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SIDEWALK PROJECT UPDATE

With the recent completion of Phase 2 of the sidewalk project, some of you may be thinking about how to renovate the store-fronts to match the new sidewalk construction. DOT guidelines mandated the removal of the old awnings and will limit some of the choices we have for replacing them.

The most drastic change is that there can be no supports or posts dropped onto the new sidewalks. All replacement awnings must be free-standing, anchored or attached to the wall of the buildingin some fashion. If you have any questions about the type of suitable awnings, contact City Hall at 256-396-2581. There are no specific color or design guidelines for the awning replacement. Each business is free to put up an awning or paint as they see fit. The needs and financial considerations of each business will factor into the decision.

However, this is the best opportunity we have had in 30 years to re-create the look of our town. In general, it would be a good idea to at least take into account how the appearance of each bilding fits in with the building around it and try to keep a semi-unified look. if anone is looking for ideas or inspiration, Auburn University designed a prototypical city plan for the downtown area about 10 years ago. This is still on file at City Hall.

While the awnings are down, it is also a good time to consider making repairs and resurfacing or repainting the buildings before putting the awnings back up. If anyone is interested in removing the paint from the brickwork of thier building, there is a business in Wedowee that has a new process for removing old paint from brickwork with minimal impact on the underlying brick. There is also a local contractor who specializes in masonry work. The Merchant's Association makes no guarantees reguarding the quality of the work of either of these companies, but is making this information available to our members as a courtesy.