Two important downtown La Grande revitalization projects will commence in early June, starting with the long-awaited Big H Streetscape Project and including the environmental clean up of the IOOF/State Theater buildings, also referred to as the Renegade building.

The Big H project will kick off on May 31, 2012 with a community/ neighborhood meeting to discuss the project details with the contractor. The meeting will take place in the Eastern Oregon Fire Museum at 102 Elm Street and will begin at 4 p.m. The Fire Museum will become the temporary “project central” location for the Big H.The Big H streetscape project will replace and enhance sidewalks & pedestrian ramps, provide new alleyways and alley approaches, install new antique-style pedestrian lights with ultra-efficient LED lighting, new benches, new trees and a few other amenities designed to make downtown a special and unique shopping environment. The project encompasses Elm and Depot Streets between Washington and Jefferson avenues and the section of Adams between Elm and Depot. The Big H project will begin in early June and continue into early fall 2012.

Michael A. Becker General Contractor, Inc. has provided the City of La Grande with the apparent low bid. This $1.1 million project is being funded by the La Grande Urban Renewal Agency with some project assistance through an Oregon Department of Transportation Pedestrian and Bicycle Program grant and City of La Grande Public Works resources.

The clean up of the historic IOOF/ State Theater buildings at 1106 Adams Avenue (also known as the Renegade building) will begin at around the same time. This project, managed by AMEC Environment & Infrastructure, will remove the environmental hazards associated with the interior of the buildings, returning the site to a safe, marketable condition. This phase of the project will also repair the roofs on the buildings. A future phase will repair the windows and provide some minor façade repairs. The project will last for approximately two months, during which time the alley at the rear of the buildings will be closed. This project is being funded by the La Grande Urban Renewal Agency with assistance from an Oregon Coalition Brownfields Cleanup Fund grant from the Oregon Business Development Department.

More information on both projects can be found on the City’s website. www.cityoflagrande.org.

WEEKLY UPDATES

Updates are provided by  Charlie Mitchell, CEcD – Community & Economic Development Director for the City of La Grande.

• Big H Streetscape Project – Weekly Update – Week 1 – June 4-8
• BIG H Project Weekly Update – Week 2
• BIG H Project Weekly Update – Week 3
• BIG H Project Weekly Update Week 5 & 6