick Schultz and council member Bob Loso.
