DDA offers local business and event update
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ALPENA -- The Alpena Downtown Development Authority (DDA) met on Tuesday and gave various updates to changes downtown, the temporary downtown safety demonstration, Water Street Commons, and more.
TEMPORARY DOWNTOWN SAFETY DEMONSTRATION
DDA Executive Director Anne Gentry said that the safety demonstration downtown has been "positive" and that she believes that the DDA can still get valuable data before snow flies. The temporary delineators will be removed in the winter and reinstalled in the spring.
"The plan is to remove the delineators before the snow really comes and they can be reinstalled in the spring and then reevaluate the paint," she said. " I think over the next few months ... the snow will come sometime this year ... I think there’s still a lot of good feedback and data we can get before the snow does come."
The demonstration includes painted curb extensions, new crosswalks, and flexible posts at four core intersections and is in participation with the Walkability Action Institute WAI.
In a memo to the Alpena Municipal Council in September, Gentry wrote that the demonstration is meant to “improve intersection safety at key crossings downtown,” “alert drivers they are entering an area where people frequently walk and bike,” “build momentum from our participation in the WAI,” “strengthen our application for a future Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant,” and “test out ideas that could be implemented more permanently and in other areas throughout the downtown.”
Gentry explained that so far, the delineators haven't changed driving behavior downtown and that drivers still make turns close to curbs, over the murals. She added that drivers struggle to make turns in general and speed continues to be a concern.
"You could see people continue to turn really close to the curve and drive over what we just painted," she said. "I think it's effective at turning, to make people turn slower, especially as a right hand turn ... the left hand turns, people really struggle with how to make that properly, not going into the other line of traffic. Then, speed approaching the bridge continues to be a huge issue, even with what we painted."
NEW BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN
Gentry updated board members that Urban Bird & Company is moving into the previous Olivet Book & Gift retail space on 2nd Avenue. Blue Blends and Truck Your Pizza is moving to a shared brick-and-mortar location on 2nd Avenue, near The Old Polish Corner.
Gentry added that the move for Blue Blends and Truck Your Pizza is a win for Water Street Commons, as it gives businesses an opportunity to test out the market before committing to a full brick-and-mortar location.
"I think it’s a really big win for Water Street Commons, to have businesses test it out there, see what the market’s like, and then connect with a property owner, to get into a brick-and-mortar," she said.
In the Center Building, Gentry noted that Marithyme and Blue Moon switched locations and Rusty's is moving locations to where the Thunder Bay Winery was previously located. Rusty's location on Chisholm remains up for sale.
"I’ve been working trying to connect some interested parties together to see if there’s a collaboration that might be able to work for that," she said. "I think because it's such a big space, has been the biggest hurdle I’ve heard from individuals that have looked at it, with the upstairs and downstairs."
"But overall, all really good, good changes for the downtown, I think," she added.
WATER STREET COMMONS
Gentry told board members that there continues to be interest in the pop up locations for Water Street Commons.
"We continue to have pop up interest for the three shops that are vacant right now," Gentry explained. "Those have been going really well. Everyone that’s rented tends to come back or want to book other days, so I take that as a positive."
DDA is also exploring the potential of hosting Santa Clause at the current Blue Blends Water Street Commons location. She said that the Santa Clause house no longer fits in Culligan Plaza and is in need of repairs.
"Our Promotions committee next week, we’ll be talking about putting Santa in there instead of in his house at Culligan, since that house needs some serious love and it doesn’t fit in the Plaza anymore," she said.
She added that the pavilion at Water Street Commons is complete and that the plan is to use it for Witch's Night Out, to host the event's entertainment.
"The concrete was laid last week ... the plan is to use that for Witch's Night Out and the DJ ... we’ll have that for both for the holiday season, if you wanted to do pop ups outside, and then for musicians next year," she said.
The Commons will host Christmas at the Commons, a holiday market event, on Dec. 12.
Kyla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.