Further Improvements To Old Market Square Slated For November

The next project undertaken by the Easley TIF Committee will be the fourth phase of improvements to Old Market Square.

The work will focus around the clock tower and the steps leading toward Mutual Home Store and the fountain.

Phase IV will revamp the area around the clock tower down to the steps, according to Patrick Rivers with Land Planning Associates.

“They're going to rework the sidewalks all around the clock tower, add some pergolas, some benches along the way here, some access into the parking field,” Rivers said. “Instead of being a straight stair – it's a little steep – it'll be curved and break up those stairs, so you don't have have 20 steps in one row. You'll have five and five. It makes it a little easier to traverse.”

Lamar Construction submitted the low bid of $119,400 for Phase IV.

Rivers recently met with Lamar Construction officials to review the project.

“To make sure their number is still good and that they're still up to task,” Rivers said.

Officials hope construction will begin in November.

“They're looking forward to getting started,” Rivers said. “Their only concern is the price of materials. The longer we wait, we've seen what fuel prices have done this summer, that changes their cost on materials and all that. If we can get them started in November, then they're good with their number If we push them off to January or February, then they may want to adjust their number some.

Rivers said he's heard “nothing but compliments” about earlier phases of the work in Old Market Square.”

City Administrator Fox Simons said there's about $61,000 remaining in the TIF account, with about $55,000 available for projects after paying some invoices.

TIF collections will begin coming in in December, with “the lion's share” in January and February, he said.

He said revenue should equal between $340,000 to $350,000. The city must make a $170,000 debt payment, Simons said.

That leaves about $170,000 available for the TIF, plus the $55,000 balance.

He said the city had other sources of funding it could borrow from, if needed.

“But we really can't do anything until November anyway,” Simons said.

Councilman Dave Watson suggested, once the Old Market Square work is underway, that the committee considered placing “words of wisdom” on sidewalks in the TIF district.

He said it would be a way to get people to explore downtown, much like the small mice statues scattered throughout downtown Greenville and the “Turtles on the Town” project in Pickens.

Mayor Larry Bagwell asked the committee where they'd like to go next.

Additional parking downtown was high on the committee's list.

“For everybody to be able to enjoy what the city's done so far, we've got to be able to have a place to park,” said David Wingard.

Bagwell said if the city tears down the old Easley Combined Utilities building near City Hall, they could use the lot for additional parking.

“We've got some spaces, but it's not exactly where things are happening,” Bagwell said. “We need to see what we can do.”