EEDC Members:
Lon Seidman, Chairman
Bill Foster
Norman Needleman
Lee Thompson
Mark Uihlein
David Winstead

Latest STEAP News
Courtesy of the Valley Courier

By: Marianne Sullivan

ESSEX - Town officials are moving quickly to push forward with plans to renovate the main streets of Essex Village and Ivoryton Center. Just days after learning the town had received a $486,000 state grant for the project, planning meetings were underway.

First Selectman Philip Miller said last week that the town had already put the engineering work out to bid with the request that all bids be returned by Nov. 15.

"There is no resting on this project. We recognize this is a very tight schedule, but we want to get the projects underway and completed next spring. We hit the ground running," he said.

On Sept. 24 the State Bond Commission approved funding for the town's proposal to upgrade and repair streets, sidewalks, and lighting in its two main retail areas. The expectation is that the renovations and upgrades will revitalize the look of both village centers and encourage increased shopping from local residents and tourists.

The engineering work, Miller said, will involve design, layout, and survey work along both main streets. He said that although the timeframe given in the bid proposal was tight, he was encouraged by the response he has received to date.

The town itself will serve as the general contractor for the project and all subcontractors with winning bids will be required to submit proof of insurance and product or work warranties. The town will require a minimum of three bidders for all bid phases of the project.

If funds allow, the plans will include adding lights to Ferry Street and extending a portion of the sidewalk at North Main Street.

Through the next few months, the small group working on the project hope to select an engineer, have the completed engineering study in hand, review it, present an overview to the Planning Commission, and prepare bid packages for subcontractors. By mid-January, the working group hopes to award bids to subcontractors.

By mid-March the town wants to begin the installation of curbs, lighting standards, lighting wiring, and signage. A mild winter and warmed temperatures by April will mean that sidewalks can be poured and wiring competed. The town can also begin roadway demolition, grading, drainage and paving.

If all goes well--according to this schedule--the project will be completed in mid-April.

Along Main Street in Essex Village, the town will install approximately 4,000 feet of new granite curbing, which would be installed in conjunction with the new paving of Main Street. In addition, approximately 16,000 square feet of new concrete sidewalks will be installed. Miller said these would have a special brush finish and be scored to look similar to paving blocks. Similar work will be done on Main Street in Ivoryton Center. In addition, new street lighting will be installed. The fixtures will be selected to reflect a period style.