Natalie Netzel|The Observer
Prosperity Utilities Department manager Ed West and Prosperity Town Administrator Karen Livingston open up suggestions and discuss ideas that the Town of Prosperity has for the depot and the town square during the first work session Tuesday night at the town center.
Natalie Netzel|The Observer
Prosperity Utilities Department Manager Ed West discusses what the depot still needs work on during the first work session Tuesday evening at Prosperity’s Town Hall.
The Town of Prosperity is looking to remodel their downtown area and is making the first steps towards accomplishing this.
On Tuesday evening, town employees and council met with all of members of the Prosperity Depot and Downtown Revitalization Committee for their first work session.
The renovations are looking to start before the end of this budget year and money will not have to come out of the reserve account as there were funds set aside for this.
Karen Livingston, Prosperity town administrator and Ed West, Prosperity utilities department manager, went through ideas that the town and the Prosperity Business Association had in mind of renovating and upgrading the area.
Essentially the purpose of the this work session was to go through the conceptual site plan regarding the downtown sidewalks and making the depot more compliant with American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and going over guidelines for landscaping, parking and use of the depot, according to Livingston.
Livingston says that the Prosperity Business Association had much input and even assisted greatly with the site plan’s layout.
In regards to the downtown square area renovations, Livingston says the gazebo will be moved along with the confederate memorial and events will be more accessible and ADA compliant.
The fountain cannot be moved and will have to be worked around as its a fixture now, according to Livingston.
Flowers will also be planted this year.
The sidewalks are also another issue the committee will deal with and whether or not they want to resurface it or redo them altogether.
Livingston proposed two ideas to the committee about redoing the sidewalks.
One plan called for a total renovation price of $109,200 and the material would cover the existing sidewalks. She said that the zoo in Columbia has had it done as well as LaQuinta hotels. There is a warranty of about five years and the material would last about 25 years with no cracks or swelling.
About $61,800 would cover the store front area and $52,700 would be for the miscellaneous sides. The material is non-slippery and has a dark gray appearance.
The other option would cost $122,200 and this would be a total replacement of the sidewalks and curbs making them ADA compliant. The store front would cost about $69,500 and the miscellaneous sides would cost $52,700.
The committee would have to decide if they want to just cover the existing sidewalks or go ahead and totally renovate them and make the sidewalks ADA compliant.
As for funds to renovate the sidewalks as well as downtown, Prosperity Mayor Derek Underwood said there are funds set aside for this that the town council budgeted for last year in preparation for the fiscal year.
The quotes are good for a couple of years but this year is the start of the second year.
Next up in discussion was the depot and West said that the town wants it to be more ADA compliant, better parking and landscaping all the while keeping the historic appearance of the depot intact, according to West.
West said there are $11,640 remaining funds for the depot which is part of the penny sales tax.
West says that there were foundation repairs that needed to be taken care of.
Livingston also pointed out that there needs to be rules and guidelines set aside for use of the depot by whomever wants to use it for business meetings, showers, birthday parties, etc.
“It’s an exciting time to live here,” said Livingston, “It’s amazing what Prosperity has to offer.”
The committee members are: Mike Bedenbaugh, Penny Burke, Rennie Dixon-Caughman, Allen Gallman, Andy Hawkins, Sheila Martin, Terry Murphy and Timothy Savidge.
A second work session to discuss the project will be held at a later date.
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