Winter update

Downtown DeKalb Winter Construction Update

The major construction work on Locust was completed as of November 18. The work was finished ahead of schedule for the overall project. Work will resume in the spring to complete the project on Locust by June of 2011 as anticipated. Hollydays in Downtown DeKalb is fully underway and many of our businesses are reporting a good start to the season. Shoppers and visitors are enjoying the downtown improvements as well as our many wonderful shops and restaurants and we encourage everyone to keep it local this season!

While most work is done until spring, here are some updates and a few reminders regarding construction during the winter months.

Utility work
ComEd, Frontier, and Comcast will be scheduling and overseeing their individual utility crossovers through the winter and in the spring. Customers will be contacted by the utility companies when work is schedule as well as if and when any disruptions in service might occur.

Signage installation
Parking and other regulation signs will continue to be installed this week and as weather permits.

Lighting
Some additional utility cabinet work was required for Locust St. after November 18 that resulted in some outages of street lights. All work has been completed at this time and there should be no further disruption of the on street lighting.

Crosswalks on Lincoln
The thermoplastic crosswalks on Lincoln Highway are not performing per the warranty. Unfortunately this is rather unsightly, but will be replaced by the contractor in the spring at no additional cost to the City of DeKalb.

Sidewalk De-icing Salt
Business and building owners are strongly encouraged to avoid using any de-icing salt that contains calcium chloride on the downtown area as it will cause prolonged periods of efflorescence (white chalkly residue on bricks). You are instead encouraged to use de-icing salt containing magnesium chloride or anything agricultural based.

Pedestrian Pass Thru
As a reminder, the Pedestrian Pass Thru will be closed after major snowfalls until city crews have time to remove the snow.

Have a wonderful Hollyday season and we look forward to seeing you in Downtown DeKalb!

Last Post of the Winter Season...

It is hard to believe that the holiday season is starting, but we thrilled that construction work is done for the winter…and we ended up ahead of the overall schedule thanks to great support by our business owners and contractors…oh and we had some terrific weather too!

So this is our last post of the season, unless we get any further notifications.

Here is what to expect this week:

Brick work will go through the end of the week, with a possible need for some finishing work next Monday and Tuesday.

Landscape work will get finished on Monday Nov 22 with install of final bushes and plants.

Final electrical work should be done by Friday.

Locust will reopen to 2-way traffic on Friday, Nov 19 first thing in the morning


As a reminder – we WILL see the utility poles remain in place over the winter while the utility companies work to do the switchovers. ComEd, Comcast and Frontier will all be around over the winter to do their switchover work. They will notify customers whenever changes are to occur. This work is being done by the utility companies. We will pick back up in the Spring when the weather breaks and the final work should be completed by June of 2011.

Thanks to EVERYONE for another great construction season!

As always, if you have any questions, please contact City Engineer Joel Mauer at 815-748-2000 or Re:New DeKalb at 815-748-7788

On the Road Again

Could not resist the title in celebration of Locust Street being final paved as of today at 3p.m.!

Here is what to expect for the next week or so:

Starting on Wednesday Nov 10
Installation of tree's and planter curbs.
Continue pouring sidewalk and underlayment

Thursday, Nov 11 & Friday Nov 12
Finish paving alley's and driveways along Locust. For short periods of time some drives and alley's will not be accessible while being paved. This will be for only a short period of time.
Install temporary asphalt around power poles that are remaining over the winter

Starting Friday Nov 12
Bricks will begin to be installed. Contractor will work throughout the following week as well.

Saturday Nov 13
Contractor will continue to pour sidewalk and underlayment to prepare for bricks.

Week of Nov 14
Set light poles
Continue installing bricks
Finish any landscaping and planter curb work
Installation of temporary strips for the road and parking


Also please note ComEd is beginning to pull wire's and has a project they are working on in the 1st and Locust St. area adjacent to the Egyptian Theatre.

Locust Street will re-open to 2-way traffic as of Friday morning Nov 19!

Final Stretch!!!

With two weeks to go we are just about done on Locust for the winter and we have made great progress. We have already met the contract requirements of getting Locust to binder course and great news...we will be putting in the final course of Locust as well! Mark you calendars...Locust will reopen entirely to two-way traffic with tree's, light poles installed, sidewalk and bricks all in as of November 19.

Needless to say, things will be really really busy the next 2 weeks, but we are grateful that the weather has held and we have been able to finis more work than we had anticipated before the start of winter.

Here is what to expect for the next week or so:

Base course and Electric
We will be finishing the base course and electric work through the end of this week.

Sidewalk/Underlayment
We will be installing sidewalk and underlayment for the next week starting from 1st heading towards 4th.

Roadway prep/manhole/grinding - starting Thursday of this week thru next Monday.

Final Course
Currans will be putting the final course of the road on Tuesday of next week. There may be minimal disruption to entrances and drives (around 15 minutes) as the asphalt truck and roller move by. This is GREAT news. We will install temporary lane makers and stop lines until spring.

Tree's and Bushes
Landscaper will start installing tree's and bushes on Monday of next week.

Alley paving
Curran's will pave alley's following the paving of Locust on Wed, Thur or Friday of next week.

Bricks
Bricks will be installed starting on Wednesday of next week. Brick layers will be here for about a week.

As always, if you have any questions please contact Joel Mauer at the City of DeKalb at 815-748-2000 or Jennifer Groce at Re:New DeKalb at 815-748-7788

Whirlwind of Activity

It has literally been a whirlwind of activity along Locust Street and we expect it to keep up even after the 45+mph winds calm down.

Here is what to expect the next week or so on Locust:

Underdrains - starting at 1st and Locust the contractor will be installing underdrains and working towards 4th.

Light Base Foundations - again starting at 1st the contractor will be working to install the light base foundations and working towards 4th.

Curb & Gutter - curb and gutter was just completed up to 4th as of late Wednesday.

Paving of North side of Locust - you read that correctly, we are all set to pave the north side of Locust St. to binder course this Saturday, October 30 starting at 7a.m. Contractor hopes to have all work done before the kids arrive to trick-or-treat at 1p.m. However, The Locust will not open to 2-way traffic right way because we have lots of trucks that need to be in that area to put in sidewalk, bricks, lights and more. Locust will open to 2-way traffic no latter than Nov 13.

IF WEATHER PERMITS - we WIll pave Locust to final course next week. Temps need to be 40 degree's and rising. We are crossing our fingers and hoping for a warm day so we can make this happen. We had only required to binder course, but things are well on schedule and we hope to get some extra work done that will make things easier on all of us over the winter.


Sidewalk and Underlayment - contractor will start to pour sidewalk next week on Monday Nov 1 weather permitting.

Tree and Tree Grates - We are hopeful that we will be able to install tree's and tree grates yet as well. This will make the brick installation work much easier.

Bricks - not scheduled yet, but we should see brick work soon after the sidewalk and underlayment are in.


As a reminder - utility poles will remain in place over the winter and utility companies will coordinate crossovers with customers. When the weather breaks in the spring we will remove the poles, pour final concrete, lay bricks, install street furniture and final landscape materials.

As always, if you have any questions plese contact City of DeKalb Engineer Joel Maur at 815-748-2000 or Jennifer Groce at Re:New DeKalb at 815-748-7788.

Have a great Halloween Weekend!

Removals, Curbs, and Conduit

Its been another messy week (common message we know), but once again weather has been great and we have made really good progress (again common message,but its a good one to have).

Here is what to expect for the next week on Locust:

General Notes:
Saturday work will continue through Nov 13. Work will begin at 7a.m. and end around 3p.m. each Saturday. Alley entrances on Locust will be blocked because we are or have poured curbs and they need to cure. NO parking is allowed on Locust for the most part at this time. If you are having trouble with access to your building please contact us ASAP.

Excavation:
Excavation will take place from 3rd to 4th Friday. This was going to be spread out a bit, but due to rain forecast we moved bumped it up to get it completed. Stone will be poured right behind the excavation, but driveways and alleys will blocked at times. We do have a flagger on site to help cars around the intersection of 3rd and Locust.

Curb Pouring:
Curb is in between 1st to 3rd as of today. More curb will be poured later next week for the 3rd to 4th section once underground conduit is in. The curb work requires the closure of some alley entrances on Locust, but all parking lots can be accessed from 2nd and 3rd.

Conduit:
Conduit is in from 1st to 3rd and work will continue towards 4th. As a reminder the conduit on the north side is very close to doorways as opposed to the south side that was closer to the traffic lane. This is causing disruption for business entrances and we appreciate everyone's cooperation with alternate entrances and planked entrances. If you are having an issue with access PLEASE contact us and we will address it as quickly as we can.

Under drain:
Crews will be starting work on under drains in the 1st and Locust block early next week and will follow east towards 4th behind the crews.

Sidewalks:
Sidewalk and underlayment might begin to be poured at the end of next week starting at 1st St. Again they will work east. Brick layers will be lined up to work once there most block are complete so they have a good area to work in.

As always if you have any questions please contact Joel Maur, City Engineer, at 815-748-2000 or Jennifer Groce, Re:New DeKalb, at 815-748-7788

Many Hands in One Cookie Jar

We have a TON of work going on Locust on the north and south side. There have been 3 crews including removals, utility burial and brick layers all working at once this week. This is causing some some traffic delays at times when things get bottled up. We are working with the contractor to expedite things and keep the road open and traffic moving at all times.

As we all know far to well by now, removal are messy and cause a good deal of disruption. Some would say removals are the worst part of construction. The contractors has removed all sidewalk and road on the north side all at once for the final phase of the project because the utility conduit is closer to the buildings on the north side. On the south side it was in the street so the sidewalks could stay in tact longer.


The good news is that we will finish up the last of the removals today on the north side of Locust. Then we are all done wtih removals for good! As in, this is the last of all removals for the entire public improvements project!!!

Here is what is next for the project for the next week:

North side of Locust:

- Finish removal today
- Complete underground utility work - right now you will see the trench coming down the street in front of the buildings. This is new utility conduit. At times front entrances will be blocked but this should only be minimal, but we have provided signs and contractor is making gravel paths. Concrete work could begin as early as next week...keep fingers crossed for good weather.
- Small sanitary project between 1st - 2nd
- Grade
- Electrical work


South side of Locust:

- Bricks are being installed starting at 1st. All brick work on the south side should be done by the end of this week.

That will likely be all the work that you will see on the south side until next Spring.

Lincoln Highway
- Pass thru gate and handrail were installed on Wednesday!

Lincoln is now 99% complete!

As always if you have questions or concerns please contact Joel Maur, Engineer for the City of DeKalb at 815-748-2000 or Jennifer Groce at the Re:New DeKalb office at 815-748-7788.

Northside Here We Come!

Big news!!! Construction is heading to the north side of Locust Street starting on Friday, October 8. This means traffic control will change and vehicles will now be able to enter from N. First and head eastbound on Locust.

Here is an overview of all that is happening on the south and north side:

South Side

Thursday and Friday will be busy days for installation. The final portion of sidewalk and underlayment near 4th street will be installed. Tree's, planters and lighting will also be installed starting on Thursday and bricks will begin to be installed on Friday. Brick installation and other sidewalk work will continue through next week.

The south side will be open now to eastbound traffic, but there will be almost no parking at this time on Locust due to the work on the sidewalk and on the north side.

The lights from 1st to 2nd will not be lit until the work on the north side is complete.

Please remember that the utility poles will remain until next spring. Utility companies will arrange for the cross over connections with businesses and residents over the winter. Sections of sidewalk have not been poured adjacent to the existing light poles. Those sections will be filled with stone for the winter and paved once poles are removed in the spring.

North side:

Demolition will begin on Friday following the traffic control change over. Work will begin at the west end at 1st and Locust and move east. All sidewalk and roadway pavement will be removed at once. The contractor will continue working on Saturdays. At times roads and driveways will be blocked while they are removing pavement, but this should only be spot closures from time to time.

If there are any questions please contact Joel Maur, City Engineer at 815-748-2000 or Jennifer Groce at Re:New DeKalb at 815-748-7788.

BIG Plans for Saturday...includes road closures after-all

We received notification that a changes has been made to the paving schedule and procedures for the south side of Locust. The contractor will now be paving the south side of Locust St from 4th to 1st this Saturday, October 2 starting at 6a.m. The contractor had hoped to be able to pave 2nd St, 3rd St, and various entrances along Locust half at a time, but due to uncontrollable circumstances they now have to pave all in one day. This will result in a temporary closure of the entrances to 2nd, 3rd, PNC, NB&T and all other drives on the south side of Locust between 1st and 4th Street this Saturday starting at 6a.m. Each road/entrance will be opened as the paving is complete.

Alternate entrances have been arranged for both bank drive thrus and signage will be posted at either ends of Locust between 1st and 4th directing traffic to an alternate entrance to 2nd St. 3rd St. will remain open from Lincoln Highway, but will exit at Palmer Court. A flagger will be placed on 3rd St to assist with traffic.

Paving to leveling binder for the driving lane will be completed on Saturday. Parking lanes will be paved on Monday, but will not result in closures. Contractor will also continue to pour sidewalk and underlayment all along the south side. Light poles will also start to be installed next week.

Roadway work will be complete on the south side of Locust as of Friday, Oct 8 and move to the north side starting on Monday, October 11. The traffic control plan will reverse and all traffic will now enter Locust from 1st Street. There will be no parking on most of Locust at that time due to continued work.

Where Did September Go?

Where did September go?
Wow this month has flown by, but we have continued to make great progress. The underground conduit is now all in on the south side of Locust and we are preparing to lay binder course. We will be preparing to move the north side very soon.

Here is what things are shaping up to look like this week on Locust St:

This week they will finish pouring the concrete curb and start laying down the binder level of blacktop. Please note the intersections of 2nd and 3rd as well as drive's at NB&T and PNC Bank will all be done 1/2 at a time to allow for continuous access to these drives. There are a few other drives along this stretch that are too narrow to allow for a 1/2 and 1/2 pour or have alternate entrances(in the case of the Van Buer Plaza). These drive pours will be coordinated with the property owner.

Up next on the south side will be pouring of the sidewalk and underlayment and the installation of planter walls and other materials. As a reminder - the utility poles WILL NOT BE REMOVED until next spring. ComEd, Verizon and Comcast will be working over the winter to pull new cables through the conduit that has been installed and will work with each customer to arrange the switch over’s. Poles will be removed once the weather breaks in the spring. This means that there will be section of sidewalk that cannot be poured because the poles need to remain. We will fill these sections with gravel to allow for continuous passage over the winter.

The goal is to have Locust open for 2 way traffic just in time for the downtown Hollyday open house!

Here is where things stand on Lincoln Highway:

Contractor is installing crosswalks this week at intersection of 1st, 2nd and 3rd. No road closure will occur. Last bit of work to be completed is the installation of the materials in the Pedestrian Pass Thru including benches, handrail, and gates.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns please contact The City of Dekalb Engineering Department at 815-748-2000 or Re:New DeKalb at 815-748-7788.

Two more things

First, we forgot to mention that contractors are working on installing the thermoplast cross walks at the intersections of 2nd and 3rd on all 4 sides. This week they are grinding out the old cross walk paint. Next week they will begin stamping in the thermo plast. No road closures will be needed at 2nd, 3rd or on Lincoln. They will do half a section at a time on 2nd and 3rd. Then on Lincoln they will do the outer lanes and center lanes to keep traffic flowing.

Second, we were just informed that the contractors will be trenching across 3rd St tommorrow (Friday, Sept 10) in the morning. Traffic will be diverted from 3rd to Palmer. Work will be done by 11 a.m.

update as of September 9, 2010

Things got even messier this week, but we have made great progress as well. A couple of entrances along E. Locust were blocked for a few hours here and there. Appologies for the lack of advance notification. Hopefully the communication gliche has been fixed. As we have noted in the past, there will be spot closures from time to time to allow for the removal of road and sidewalk and longer closures once the concrete has been poured to allow for drying. Those closures should be coordinated with business owners. Random spot closures may occur from time to time to allow equipment to be moved and so on.


Please note starting on Saturday, September 18 the construction work will take place 6-days a week including Saturdays.

Here is a look at where things stand into next week:

Locust Street:

1st to 2nd - sidewalk/road removal is complete in this area. Stone will be put in and other grading work. Next week they will be framing and pouring curbs!

2nd - 3rd - Utility work is still underway in this block. Some excavation work got underway today, but more utility work to be done in this block.

3rd- 4th - removal of sidewalk and road is underway.

Lincoln Highway:

Lights should be complete this week. Landscaping will be coming on Monday, September 13, 2010. Benches should be next week as well. Last portion is the fence and handrail in the pass thru.

If you have questions please call Re:New DeKalb at 815-748-7788.

Let there be Lights...on Lincoln

More progress on Lincoln and Locust. Here is an update of where things stand as of Friday, September 3, 2010:

Lincoln Highway

The final lighting elements arrived for the lighting fixtures on Lincoln Highway and are currently being installed. Most of the lighting should be compelted by the middle of next week. Lights are installed in the pedestrian pass thru. Street furnishings and landscaping is still to come, but will be done by the end of September.

Locust Street

1st to 2nd
Conduit is on on south side and road/sidewalk has been removed. Grading work will begin next week.

2nd to 3rd.
Conduit work has begun. Road removal is not completed yet. A large utility cabinet needs to be installed between the entrance to the Van Buer Plaza and the drive for NB&T. This will require brick removal and disruption of a landscape bed, but all materials will be replaced upon completion of the work.

3rd to 4th
Road removal is nearly done. Tuesday Sept 7 the contractors will remove the remaining road and sidewalk from PNC Bank drive thru to 4th St. Bank drive will be removed one half at a time to alow for access at all times. Utility work will follow on Wed.

If you have any questions please call the City of DeKalb Engineering Dept at 815-748-2000 Jennifer Groce at Re:New DeKalb at 815-748-7788.

Weekly Update for Week of August 23, 2010

Locust and Lincoln Highway Streetscape Update:


Lincoln Highway:

Remaining work on Lincoln Highway includes lighting, landscaping and crosswalks, Lighting is estimated to arrive later this week and the installation should be complete in 2 weeks. Landscaping will be installed in September in the planter beds. Crosswalk application will likely start the week of August 30, 2010

Pedestrian Pass Thru:

The pedestrian pass thru is open, but all aspects are not completed. Under drains, underlayment, and bricks are in and temporary lighting is in place. Still to come are benches, lighting, handrail and gates. All work is anticipated to be done by final completion deadline of October 15, 2010

Locust Street:


Alliance Construction, the City of DeKalb’s general contractor on Lincoln and Locust has moved all work over to Locust St. at the time. Things are very busy underground during this phase of the project. Alliance is working on the south side of Locust Street from 1st to 4th at this time. They have removed only the portion of the road and sidewalk that is needed for utility contractor to install underground conduit. Utility company conduit work has been focused at 1st and Locust, but should begin moving faster down Locust now that the main ComEd conduit is across 1st Street. Alliance will follow behind the utility company to remove the rest of the road and sidewalk on the south side of Locust late this week and then begin surface work. No word yet on when work will move to the north side. Conduit work is slow going, but we are on schedule at this point and time. As a reminder contractor is required to have Locust open by November 20, 2010.

Going Underground

Work has gone underground on Locust Street:

Our contractor has removed only the portion of the road and sidewalk so far that is needed to allow the utility contractor to put in the conduit. Utility contractor started at 1rst and Locust and is heading east towards 4th. Conractor will be back on the scene in about a week following behind the utility company to remove the rest of the road and sidewalk on the south side of Locust. No word yet on when work will move to the norht side. This work is slow going. Crew is currently pushing conduit underground. You may not see a lot going on...but things are busy underground right now.

Lincoln Highway Update:

The pedestrian pass thru is open, but final touches are not in just yet. Lighting for Lincoln is starting to arrive. Expect to see crews on Lincoln in the next weeks installing new light poles on north side and installing the last of the street furniture. Special crosswalk treatment will be installed on Lincoln following Aug 26.

If you have questions please contact Jennifer Groce at ReNew DeKalb by calling 815-748-7788 or send an email to jennifer@renewdekalb.com

Pass Thru Is Open

Pass Thru Open
After a few years of planning and many discussion the pedestrian pass thru is OPEN. All the final details are not complete, but the bricks are in and temporary lighting is up. Still to come are benches, lighting, handrail and gates. Eventually there is also artwork that is planned to be installed, but that will most likely not be for some time.

Lincoln Hwy Update:
We are still waiting on lights and street furniture. This is all expected to be here at the end of August. We also need to install a special cross walk overlay on Lincoln, but there is a backorder on thermoplast so this will also likely be late August or early September. We will coordinate this installation around major events including NIU move-in, Cornfest, Huskies SEE DeKalb, Middlewest Fest and of course much anticiapted football games!


Locust Street Update
Due to the rain removals went slower last week and the weather does not look great for the first part of this week. The plan is to finish all removals today and have utilitiy companies on site for the start of conduit installation. We will keep you updated pending weather. Removals include the intersection of 2nd and 3rd as well as bank entrances and the Van Buer Plaza. The construciton company is trying to do removals in those areas first thing in the morning and have gravel back in place by 9or 10a.m. to allow traffic to move normally during business hours. Again weather is slowing this down a bit, but they are doing the best they can.

As always, please email or call Jennifer Groce at RNDK with any questions or concerns at 815-748-7788 or jennifer@renewdekalb.com

Have a great week!

Pass Thru Progress

Come rain, thunder, or really BIG thunder...the pass thru is being bricked today!

Part II: LOCUST ST.

It is official! Construction has moved to Locust Street. All 6 phases of Lincoln Highway were completed ahead of schedule...yahoooo! Only a small amount of ornamental work remains on Lincoln Highway. We are also happy to report that the Pedestrian Pass thru is well underway. Work on Locust will continue through mid-November of 2010 and then pause for the holidays. Work will resume when the weather breaks in the spring of 2011 and should be completed by June.

Here is an overview of where we are on Lincoln and what to expect on Locust Street:

Lincoln Highway
The only work that remains is lighting, landscaping and cross walks, The installation of lighting should be in place by late August. Landscaping will be installed this fall and cross walk application will take place in late August or September.

Pedestrian Pass Thru
The foundation has been poured and bricks will be installed over the next week. Lighting, railings, and street furniture will follow.

Locust Street
Locust Street work will start on the south side from 1st to 4th and then move to the north side. Work got underway this week with the installation of a utility cabinet at 1st and Locust. Next week there will be lots of saw cutting and then removals. This is can be loud and dusty at times, but should go quickly. Work will then focust on installing utility conduit. At this point and time we do not know when work will move to the south side. A detour is in place for east bound traffic to th street. Additional signage has been installed on 1st street to direct vehicles to parking and 2nd Street.

As always, if you have any questions please contact Re:New DeKalb at 815-748-7788 or the City of DeKalb Engineering Department at 815-748-2000.

NICOR is on Locust...no streetscape work yet!

The current work on Locust Street is NOT part of the planned utility burial and streetscape project planned to start next week.

According to the City of DeKalb, NICOR realized they need to make some repairs and adjustments between 2nd and 3rd to a gas line on Locust and felt it necessary to do in advance of utility burial construction planned to start July 26. NICOR is managing this construction and all traffic control associated with it. Our contractor for Lincoln and Locust, Alliance is not part of the NICOR work.

As part of the streetscape contract work, Alliance cannot begin construction until Lincoln Highway is complete (with the exception of the north side of Lincoln between 3rd and 4th St. and the Pass thru).

A road closure and detour is in place at this time for traffic heading west bound from 3rd to 2nd. Work is anticipated to be completed next week on Monday 7/26 or Tues 7/27.

Due to this work, the start of significant work on Locust will be delayed. Minor saw cutting and some traffic control will go up early next week, but major road removals are not anticipated to take place at this time until late next week or the first part of Aug.

Follow the red brick sidewalks

Main events this week were brick, bricks and more bricks. Construction work also moved into the last block to be completed on Lincoln Highway this week. Work began in block 6 (3rd to 4th on the north side of Lincoln Hwy) with sidwalk removal. Light pole painting took place and the intersectiosn of 1rst, 2nd and 3rd. And last but, not least RNDK hosted an informational Locust St.pre-construction meeting today. Work is scheduled to start on Locust St. as of July 26, 2010

Here is a block by block run down of where things stand on and what to expect over the next week or so.

Block 1 (1st to 2nd on south side of Lincoln Hwy)
Completed expect for street furniture and final plantings.
Bike racks and street furniture to be installed over the next week.
Landscaping to come later in the fall.

Block 2 (2nd to 3rd on south side of Lincoln Hwy)
Completed expect for street furniture and final plantings.
Bike racks and street furniture to be installed over the next week.
Lanscaping to come later in the fall.

Block 3 (3rd to 4th on south side of Lincoln Hwy)
Completed expect for installation of light poles, street furniture, and final plantings. Bike racks and street furniture to be installed over the next week following bricks. Light poles expected in mid-August.Temporay lighting will be installed.Landscaping to come later in the fall.

Block 4 (1st to 2nd on north side of Lincoln Hwy)
Bricks nearly finished. Bike racks and street furniture to be installed over the next week.Light poles expected in mid-August.Temporay lighting will be installed.Landscaping to come later in the fall.

Block 5 (2nd to 3rd on north side of Lincoln Hwy)
Bricks are underway. Bike racks and street furniture to be installed over the next week. Light poles expected in mid-August. Temporay lighting will be installed.Landscaping to come later in the fall.

Block 6 (3rd to 4th on north side of Lincoln Hwy)
Work will continue in this block for the next 2 weeks. Currently working on installing conduit for utilities. Next will come light bases, followed by concrete sidewalk and underlayment work.

Pedestrian Pass Thru
Final subgrade wall treament to take place early next week followed by grading and electrical work. Brick work to come soon.

Locust Street
Work will begin on Locust Street as of July 26. Work will begin on the south side of Locust from 1rst to 4th St. One lane of traffic will be open at all times. Open traffic lane will be the northside of Locust heading west bound. 2nd and 3rd St. access will be open as well as all parking lots. Parking will be limited on Locust.
More information to come on Locust next week!

Looking to Locust....soon

The next 2 weeks will be very busy with all hands on deck. Things are progressing very well on Lincoln and we are making plans to head to Locust St. soon. We are hosting a special Locust Street preconstruciton meeting this week Friday, July 16 at 8:30 a.m. at City Hall in City Council Chambers. All business owners in the Locust Street area should attend!!! We will be discussing a possible improvement to the schedule.

Here is the block by block update for the week of July 12, 2010 - please note all plans are subject to weather.

Block 1 (1st to 2nd on south side of Lincoln Hwy)
As of 10a.m. this morning all bricks are in. All we are waiting on is the return of the landscape furniture and final plantings in the landscape beds!

Block 2 (2nd to 3rd on the south side of Lincoln Hwy)
Brick work is nearly complete and will be done by this afternoon. So the same goes for block 1 - all we are waiting on is the return of the landscape furniture and final plantings in the landscape beds!

Block 3 (3rd to 4th on the south side of Lincoln Hwy)
Tree grates will be in today or Tuesday. Brick work will be done immediatntly following.

Block 4 (1st to 2nd on the north side of Lincoln Hwy)
Planters and bricks will be completed this week.

Block 5 (2nd to 3rd on the north side of Lincoln Hwy)
Pouring the final underlayment today. Brick work has already begun. Planters and bricks will be completed this week. Please note that some minor electrical work will take place in 3rd St. intersection this week. The road will always be open and accessible to vehicles.

Block 6
Sidewalk removal was to take place today, but work is held off due to a material delay. Removals will take place Tuesday followed by underground work.

Pedestrian Pass Thru (located in Block 5)
Subgrade treatment to take place this week followed by installation of the fill. Perhaps we will see bricks next week sometime.

Light Pole Painting
Contractors will be painting all the light poles in the intersections 1st to 4th on Lincoln Highway.

Lemon's to Lemonade

In the spirit of making something good out of a difficult situation, the business owners from 1st to 3rd on the north side of Lincoln Highway are hosting a "Lemon's to Lemonade" block part in Palmer Court this Saturday July 10 from 10 a.m. to 4p.m. There will be all kinds of fun for the kids and back entrances will accessible. Way to go Vickie and company!!!

Here is the block by block update for the week of July 5, 2010 - please note all plans are subject to weather and we have a few thunderstorms being called for this week.

Block 1 (1st to 2nd on south side of Lincoln Hwy)
Precast planters are being installed today (Tuesday). We are hoping to see the final brick work completed by the end of the week.

Block 2 (2nd to 3rd on the south side of Lincoln Hwy)
Precast is complete. Again, hoping to see brick work this week to complete this block.

Block 3 (3rd to 4th on the south side of Lincoln Hwy)
Lights went up last week and bricks are almost complete. We are just waiting on the last 3 tree grates to arrive. Hopefully they will get here this week and the brick work can be completed.

Block 4 (1st to 2nd on the north side of Lincoln Hwy)
First half of the sidewalk was poured on Friday. The underlayment (outer portion where bricks will go) will be poured today (weather pending). As a reminder this block will mimic the block across the street with brick layout. Bump outs at the corners of each block will match the layout across the street. Weather pending, brick work will begin later this week.

Block 5 (2nd to 3rd on the north side of Lincoln Hwy)
Conduit work will take place and light bases will be poured. There are several tree bases in this block to be dug as well. There is a slight chance that sidewalk could be poured from building face to center this Friday. We will keep everyone informed when the pour date is confirmed.

Pedestrian Pass Thru (located in Block 5)
Graffiti coat and subgrade sealer being applied to the walls this week. Next week the fill and grade work will begin.

Wow....

Block 5 to Begin Tuesday June 29

Wow are we moving fast now! We are set to start demolition work in Block 5 (2nd - 3rd Street on north side) on Tuesday June 29.

Here is a block by block update for the week of June 28, 2010

Block 1 (1st to 2nd on south side)
All storefronts were cleaned in this block this morning. All that remains is the installation of the precast planter's, installation of benches, and minor landscaping. The precast planters will be installed this week followed by minor brick work around each planter. This work should be completed by Friday June 2.Some parking may be lost in this block while work is going on.

Block 2 (2nd to 3rd on south side)
All store fronts were cleaned in this block this morning. Just like block 1, all that remains is the installation of the precast planter's, installation of benches, and minor landscaping. The precast planters will be installed this week followed by minor brick work around each planter. This work should be completed by Friday June 2 Some parking may be lost in this block while work is going on.

Block 3 (3rd to 4th on south side)
Tree grates, landscape beds and bricks should all be done this week. We may still be dealing with temporary lighting for the rest of this week, but lights are due to arrive very soon. Spot closures of parking will occur from time to time while work is taking place.

Block 4 (1st to 2nd on the north side)
This week they will complete underground work and pour bases for the lights poles and possibly begin to pour the sidewalk and underlayment. Official notices will be given to all businesses to confirm the sidewalk pour date. No parking and a lane closure will be set up for this block.

Block 5 (2nd to 3rd on the north side)
Demolition of sidewalk to begin on Tuesday June 29! As a reminder the demolition work is loud and messy at times, but should only last for a day to day and a half. Site grading and underground work will follow. The lighting removal in this block will impact the lighting on N. 3rd and in Palmer Ct. Temporary lighting will be installed in those areas. No parking and a lane closure will be set up for this block.

Pedestrian Pass Thur (located in Block 5)
Surface prepartions will begin on Tuesday June 29.

Time to Cross the Road...almost 1/2 way there.

We are preparing to move into Block 4 (1st to 2nd on the north side of Lincoln Hwy) tomorrow, Thursday, June 24, 2010. Here is what to expect as we work to move the construction across the road:

***PARKING LIMITATIONS***
Parking will be limited on Lincoln Highway on Thursday and Friday of this week from
1st to 4th Street on both the north and south side of Lincoln Highway from 7a.m.to 4p.m. daily.

South side:
Parking and traffic lane on the south side will open up next week once work is complete in block 3. Due to traffic control safety needs the full lane is required to be closed from 1st to 4th. Parking IS ALLOWED in block 1 since all work is done in this area. Park will not be allowed in block 2 and 3 while they are finishing the installation of bricks and light poles.

North side:
Parking and traffic lane will be closed from 1st to 3rd daily from 7a.m. to 4p.m.


***BLOCK BY BLOCK*** Here is what work to expect:

Block 1 - 1st to 2nd on the south side of Lincoln Highway
Wednesday, June 23 light repairs and final electrical work. There will be a lane closure up the rest of the week going from 1st to 4th due to the work in block 2 and block 3. Parking is open in Block 1. Late next week 6/28 planter bed walls will be installed and final brick work may be installed. This is minor work.

Block 2 - 2nd to 3rd on the south side of Lincoln Highway
Thursday/Friday, June 24 & 25 install light poles. Please note their will be one temporary pole in the middel of the block. We are waiting for the rest of the lights to come in so we will be using temporary poles in various places. Just know the one odd pole is not permenant. Also, late next week 6/28 planter bed walls will be installed and final brick work may be installed. This is minor work.


Block 3 - 3rd to 4th on the south side of Lincoln Highway

Thursday, June 24 - pour remaining concrete at each corner.

Friday, June 25 - install tree's, landscape fill and pull wire and complete electrical underground work.

First part of the week of June 28 - install bricks.Please note there will be a small section west of Munson insurance to the Cash Store that will not be bricked for a short time as we wait for additional materials to arrive

Last part of the week of June 28 lighting. Please note that we will be installing temporary lighting in Block 3 until the final lighting arrives.

Also late next week planter bed walls will be installed and final brick work may be installed. This is minor work.


Block 4 - 1st to 2nd on the north sidew of Lincoln Highway

Thursday, June 24 - removal of sidewalk - fence goes up!!!

Friday, June 25 - installation of underdrains

Week of 6/28 - installation of conduit and utility.

1 Down 5 to Go...time to head to the North side!

Gotta take a moment and CELEBRATE - Block 1 is done (for the most part)!!!
That is right, underground work is complete, sidewalk is in,lighting is up and on, trees are in and bricks were complete as of 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. The only thing remaining is the landscape beds...those will still be a few weeks for fabrication and putting the benches and garbage cans back in. Take a stroll down the block and get a feel for what the improvements look like. More good news - block 2 is almost done as well.


Ok on to next weeks schedule.

Block 2 (2nd - 3rd on the south side)
It is pretty much just down to bricks and lighting for this block.
We will brick today, Monday and maybe Tuesday.
Light poles will be installed early next week.
This block will be done all except landscape beds and furniture by the end of next week!

Block 3 (3rd to 4th on the south side)
Monday we will do removals in the RXR right of way area from just past Munson Insurance to tracks. We are also pouring concrete on Monday from 3rd to Munson Insurance. Monday all doors between 3rd and Munson Insurance will not be accessible until Noon while we pour the sidewalk from building face to center. Tuesday we will pour the underlayment...out side area from curb to about 4ftover. After this fence will be gone! We might see bricks towards the end of the week.

Block 4 (1st to 2nd on the north side)
Monday is the start of work on the North side of Lincoln between 1st and 2nd. Expect removals to start on Monday or Tuesday. As a reminder the first day of removals is loud and messy. Doorways are accessible but signs directing pedestrians to the alley for those with alternate entrances will be up. Expect to see the fencing go up on Monday or Tuesday. Following removals we will be doing underground work and getting ready to pour light bases.

Block 4 and 5 business are planning a Lemons to Lemonaide block party the weekend of July 10 in the back in Palmer to celebrate construciton. Should be construciton in both blocks.

Pedestrian Pass thru -
Work will begin in the pass thru early next week. They will be coating the walls with a special sealer first and then intalling geofoam. More to come on this area.

All and all the project is going very well!!! As always if you have any quesitons please contact Mike Bauling at the City of DeKalb at 817-748-2000 or Jennifer Groce at Re:New DeKalb at 815-748-7788.

Lights, Bricks and Tree's Oh My!!!

Another great weather week resulting in lots of progress!

Here is where we are at block by block for the next week:

S. 1st - 2nd on ELHWY-
Friday 6/11 - lights are being installed and will be lit by Monday.
Monday 6/14 - bricks will begin to be installed starting at the corner of S. 2nd.
Tuesday 6/15 - trees will be installed and bricks should get completed.

All that will remain in this block will be the installation of the precast planters and the remaining landscaping. We will also need to put the benches and garbage cans back in. But all and all, after Tuesday things will be just about done!!!

S. 2nd - 3rd on ELHWY -

Friday 6/11 - begin installing lights
Monday 6/14 - complete lights and pull wires
Wednesday 6/15 - possibly begin brick work


S. 3rd - 4th on ELHWY -

Friday 6/11 - installation of conduit and under drains
Monday 6/14 - more underground work
The rest of the week - dig and pour light bases and then early next week get ready to pour sidewalk and underlayment.

Speedy, speedy, speedy!!!

It has been another busy week in Downtown DeKalb. Lots has happened this week,but lots more is planned for next week. Please read through the following overview to see what to expect for the week of June 6. Please note that work is moving into the 3rd to 4th block next week.

1st - 2nd Street
All concrete sidewalk and underlayment has been poured. There is a section by the DeKalb Chamber and Lord Stanley's that is still gravel. Because of a vault underneath no concrete will be poured in that area and it will remain that way until the bricks arrive.

Work to still be done from 1st to 2nd includes pulling wires, planting tree's, installing precast planter beds, and laying bricks.

During the week of June 6 they will likely pull wires and possibly plant trees. Planters and bricks will be soon.

2nd - 3rd
All demo is done. Conduit for electrical and fiber optic should be completed by Monday if not today. Monday, June 7 contractors will finish any conduit work needed and frame up for the new sidewalk. Tuesday, June 8 contractor will be pouring all of the sidewalk and underlayment at the corners from the buidling face to 5ft over from 2nd to 3rd. All businesses will have alternate entrances from 6a.m. to Noon for customers...look for signage. Ramps will be installed over the gaps at Noon and a special pedestrian path will be created. Then on Wednesday, June 9 the remaining underlayment to the curb will be poured. Pedestrians will be able to walk down the 5ft wide section that was poured on Tuesday so access will not be affected. Contractor will then begin to pull wires and prepare to install landscaping and bricks!

3rd to 4th
As of Tuesday the contractor is able to move to this block to start removals since all the concrete and underlayment has been poured in the 1st block.

Whew!!! As you can see we are very busy, but things are moving quickly and as of right now we are completley on schedule!!

PS check out Lincoln Inn's innovative construction specials for customers. Print out the coupon and get a free loaf of bread during construction and double reward points. Yummy idea!!!

As always if you have any questions please contact Mike Bauling at 815-748-2333 or Jennifer Groce at 815-748-7788.

Getting on firmer ground

The south side of Lincoln between 1st and 2nd is getting on firmer ground as the first part of the sidewalk was poured today. The regular portion of the sidewalk that goes from the building face to the middle was poured this morning. The next portion is the "underlayment" portion that will be the concrete base for the bricked areas on top. So anywere you don't see sidewalk today will have bricks very soon. Next week we will pour the underlayment concrete base.

The 2nd to 3rd Street section has all the removals complete. Today, some water line work is being done infront of Chilton's as well as work on the light bases this afternoon throughout the block. Next week the contractor will be putting in the conduit and doing electrical work (this includes DeKalb Fiber Optic work). Hope to see them start pouring sidwalk in this area by the end of next week.

This Monday is the Memorial Day parade. Contractor will make all areas as neat as possible to accomodate parade watchers and customers!!!

As always - if you have any questions please contact Mike Bauling at 815-748-2333 or Jennifer Groce at 815-748-7788.

Moving on down the road

Construction is moving to S. 2nd - S.3rd block on Lincoln Highway as of tomorrow Wednesday, May 26, 2010. Work will include lighting and sidewalk removal. Expect fencing and no on street parking in this block. Sidewalk removal should take about a day to a day and a half. All lighting will be out on the south side of Lincoln Highway from 1st to 4th Street.

Construction is moving very quickly in the S. 1st to S. 2nd block. They will be installing conduit starting on Wednesday May, 26 and all backfill should be in by Friday May 27. Fence should be down by Friday, May 27, 2010....maybe sooner. Sidewalk and underlayment will be poured following Memorial Day.

Finding Your Way

Ready, Set, We Are Going

Things really got rolling yesterday and today in the first block of construction. Fence went up and the sidewalk quickly went out! The realities of construction are here. Alternate entrance signage goes up today as well as the "all businesses are open during construction" signage. Other directionaly signage will be up soon. If you have an alternate entrance, please make sure to clearly mark your alternate doors with signage saying "enter here for ABC Company" so customers know where to find you.

Here is an update for the next week or so on block 1 and block 2.

ELHWY 1st to 2nd
Sidewalk removals 5/19 – 5/21
Pipes and under drain 5/24 – 5/25
Pour light bases 5/26 – 5/28
Begin to pour sidewalk and underlayment for bricks 6/1 – Fence removed

ELHWY 2nd – 3rd
Sidewalk removals 5/26 – 5/28 - Fence to go up

For questions or concerns please contact Mike Bauling at 815-748-2333 or Jennifer Groce at 815-748-7788.

Tomorrow's The Big Day

The FINAL phase of the 1rst to 4th Street Public Improvements construction will officially begin tomorrow, Tuesday, May 18, 2010. Work on Lincoln Highway will take place in phases throughout the summer with all work anticpated to be complete by August 14, 2010...just in time to welcome back our NIU students! Work on Lincoln Highway will be focused on the sidewalks. The block between 1rst and 2nd Street on the south side of Lincoln Highway will be the first block under construction and will move down the south side and then back to the north side starting at 1rst St. Work on the pedestrian pass through will take place through out the summer. Once work is completed on Lincoln Highway, work will move over to Locust Street.

UPDATE: Construction Set to Go Next Week Afterall!!

RNDK recieved word today at 2:30p.m. that construction was back on schedule for next week starting on Tuesday, May 18, 2010. Contractors will be on site starting on Tuesday removing benches and garbage cans in the first phase of the project (south side of Lincoln Highway between 1rst and 2nd St.). Wednesday- Friday's work will include sidewalk removal in the same area. ALL BUSINESS WILL BE ACCESSIBLE and all Parking lots are open. Parking will not be available on the south side of Lincoln between 1rst and 2nd St. If you have any additional questions please contact Mike Bauling at the City of DeKalb at 815-748-2000.

Construction on Lincoln Now to Begin May 24, 2010

Re:New DeKalb was informed today that construction on Lincoln Highway will not start until Monday May 24, 2010. Construction had been planned to start on Monday, May 17. The Lincoln Highway project is still anticipated to be completed by August 14, 2010 at this time. Some removal work may begin to take place next week and work could begin at the end of the week, but likely the main work will begin on May 24. If you have additional questions please contact Mike Bauling at the City of DeKalb at 815-748-2000

Work to begin May 17th, 2010

The City of DeKalb is preparing for the final phase of the Downtown Streetscape Construction Project. As always communication will be a critical element for this final phase that involves improvements on Lincoln Highway and Locust Street Re:New DeKalb is committed to providing business/property owners with up to date information and assistance throughout this phase of construction. To keep business/property owners informed Re:New DeKalb will post regular updates on this blog, host regular construction meetings for business/property owners and residents, send out email notifications and coordinate with the local media to ensure the public is informed about access and encouraged to keep visiting our businesses during construction. RNDK will also coordinate with the City of DeKalb and contractors to ensure visible signage is in place notifying downtown visitors where to park and how to access the businesses. In addition to the City of DeKalb Engineering Department, the RNDK office will also serve as a point of communication for business/property owners throughout the project.


East Lincoln Highway and Locust Streetscape
General Schedule of Work


Overall project work between 1st and 4th Street:

• East Lincoln Hwy sidewalks removed and replaced between curb and storefronts, some brick at bump-outs and brick bands along curb, new street lighting, trees and planters, and updated signs and street furniture (waste cans, ash urns, benches) and fiber optic ducts. Traffic signal posts will be painted black.
• Complete pedestrian pass-through as walkway sloped between Lincoln and Palmer Court, adding brick surface, walk railings, lights, and benches at landings.
• Reconstruction of Locust Street and burying overhead utilities and replacement of curbs with bump-outs, new sidewalks and brick bump-outs and brick bands, new lighting, tree planting, street furniture, fiber optic ducts and asphalt pavement.


Estimated schedule starting Lincoln Hwy May 17 working in stages block by block:

• May 17- June 27 south side 1st-3rd sidewalk removal, install underground electrical and light bases, underdrains, fiber optic duct, sidewalk concrete underlayment, & trees
• June 20-July 10 south side 3rd -4th repeated as above and bricks for 1st-3rd
• By about July 15 all south side bricks installed and all south sidewalks fully open
• July 1-July 22 north side 1st-2nd sidewalk removal, install underground electrical and light bases, underdrains, fiber optic duct, sidewalk concrete underlayment, & trees
• July 15- August 10 north side 2nd-3rd repeated as above and bricks for 1st-2nd
• August 2-August 20 north side 3rd-4th repeated as above and bricks 2nd-4th
• By about August 20 all north side bricks installed and north sidewalks fully open



Estimated schedule starting Locust Street about August 2, mostly one side at a time:

• August 2- September 15 Locust one-way westbound while south side only pavement removal, bury utilities, construct south side curb, concrete and brick sidewalks, south pavement, and south side lighting
• September 15-November 20 Locust one-way eastbound while north side pavement removal, finish electrical and fiber utility burial, construct north side curb, concrete and brick sidewalks, north side pavement, lighting, and landscaping both sides
• Spring 2011 complete Locust surface paving and textured crosswalks

Final Phase to Begin May, 17 2010

The final phase of the downtown public improvements was approved by the DeKalb City Council and will begin on May 17, 2010. A preconstruction meeting with the awarded contractor will be held on April 28, 2010 at 8:30 a.m. at the Egyptian Theatre. We will be uploading the construction phasing map that we have been discussing the last few months at R&R and final approved plans later this week. No major changes from previous meetings, but we hope downtown business/property owners and interested stakeholders will attend the April R&R. Stay tuned to the blog for regular construction updates.