Lorain Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project Begins

The Lorain Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project is transforming our “downtown.” Stretching from roughly West 165th Street all the way to Fairview Hospital, the project continues the renaissance of Kamm’s Corners.

A gala ground-breaking took place on Thursday, November 6th, 2008, featuring Fairview Hospital COO Frank Mills, Ward 21 Councilman Marting Keane, and Mayor Frank Jackson. (See photo below.) Since then, the project has continued to chug along! Planters are being filled with vegetation and trees, the wiring on the poles and the poles themselves are coming down, and soon the traffic lights and the historic lighting posts will be installed.

Meanwhile, funding for a "Phase III,” using Federal Stimulus dollars, has been moved to "Tier 1" status, and is likely to be funded. This means that the historic lighting would continue all the way to the Lorain Avenue bridge and re-surfacing of the pavement from the bridge to West 150th would take place next year.

The artwork below illustrates the improvements, which include:

1. New sidewalks, with decorative granite blocks and a charcoal colored paver strip at the curbs.
2. New irrigated planter boxes that will also allow for seating. Many of the planters will have electric outlets for lighting of the street trees.
3. New, more compact, yet airy, street trees.
4. New benches, bike racks, and waste receptacles.
5. Removal of all telephone poles and associated overhead wiring!
6. Installation of retro-style “tear drop” light poles with upswept arms.
7. New upswept traffic light mast arms.
8. Public Art!

Other components include:

1. Retention of the angle parking to keep as much parking as possible.
2. Retention of our wide sidewalks to encourage al fresco dining.
3. A new crosswalk at Kamm’s Plaza’s western entrance with a small concrete island in the middle of the road.
4. Re-configuration of the Lorain side of the Shell Station driveways, eliminating one, and moving the remaining one farther from the intersection at Rocky River Drive.

The Lorain Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project further energizes and accelerates the continued improvement of the Kamm’s Corners neighborhood. Already, this substantial public investment is drawing new businesses, residents, and visitors to the neighborhood and is enhancing property values for those already here. Welcome to our future!

Groundbreaking took place on Thursday, November 6th, 2008.