Construction slated to begin on downtown Greenfield storefronts
GREENFIELD, Ind. (Daily Reporter) – Work could start as early as next month on a $700,000 project to update downtown storefronts.
City officials this week hired a general contractor to oversee construction for the project, which has been in the works for more than a year.
Tuesday, the Greenfield Board of Public Works and Safety approved a roughly $579,000 contract with Kemna Restoration and Construction of Indianapolis.
The 10 historic buildings near the intersection of Main and State streets are slated to undergo renovations restoring their facades to mirror their pasts. The project will be paid for in part through a $500,000 downtown revitalization grant from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs.
The work aims to either restore features specific to the buildings’ past or to add those that are time period-appropriate and fall in line with city efforts to build a vibrant downtown that attracts business and residents to the area.
Construction, originally slated to begin this summer, was delayed after original quotes for the project came in over budget. City officials asked contractors to submit bids three times, said Patricia Jacobs of ARCHitecture Trio, who has helped city leaders plan for the project.
City leaders, architects and building owners slightly scaled back the proposal to make it more affordable. The work planned for restoring the historic structures varies but includes masonry work, new paint, the installation of new doors and windows to open up storefronts, lighting and new fabric awnings.
Kemna Restoration and Construction’s quote was the lowest of any submitted, city documents show.
One of only three communities to be chosen for the grant, Greenfield is expected to invest about $700,000, including the $500,000 from OCRA, to give facelifts to structures that comprise the heart of the city. The remaining $200,000 for the project comes from community donations, as well as contributions from property owners and the city.
City officials planned to submit paperwork needed to receive the funds to OCRA Tuesday afternoon, said city planner Joanie Fitzwater. Once the grant funding has been issued to the city, work can begin.
Some construction could start next month, but it will likely be spring before construction ramps up, Fitzwater said. Work should be complete sometime next summer.
Buildings being renovated as part of the project are:
- Greenfield Area Chamber of Commerce – 1 Courthouse Plaza – owned by the Greenfield Area Chamber of Commerce.
- Wolf Law Firm – 6 E. Main St. – owned by Wolf, WmH.
- Strahl and Apple Law Firm – 8 W. Main St. – owned by Dan L. Strahl.
- Wooden Bear Brewing Co. – 21 W. North St. – owned by Twenty Main LLC.
- Carnegie’s Restaurant – 100 W. North St. – owned by Ian Harrison.
- McCleerey’s Sporting Goods – 22 S. State St. – owned by McCleerey’s Sporting Goods.
- McCleerey’s commercial building – 28-32 S. State St. – owned by Steve McCleerey.
- Twenty North Gallery – 20 N. State St. – owned by Twenty Main LLC.
- Highsmith Guns – 123 N. State St. – owned by Drake Real Estate LLC.
- The Randall Building – 2 E. Main St. – owned by Leejen Commercial LLC.