North 1st Street business owners and property owners, as well as anyone else who is interested, are invited to a listening session on Thursday, August 30th that will focus on the North 1st Street Revitalization Project. The session will take place on August 30th from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the FairBridge Inn (1507 N. 1st Street).
Yakima City Council members and City staff will be on hand to hear community feedback about the project, which includes reconstructing about 1.5 miles of roadway, rebuilding sidewalks, installing new lighting, building median islands, redirecting utility lines, and enhancing landscaping along the North 1st Street corridor from U.S. Highway 12 to MLK, Jr. Boulevard.
The project, which is estimated to cost about $15.5 million, is intended to improve safety for drivers and pedestrians and increase the economic development potential of the North 1st Street Corridor.
“The City Council wants to touch base with the business owners and property owners along North 1st Street as well as the rest of the community and hear any concerns, ideas, or other thoughts about the revitalization project,” said Assistant Mayor Dulce Gutiérrez, who represents Council District #1 which includes portions of the North 1st Street corridor. “The listening session will accomplish that.”
“It’s important that the business owners, property owners, and residents along North 1st Street come to the listening session and share their thoughts,” said John Gasperetti, who has owned and operated a popular restaurant in the North 1st Street area for years. “We have good reason to be positive and hopeful about the future of North 1st Street,” said Gasperetti. “After a long wait, the dream of an attractive and inviting North 1st Street District, is about to become a reality.”
The revitalization project will be completed in three phases and will be paid for with a combination of federal transportation funds, City utility funds, and money generated from Transportation Benefit District fees approved by the City Council late last year. Phase 1 of the project could begin as soon as spring 2019.
Anyone who is not able to attend the August 30th listening session but would like to provide information or input about the North 1st Street Revitalization Project can send it by e-mail to Community Development Administrative Assistant Rosalinda Ibarra at rosalinda.ibarra@yakimawa.gov.