Open House Set On Plans To Revitalize Downtown Largo

LARGO, FL — The City of Largo is revitalizing the downtown West Bay Drive corridor to make the area safer, walkable and more attractive.

The community is invited to learn more about these improvements at an open house Wednesday, Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. at The Bridge Dance Complex, 100 1st Ave. S.W. in Largo. The new features are part of Largo's strategic plan for a connected downtown.

The improvements include:

• Reconstructing the cracked and aging sidewalks from Missouri Avenue/Seminole Boulevard to Clearwater-Largo Road
• Replacing the aging and inefficient existing lighting with modern, energy-efficient, pedestrian-friendly LED lighting
• Installing updated benches, bike racks and bus shelters
• Constructing two new ways to safely cross West Bay Drive with mid-block crossings, pedestrian-activated flashing beacons, and high-visibility crosswalks west of 2nd Street and west of 5th Street
• Milling, resurfacing and re-striping the asphalt surface to improve the look and feel of West Bay Drive from Missouri Avenue/Seminole Boulevard to Clearwater-Largo Road and improving the diagonal parking lots from 4th Street Southwest to Ridge Road

The construction work is planned to start this fall and will complement other enhancements to downtown including:

• The new Downtown Plaza, which will be a gateway park on the southwest corner of West Bay Drive and Seminole Boulevard/Missouri Avenue
• The West Bay Lofts mixed-use development at the 500 and 600 blocks
• The new town home community on the south side of West Bay Drive and Ridge Road
• Construction of a new trail head at West Bay Drive and the Pinellas Trail.