DOWNTOWN

The Saguache Downtown Revitalization Project has been completed! We'd love to have you visit us and see our beautiful new downtown. There are wide sidewalks, benches, banners, flowering trees, a new park, businesses and a Welcome Center.

The Saguache Town Trustee meeting they UNANIMOUSLY approved the Visioning Committee’s recommendations for the 4^th Street revitalization concept with one amendment. The Trustees felt that the 10 foot sidewalk width that the Visioning Committee recommended would be too short to really accommodate benches and allow for enough pedestrian traffic so they increased the width of the sidewalks to 11.5 on each side. They did stress that they wanted the 4^th Street renovations to be mostly pedestrian-friendly.

4^th Street Final Design Concepts include the following:

The Visioning Committee has received final approval from the Town Trustees to move forward with the following concept design

Complete infrastructure renovations along 4^th Street.
Eleven and one half (11.5) foot sidewalks that run the length of 4^th Street on both sides of the street (leaving 60 feet of street space remaining for diagonal, designated parking and traffic flow).
Tear-shaped (plow-friendly) bump-outs on the corners of Christy, Denver and San Juan streets; including colored (or possibly stamped) concrete to distinguish cross-walks.
Planters on specific bump-outs that include greenery that is easily maintained, drought tolerant, deer tolerant, and provides some color (the VC has compiled a list of such plants and trees).
Water swales at the bump-outs that provide water cleaning and water planters.
Energy-efficient street lighting, down-facing at various sites, based on need and input from property owners on 4^th Street.
Lighted flag pole at the Post Office with plantings.
Remove the south tree at the Post Office and reshape the north (larger) tree to work with the new sidewalks.
Incorporate bike racks in parking areas and some bump-outs (this is not reflected on the design below).
Incorporate benches and trash cans (based on property owner’s input).
No fence on the north (alley) side of the “pocket” park. Contact property owners abutting the south/east side of the pocket park on screening options (fence or greenery).
Benches, tables, sculpture (with water feature) and gazebo in the pocket park. Add pavers to the adjacent alley-way.
Install a fire-light at the intersection of Hwy 285 and 4^th Street with cross-walks.
Install an analogue-style clock at the north-west corner of San Juan.
Begin conversation (and negotiation) with Mountain Valley School officials to discuss placement of LED sign.

Approved next steps:

O The VC would like to request that they continue to provide input through the design details phase of the project. They would like to continue to work with engineers/architects to choose specific elements of the design details.

O The VC requests that the Trustees make a timely decision and that we continue to work together to move the process forward.

O The VC recommends that the Trustees make personal contact with Bob Gydesen (and his company) for possible in-kind assistance (in addition to professional consultation).

O The VC would like some details about the bidding process required for obtaining an engineer/architect to move the process into the design details phase with professional schematics and engineering specifications.

O The VC would like to see ScSEED and the Town move forward with obtaining additional funding to create the professional plans required to obtain cost estimates and bring the plan into the implementation phase.

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