dec-2017

52 53 “The Streetscape Project is another one that was funded by CARA in 2016,” says Staci Belcastro, City Engineer. Albany’s Downtown Streetscape Improve- ments Project includes new sidewalks and curb ramps, newwater lines, decorative street lighting, street trees, new road pavement, stormwater-quality planters, and new street furniture. “We constructed it in two phases,”Belcastro continues. “One phase was around our post office to support the Carou- sel, and that phase was completed this past spring. Currently,we are constructing the second phase of the streetscape project and anticipate that it will be finalized in the spring of 2018.” In addition to helping attract new private invest- ment to downtown while enhancing the value of existing private and public investment in the area, the Streetscape Project’s additional objectives in- clude: providing a safe and convenient transporta- tion network that encourages pedestrian and bicy- cle access to and within the town center; creating a readily identifiable urban core that is unique and vibrant with a mixture of entertainment, housing, specialty shops, offices, and other commercial uses; increasing residential density while encouraging the development of new forms of housing and home ownership; and protecting the environmental val- ues of waterway corridors in the area. Fire Chief John Bradner says that the City iden- tified the need to replace its main, downtown fire station many years ago.“We’ve got four fire stations in the town and our main downtown station was our administrative station up until the 1990s,”Brad- ner said. Support and administrative staff moved to other locations then due to limited space at the was completed and opened for business in August 2017,was primarily funded and managed through a private nonprofit group created to raise funds and recruit and manage volunteers. The Central Albany Revitalization Area (CARA) provided part of that funding. CARA is an urban renewal district that was established in 2001 with the goal of increasing economic vitality in Albany’s downtown core while encouraging the use of vacant and underused land and buildings, rehabilitating existing structures, and increasing local property values. The Historic Carousel &Museum is a private 501(c)(3) organization with over 200 active volun- teers who donated 150,000 hours to the creation of the city’s brand new, 52-animal amenity built around a revamped 1909 carousel mechanism donated by the family of Gustav Dentzel, a pioneer of carousel building in North America. “This organi- zation has over $5.2 million in donations pledged, and construction costs were about $5.6 million,” Reid reports. The Carousel is open five days a week; from its opening in August through late November, more than 58,000 had taken rides and more than 70,000 people had visited. “It’s had a significant and immediate impact on the community at about two bucks a ride,” said Ed Hodney, Parks & Recreation Director and interim Urban Renewal Director. “The downtown area is a relatively small geographic area that’s about eight to ten blocks long and about an equal number of blocks in the other direction. The Carousel building sits on the northwest corner of that downtown space and is one of the anchors for business activity in the downtown area.” See Albany Discover Oregon Explore history, heritage, and culinary magic in our welcoming family~friendly city. Unique event and meeting spaces. Award winning chefs and artisan brews. Hiking, biking, and nature trails. Historic carousel www.albanyvisitors.com Tel: 541-928-0911 110 3rd Ave SE 9 a.m. ~ 5 p.m. Monday ~ Friday ALBANY, OREGON