Pedestrians in Starkville soon will have a new sidewalk to traverse.
The Starkville Board of Aldermen this week approved the expenditure of $20,000 to construct a sidewalk along the south side of Gillespie Street, between Russell Street and North Montgomery Street. The funds also will be used to install ramps at crosswalks so the city is compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act. Additionally, the funds could be used to repair the existing sidewalk between North Montgomery and Spring streets, city engineer Edward Kemp said.
Kemp is not sure when construction will begin, but says it could be this fall. The city has yet to complete detailed cost estimates or construction plans, Kemp said, so it is unclear if the $20,000 approved by aldermen will pay for the entire project.
“We”re going to take (the sidewalk) as far as we can,” Kemp said.
Construction will begin at the corner of Russell Street and Gillespie Street and head west along the edge of Cotton Crossing Shopping Center and George Evans Park toward Spring Street, where it will meet the existing sidewalk between Spring Street and North Montgomery Street.
The $20,000 already was budgeted by aldermen for sidewalks this year. It was all the money the city had designated specifically for sidewalks, although sidewalks are being constructed along Reed Road and Hospital Road as part of existing road and pedestrian improvement projects.
Public hearing
In other business Tuesday, the Board of Aldermen held a public hearing on a resolution authorizing preparation and submittal of a proposal and application for the Mississippi Development Authority”s Katrina Supplemental Community Development Block Grant for the proposed CottonMill Marketplace development. The city is seeking $8 million on CottonMill Development Group”s behalf to be used toward land acquisition and construction of a parking deck on the property just north of Highway 12, between Spring Street and Russell Street.
Fred Allen, who lives outside city limits but spoke at the public hearing, was against the city applying for CDBG funds for a private commercial development.
“Those funds are supposed to be for low- to moderate-income folks,” Allen said. “It”s not supposed to be for real estate projects.”
Starkville resident Mike Okhuysen also spoke out against the city”s pursuit of CDBG funds.
“Are we just going to get a parking deck?” he asked. “I haven”t seen a retail development built in this country in two years.”
Several other people spoke out against the project, as well, but Ward 7 resident Alvin Turner supported the city”s application, citing the benefits of the CottonMill Marketplace project if it comes to fruition.
“We need jobs,” Turner said. “People need to work.”
CottonMill Marketplace developers said Tuesday the project would produce 300-400 jobs.
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