Three weeks isn't exactly right around the corner, but it's at least on the horizon for a dozen business owners desperately waiting for handicap parking to be restored, and that's where the timeline stands as of Monday evening, according to City Manager Rachael Tabelski.
Work has been mapped out with traffic cones, tape and fencing several weeks ago, and officially kicked off with a groundbreaking ceremony a week ago, and now is expected to further ramp up with the ongoing commotion of the $15.5 million building project.
"Construction continues to progress toward site and utility work being finished in the next three weeks to open up that first row of parkng which we did discuss will be reopened for those Washington Street businesses," Tabelski said during council's conference session at City Hall. "Once the site work is complete, the contractors will move on to placing footers for the building and bringing in various construction trailers on site for the remainder of the project."
The city proposed this plan as business owners heavily complained about losing that adjacent row of parking next to their offices, citing the on-street parking on Washington Avenue as insufficient and dangerous for people with disabilities and assistive walking devices.
In related action, City Council approved:
A contract with Barron & Associates to perform work for the new police station being constructed downtown in the parking lot of Alva Place and Bank Street. The company was selected out of four proposals to perform special inspections services for the construction at a cost of $40,000.
Barron, based in Clarence, is a geotechnical consulting company that performs subsurface investigation and analysis and design and consulting services, construction inspections and testing.
- A $200,000 law enforcement technology grant obtained by Police Chief Shawn Heubusch to be used for small equipment and contract services for the police department.
An agreement with Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp./Batavia Downs for city police services on several dates at the Park Road facility throughout the summer.
Dates include June 21 and 2; July 5, 12, 19 and 26; and August 2, 9 and 16.
