In Suffolk County, the community of Smithtown is hoping to see incoming improvements in the next couple of years. Their hope, says Town Supervisor Edward Wehrheim, is that phase one “incrementally” addresses some standing projects that have been waiting a long time to get underway. 

Among many projects awaiting completion (or even just updating) include the local water manes, Flynn Memorial Park, the town’s senior center and animal shelter, and more. This comes on the back of efforts in recent years to fund and refurbish other park areas in the Suffolk area, including Nesconset’s Joseph Andreoli Park and Gaynor Park and Veterans Memorial Park in St. James, both of which just celebrated grand reopenings after over $1 million in funding. 

What Are the Main Details of the Budget?

The major buzz about this latest budget proposal centers mostly around its increase in comparison to previous years. Compared to last year, the city would be seeing a $4 million increase, and this is said to feed a number of municipal needs, including:

• At least $1.5 million in the operating fund tax levy is going toward absorbing spikes in health insurance costs for city employees.
• $4 million is split into two packages goes toward Flynn Memorial Park. 
• Another $2.4 million will fund water main replacement at St. James’ Lake Avenue. 
• The senior center in town, as well as the animal shelter and nearby properties at Jericho turnpike will receive about $850,000 in landscape and structure updates that should give the area have a more communal, “campus”-like feel. 

A vote on the funds is expected to come late November 2019, according to the most recent sources available.

Flynn Memorial Park’s Facelift

The updates to the Daniel J. Flynn Memorial Park come with a goal in mind, something reflecting its richer history in community development. Once a stop for the region’s top ball teams, it has fallen into more significant disrepair over the years, with no major changes made since its dedication in 1979. The plan is the restore this hub for sports fans to its former glory. 

Some immediate improvements developers have planned are:

• Regrading and resurfacing all four of the park’s fields;
• LED field lighting;
• New fencing and a new drainage system so that games can resume more quickly after rain;
• A hub building containing bathrooms and concessions stands on the ground floor; and
• A new playground in a central location will be erected to replace the one recently demolished.

What Will It Take to Complete These Projects?

Along with all the changes to take place in Flynn Memorial Park over the next two years, laborers will also have to contend with the water main installation and the exterior updates to the locations near Jericho Turnpike. Those that take on the upcoming projects will have several jobs to complete. 

• Landscaping appears to be one of the most notable projects coming up in most areas: whether it’s resurfacing ball fields, updating the scenery, or simply covering over any installations made underground, it will be present at virtually all sites in early and late stages of the projects.
• Building exteriors around the senior center and nearby sites, in keeping with a “campus” feel, will likely be resurfaced to reflect a similar aesthetic. Working with concrete and bricklaying is definitely likely to come up.
• The drainage and water main changes call for similar expertise—pipes and drainage will be installed, and this will call for excavating old systems in need of replacing and temporarily displacing anything that sits on top of it. 

Teams that can tackle all of these and more should be looking forward to another 1 to 2 years of steady work in the future.

With a long and troubled road since it broke ground in 2014, Steinway Tower, at last, approaches its finish line in the looming year of 2020. This unique skyscraper takes its name and inspiration from the historic landmark Steinway Hall, a building that the developers both moved for the construction of this high-rise and then fully restored. At the site of 111 West 57th Street, where once the manufacturers of pianos once walked, Billionaire’s Row now gazes up at the thinnest skyscraper ever constructed, and in the next year, it will be fully complete.

Steinway Tower and Its Residences at a Glance

“He has the entire floor,” a New Yorker might say to a friend casually, as a way to tell someone just how well-to-do a person is. To occupy an entire floor of a high rise, with no neighbors through the wall— it’s something to dream of, certainly. For tenants taking up residence in this unique West 57th Street fixture of Billionaire’s Row, it’s not just the fantasy: it’s the standard. Reported to be twenty-four times taller than it is wide, there is only one residence per level.

Developers allowed the press to preview one of the finished condos last month, revealing a number of the features and fixtures that future tenants can look forward to. The 43rd-floor condominium, while not listed yet for sale, is of a similar size to the next unit up, which is listed at $29.5 million.

• Press entered by way of private elevator entrance, and while it lives in a building famed for its slender shape, it sports a massive 4,500 square feet of living space. 
• The three-bedroom residence featured an open concept kitchen and living area, with a full, symmetrical view of Central Park. 
• In fact, if the room has a window, then it’s floor-to-ceiling and has a unique, expanded view of the city around it. 
• Each bedroom, including the master has its own ensuite, and there is also an additional powder room for guests. 

The developers also promise amenities for future residents, including 24-hour concierge and doorman, a shared terrace, and an 82-foot swimming pool.

What Remains To Be Done?

At the end of October, the main structure of the building finally reached its final height of 1,428 feet. However, the upper floors, including residences and unfinished amenities, remain to be completed. 

Finishing the project will call for any of the following: 

• For one, expect the same level of boutique luxury present in every other aspect of the building so far.
• The building’s unique terracotta and bronze facade, a stark contrast from an area congested with steel and glass, will continue to its pinnacle now that the supports are set. 
• Much of the above point will help to house the structural wonder that helps to keep the building stable in spite of its slender shape, namely the mass damper in the mechanical penthouse, weighing 800 tons, that keeps vibration and movement to a minimum. 

Any residences that remain to be finished in the upper floors will reflect similar, opulent features, and with plans even to add onto the lower levels of the structure for shopping, recital space, and more amenities, a 2020 deadline for the first tenants to move in will likely not be the end to construction.

The beautiful natural landscape around Stony Brook Creek is finally looking forward to some long-needed rehabilitation. The hope, as private property owners, the communities of Brookhaven and Smithtown, and the governing bodies in Suffolk County join forces to improve this location, is to help local species of flora and fauna to flourish again and to make the waterways safe for recreational activities like boating and fishing. County legislature at present is looking to forward half the cost of the revitalization, which is estimated to total just over $500,000. 

What Created the Current State of Stony Brook Creek? 

The main troubles that the project aims to tackle are twofold: The first involves the current drainage system. According to local sources, this has led to stormwater from nearby Stony Brook Harbor emptying into the area, leading to siltation. 

Siltation is an often humanmade form of water pollution that harms the local ecosystem, an over-accumulation of silt (or mineral) deposits that can harm local fish and wildlife, change coastlines, raise water temperatures, shrink wetlands, and even increase flooding frequency. Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) remarked on concerns regarding changes to water quality that have been noted, including the presence of blue algae in local ponds, one example of “all sorts of discharge” that the runoff has caused. 

The second issue is that of an overgrowth of phragmites, a form of watergrass classified as invasive in this part of the world. Brought over from Europe, it outperforms local flora and chokes it out, thus shifting the balance of the local ecosystem and native biodiversity. Biodiversity ensures that every living organism in an area plays a role in maintaining and sustaining the environment. Without plant biodiversity, the needs of local organisms are thus left in the hands of a more limited supply of resources. Human hands doing their part to maintain local ecosystems keeps local parks and forest areas healthy. This underscores how important it is that so many local bodies have come together to help Stony Brook Creek thrive.

The Plan for Cleanup: Trimming Back Phragmite Growth

It was reported that the Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) will be helming this part of the project. Suffolk County has awarded them a grant to tackle a pilot program for clearing away around 12,000 square feet of harmful concentrations of phragmite. Their innovative new method promises completion without the use of harmful chemicals or mechanical equipment. 

In fact, the entire process is done by hand, and WMHO has reported that in tests in smaller areas, there is very limited regrowth, giving local flora a fighting chance against an otherwise robust competitor for soil and nutrients.

The Plan for Cleanup: The New Drainage System

Probably the more costly arm of Stony Brook’s revitalization, installing a new drainage system will likely begin with disconnecting the four drain pipes that feed into the creek. The intent is to create a new system that will divert drainage away, and handled through crews of laborers and contractors hired by the Brookhaven Town Highway Department. Their jobs will be to: 

• Construct 32 catch basins.
• Install 2,300 linear feet of new drain pipe around town rights of way.
• Use these drain pipes to divert runoff away from the creek and into more environmentally safe places, such as the wetlands that can naturally filter and distribute new sediment without impacting ecosystem. 

Both arms of the project are expected to commence in the winter of this year and continue through to completion by the summer of 2021.

As of May 1, 2019, contractors who apply for or seek to renew their New Jersey public works contractor registration face a new and potentially game-changing requirement: mandatory participation in an apprenticeship program approved by the United States Department of Labor. Without it, a contractor will not be registered and will not be eligible to work on the vast majority of work subject to the New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act. This means, without a valid registration – you CAN NOT bid public work.

This plain English, high-impact seminar will help your business prepare to continue doing public construction projects. Littler Shareholder Russ McEwan, who counsels extensively on state and federal prevailing wage compliance, will moderate our event and lead the discussions concerning this new law and its anticipated regulations. Kevin Triplett, of the NJ Department of Labor, will attend and take part in a 30-minute Q&A after the seminar.
The event will be held at Harrah’s Resort and Casino in Atlantic City NJ on Friday, November 22, 10:00 – 11:00 am, with registration beginning at 9:30. Attendees can expect to walk away from our program with a definitive understanding of what they must do to protect this aspect of their business.

Contact Lynn Bradley 609-439-2211 or email lbradley@abcnjc.org for more information

The Sixth Borough will soon be home to a production complex for Lionsgate, the movie mega-giant behind popular series like the SAW franchise, the Hunger Games, and many more. The space chosen sits along the Hudson River, close to the Yonkers train station. Working with Great Point Capital Management, a known media investment firm, Lionsgate is slated to become another major anchor tenant for the foreseeable future in Yonkers. While the firm has ties to other known studios like Hallmark Entertainment, Lionsgate will maintain naming rights as a minority investor. Projected to break ground in November, its planned completion time is late 2020. 

Why New York? 

According to the New York Times, over 300 movies were filmed in New York in the last year, triple the number filmed in 1980. Coming on the heels of other major studio moves (such as Steiner Studios, Robert DeNiro’s Wildflower Studios, and Netflix soon to follow), Lionsgate and other companies have a chance to save money with cheaper shooting locations and tax credits that they can’t find out in LA. In part, this has been spurred by the growing popularity of streaming services and high demand for content. 

Lionsgate is only one of several companies to move into the area, creating new and unique construction projects as they set up their bases of operations, and more are coming. 

Lionsgate Studios (Yonkers): The Plan So Far

Less than half an hour from Midtown, this will be one of the nearest studio locations to the heart of Manhattan. In the next year, the $100 million project calls for a number of unique spaces within the full complex. This will include: 

• Three 20,000 square foot stages and two 10,000 square foot stages. 
• A full studio backlot for expansive outdoor shots and locations.

As yet there are plans to leave space for further developments, and with an industry that has made millions and created tens of thousands of jobs in the last couple years, the sky is really the limit for what Lionsgate can do with the space. 

What Will It Take to Complete This Project?

For an undertaking of this size, a single-year deadline might seem tight, and much needs to be completed for the developers and tradespersons involved in this Great Point project. 

• The five stages, for all their square footage, may represent the smallest part of the labor involved. If they’re designated as sound stages, then these open warehouse-like

The north end of Central Park, just past the 11-acre Harlem Meer is due for a little updating. Totaling a $150 million budget that will replace the vastly outdated Lasker Rink and Pool, this will be the largest restoration project the park has had to date, according to the Central Park Conservancy. Situated between Harlem Meer and the Loch, the Lasker Rink and Pool opened in 1966 and has remained a fixture of the area for over 50 years. In the long winters, the rink offers two ovals for skating, one for hockey and the other for all-ages skating, but during the summer, the outdoor venue becomes an admission-free swimming pool.

What Are Some of the Major Changes Coming?

Lasker Rink and Pool will be seeing several much-needed updates that developers hope to marry it with the surrounding areas and create more spaces for year-round use. As it currently stands, it serves as a concrete wall between the Meer and the ravine. Other changes are to include: 

• A free-flowing, natural landscape and a re-established watercourse. Waterflow into the culvert under the Lasker rink, as it currently stands, presents problems with overflow and congestion during inclement weather. The parking lot behind the rink subsequently floods often and this change will bring a welcome end to this. 
• Pedestrian paths will be restored around the area of Huddlestone Arch.
• Boardwalks will be built around the watercourse to small islands and over a freshwater marsh, allowing visitors to enjoy every inch of it. 
• Lasker Rink will be demolished and rebuilt, with the new pool and ice rink, including a recreational building with a green roof that blends into the surrounding area. The green roof will have the added benefit of helping to create more oxygen, absorbing excess rainwater, and insulating the establishment below. 
• Materials from the old Lasker establishment will be recycled wherever possible, and the stairs and walkways will finally be brought up to ADA-compliant standards. 
• The intent is to complete all of this with locally sourced and environmentally friendly materials. 

What Will It Take to Complete the Project?

The restoration project is set to begin in the Spring of 2021, after the Trump Organization’s 32-year contract for the run of the skating rink comes to an end. At present, the full completion of the north end will take a total of three years, expected to finish fully in 2024. With a project slated for a LEED Gold standard certification, there are a number of points to consider going forward for any developers and contractors that jump on board: 

• For one, a LEED Gold certification means lower use of energy, water, and other resources, as well as higher resale value, greater health for tenants and environment, and more. 
• The use of locally sourced materials helps local businesses and makes the community part of the project. 
• Recycled materials from the older structures reduces waste and maintains part of the local history of the area. 
• In this three-year undertaking, the landscape around the current rink and pool will have to change drastically, including reworking natural streams, introducing new vegetation, and more.
• For the new structures and walkways, the aim will also be to use all of this to create walkways and places for people to frequent that make the area and the park as a whole more widely accessible.

With a little less than a year until ground breaks, bids are still coming in, and there may be more to come in terms of what the final plans will be.

Under the shadow of potential reductions in local infrastructure spending in the near future, two trade groups the Long Island Contractors’ Association (LICA) and the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) came together in August of 2019. Together, they compiled a meta-analysis that can hopefully provide Long Island with a clearer roadmap to spending cuts that do not reduce the value of local roads or the labor that builds and maintains them.

The document in question explores the types of government contracts often used for maintaining roads, sewers, parks, bridges and more and explores their value in comparison to each other. It also looks at how the cost of materials, like asphalt, can positively or negatively impact the value of a given contract. Among several conclusions drawn in their findings, the study suggests that local governments that pay for a single project at a time, rather than bundling repairs or using open-ended contracts, tend to spend less time and money on both, with better results. 

What Are the Specifics of the Study?

The finished analysis looks at a total of 62 contracts awarded in five Long Island areas, specifically in Nassau County as well as the communities of Hempstead, Islip, Oyster Bay, and Smithtown. It uses the numbers on these contracts to explore how the type of contract had an impact on how much value returned. 

The three types of contracts that infrastructure work tends to fall into are:

• Single, specific projects – These are “based on the delivery of a set of improvements for a road or bridge.” 
• Bundled projects – Usually a group of repairs to bridges or roads or other parts of the infrastructure. 
• Open-ended contracts – These have no set end and will take as long as it needs to in order to get done. While there are set bids and budgets, the open-ended nature means it cannot account for the changing cost of materials at this time. 

A Breakdown of the Study’s Conclusions

In exploring the contracts included in the analysis, the researchers found the following: 

• Single projects spanned 35 of the 62 tested. With an average of 5.6 bidders, these lasted around 189 days, and valued in total at $78.6 million. That’s an average of around $2.2 million per project.
• Bundled projects were 15 of the 62 tested and had 5 companies bidding. There was an average completion time of 220+ days, and these were awarded a total of $55 million. That’s an average of $3.6 million per contract.
• Open-ended contracts represented by the remaining twelve projects examined. These lasted an average of 500+ days and averaged three bids per contract. The winning bids were around $29 million altogether, but the actual spending was over $63 million total. The study notes this is nearly as much as was spent on the 35 specific projects. That’s an average of $5.25 million per contract. 

These numbers support their conclusion about what appears to benefit local communities in a faster and more cost-effective way. A major factor in the expanded costs of bundled and open-ended contracts showed that the type of contract could affect the per-unit bid price on materials like asphalt as much as 10 percent. Especially in open-ended contracts, with no set deadline, the cost of materials at the time of bidding could fluctuate a great deal before completion. 

What Could This Ultimately Mean for Road and Repair Contracts?

While the data is now out there and free for anyone to examine, there is no definite word on action to be taken. However, according to Newsday, state spending is expected to go down in the coming years, dropping as far as $108 million in 2020 versus $274 million in 2018. These numbers show there may be a surefire way to cut costs without losing quality or jobs. Will a transition from open-ended and bundled projects to single contracts mean more bids for every company? If so, will smaller, more focused projects save money or leave tradespeople with less takeaway? It remains to be seen.

Celebrating a momentous milestone, Extell President, Gary Barnett, recognized the reaching of Central Park Tower’s apex, a staggering 1,550 feet in height early September. Roughly a quarter-mile in height, it is now the tallest residential structure in New York and the highest roof in the western hemisphere. On the heels of Extell’s first foray into the business of supertall residences, the nearby One57 condominium, formerly called “the billionaire building.” It will feature state-of-the-art amenities for residents, fine fixtures in the condominiums themselves, and of course, what promises to be the loveliest views of Central Park anywhere in New York City. 

How Long Has It Taken to Get This Far with the Project?

The initial plans for Central Park Tower were filed in 2012, but construction didn’t really begin until 2015. In the four years since, the structure has risen over 1,500 feet into the sky, adding yet another blade of light and innovation to the skyline against Central Park. Glass wasn’t even installed until 2017, at a point when construction was already a third its eventual height. 

It did not exceed the heights of its numerous competitors until this year, passing 432 Park Avenue in March of 2019 when it reached 1,400 feet. Later it would surpass Willis Tower in Chicago at 1,450 feet in July. It would be the tallest structure period were it not for the One World Trade Center, which tops out at over 1,700 feet. It was the work of many a tradesperson, architect, and investor to bring it even close to that record. 

What Can Residents Expect to Find?

With 131 floors, this skyscraper offers more than just residential space. With some parts finished already and the rest set to open in the coming months, visitors to the tower will find the following:

• A seven-story Nordstrom retail experience from the ground floor and up, set to open in the next month. It will serve as the brand’s flagship location in New York. 
• Resident-only amenities (see next list).
• Luxury, open-concept condominiums with oversized windows and views of Central Park, all ranging from two to eight bedrooms.

The resident’s amenities will be housed on floors 8-12. These will include 50,000 square feet of space to offer:

• The Central Park Club, a lounge, theater, tween lounge, and a conference area. 
• A landscaped terrace featuring a 60 ft outdoor pool.
• Private dining room and a ballroom.
• A fitness center and spa area to include a 63 foot indoor pool, exercise area, childrens playroom, and more. 

What Is Left to Complete on the Project? 

With a projected completion year of 2020, only the last smaller projects are left to be finished before the whole of Central Park Tower is ready to be completely open to residents and the public. Much of this will involve work on the upper floors, including the three-story penthouse famed already for its rumored luxury, spanning 17,000 square feet. The eventual owner of this space will be a record holder for the highest residence in the city. 

The upper floors are still missing glass and a number of finishes, but there are parts all throughout the full expanse of the building awaiting finishing touches. Its first public listings went live back in May, giving curious onlookers a glance at what they can expect to see throughout the finished building. As of the end of September, available spaces range from $6.9 million to $63 million in price.

Long has WeWork, since rebranded the We Company, been a name in real estate as a builder and marketer of shared office spaces (both virtual and physical), beneficial to businesses and individual entrepreneurs. With a recently delayed IPO, WeWork may need to pivot their growth strategy and reach within New York and elsewhere. Barring a failed IPO, its Fifth Avenue holding, the Lord & Taylor building, may soon be home to a major name that has been looking to expand its influence in the New York City area.

Reports suggest that Amazon may be eyeing a lease in a portion of the building since political opposition put a stop the previously-anticipated headquarters construction in Long Island City. Additional reports state that Jeff Bezos has been buying up residential property within blocks of the location and has done little to quiet the chatter. 

What Would It Mean for Amazon to Settle in This Location?

It is first important to note that this will not be the first time that Amazon has leased from the We Company in order to do business. In fact, it is reported to be one of the We Company’s largest and most frequent clients, owing to quicker turnaround and expansion. The We Company tends to send leases out to businesses months far ahead of other options that require time-consuming additional planning. 

Another benefit Amazon would have in setting up base in a We Company-owned location would be no need to pay property taxes, which would have been a major expense had the HQ2 project in Queens gone forward. The Lord & Taylor building space would be another We Company property they would lease. 

What Could It Mean for New York Workers? 

For the people of New York, the promise of new jobs in such an important location is not to be overlooked. However, sources have yet to confirm whether an Amazon location in the Lord & Taylor building would be filled with new hires or transferred workers from a previous site.

However, We Co.’s CEO may soon be removed due in part to a postponed IPO. With lost faith in fundraising and valuation, the site might be in jeopardy. It is looked at with great speculation because 2019 has been a strong year of IPOs with fellow tech-based startups like Lyft and Uber growing each quarter.

If the project proceeds jobs may be on the rise for people in construction and development. The We Company has contracted with known architect Bjarke Ingels to help the redesign of the building. Over 500k square feet of space is to be reworked, including headquarters and office spaces in the upper floors. As their new chief architect, they are hoping to see his innovations throughout this project as well as others, including WeGrow, an elementary school currently in the works. Along with refitting the upper floors for offices, some changes to the building, as reported late last year, may include:

• Retaining the basements, first, and second floors for retail space;
• A rooftop courtyard to be added;
• Restored balconies on the upper floors;
• Restoring the main floor’s original bay windows and entrance space; and more.

As a historic landmark, all full plans will have to be approved before moving forward, but the manpower required to update the building should stretch through multiple trades. 

Why Are Conglomerates Like Amazon Choosing Manhattan to Set Up Shop?

Amazon is not the only major tech company eyeing New York City as a major base of operations, with corporations like Google and Facebook also finding new homes for themselves. This is owed largely to attractive elements such as room for office spaces, either through new construction developments or redevelopments and leases through companies like the We Company, as well as a high concentration of tech-experienced workers in the area ready to come to work for them. 

In light of the metropolitan area’s continued efforts to improve on existing structures and implement mixed-use spaces for citizens of all backgrounds, the landscape will only continue to change and evolve, even where tech giants like Amazon plan to settle. 

A good community thrives when its mass transit system is running smoothly for everyone. While the vehicles carry people all over the city, the place where all the connections are made can decide what’s a smooth ride and where the first bumps will form. Broadway Junction as a subway line sits at the border of East New York, Brooklyn and the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhoods, near the intersections of Van Sinderen Avenue, Broadway, and Fulton Street. 

The line also shares space with the elevated BMT Jamaica and BMT Canarsie Lines, as well as the underground IND Fulton Street Line, the Long Island Rail Road, and six bus routes. 

Virtually every corner of the metropolitan area connects via subway, bus, or regional rail, and it sees an average of over 100,000 passengers every weekday. The number of commuters could be greater, and the wide range of access that Broadway Junction Station offers can only get better. After calls from Brooklyn officials to give the area some proper attention, the City of New York has released plans to make that happen. 

What Are Some Major Features of the Current City Plan?

One of the major issues with the 25-acre area as it stands is that while all these transit services are available, they’re largely divided, as is the infrastructure that keeps them running. This makes it a less-than-appealing place to begin to introduce services and businesses to the area in the increasingly popular mixed-use style. The City’s current intention is to introduce structural changes to solve this problem, including: 

• Making all lines at Broadway Junction fully accessible for all commuters. 
• Redesigning the streets surrounding the area to make Broadway Junction Station a “true hub.”
• Improving the safety of the Jamaica Avenue, Georgia Avenue, and Fulton Street intersection with the use of multiple “circulation improvements,” new “traffic-calming” measures, and signals and signs. 
• Introducing new and permanent fair reductions for LIRR Atlantic Branch city trips.

The city is also seeking measures that include the surrounding community and ensures that the development benefits local residents and businesses, not just commuters. These measures include additional job training, increasing legal protections to already existing businesses and tenants, and increasing opportunities for minority enterprises. All of this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the city’s full plans, which also seek to address neighborhood amenities, open public spaces, and more. 

Are There Any Steps Remaining Before Ground is Broken?

The plan represents the combined efforts of multiple area leaders and community boards as well as the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. At present, the city’s main focus is to take the current plans and see them evolve with constant consultation between Council Member Raphael Espinal and Brooklyn Borough President Erin Adams, as well as local public agencies and stakeholders. 

They continue to absorb feedback from local residents and business owners, making this development a fully collaborative effort. For now, they must develop a strategy for how to best implement this plan, and the first steps in construction will have to follow that. 

This endeavor will pull together tradespeople and architects to introduce multiple new retail spaces, dining, streetscapes, and new signage. New parking is needed while current options are improved, as well as more friendly open spaces for pedestrians, and other infrastructure improvements. There is also a great deal of emphasis on structuring this project so it does not affect current traffic flow or business operation, promising a long and well-paying project for those tradespeople that have a hand in completing it.