Streator businesses look forward to finished Main Street project

Contractors poured concrete into the brick areas of the north sidewalk Friday afternoon on the 200 block of East Main Street in Streator as the downtown streetscaping project is in full motion.

At times since the project began March 22, Main Street has been reduced to one lane, some parking spots have been temporarily closed and some sections of sidewalk have been blocked off.

But it didn’t stop a number of shoppers Friday afternoon from moving in and out of storefronts.

Wild Hearts Boutique owner Deb Sergeant said the construction has slowed down business at times, but it’s just a temporary inconvenience. She said what has helped is the construction has been done in sections, meaning there are days at a time when the construction is ongoing further down the street.

“It’ll be nice when it is done,” said the business owner at 214 E. Main St. of the project. “I’m looking forward to it.”

City Engineer Jeremy Palm said he hopes to have the construction on Main Street finished by the Fourth of July.

The streetscaping project will extend the 300 East Main Street concept block that features brick bump outs, coal cart planters and period street lights on Main Street from the Vermilion River to Wasson Street.

The city received a $487,960 grant from the Illinois Transportation Enhancement program and kicked in $185,000 of its own funds from motor fuel taxes to get the project started this spring.

The beautification also features embedded brick crosswalks, hanging planters, wayfinding signs and the addition of benches and garbage cans, among other features.

“I love the improvements, especially the Barr bricks,” said Mary Zavada, of Bromley & Brown Boutique at 409 E. Main St. “I think they are getting it done in a timely manner. It will nice to see when everything is done how nice it looks.”

Barr Bricks were manufactured in Streator, giving a nod to its manufacturing past.

Additionally, cobalt blue ceramic and glass bricks created by Gavin Finefield of Finefield Pottery have been installed every eight feet in the brick ribbon. They are designed to give the downtown streetscaping project a signature characteristic. The blue was selected to match the color in Streator’s seal and blue was one of the colors of the cullet pile at Owens-Illinois glass factory.

“It is nice,” said Nancy Holmberg at H&H Mercantile at 314 E. Main St. of the blue bricks. “I think they could have done more of them.”

At this time, spaces have been left between the bricks in the ribbon, but Palm said a polymer sanded grout will be put between the bricks to seal them.

Some business owners expressed concern about the loss of parking spaces with the installation of bump outs at each crosswalk on Main Street, but Palm said not a single space will be lost in the project.

“There were no spaces in that area, because it was too close to the intersection,” Palm said. “That’s one misconception that’s out there — we will not lose one space.”

The engineer, however, said some spaces may close temporarily while construction workers are busy in those areas, especially as they lay the brick ribbon down Main Street.

“I think it will look nice when it’s finished,” said Mark VanDuzer, at VanDuzer Jewelers, 310 E. Main St. “The construction really hasn’t affected our business.”

Sergeant said Fridays and Saturdays are the busiest time for her shop, and she’s grateful the machines and closures are put on hold during the weekend.

At this point, the brick ribbon has been laid on the majority of the north sidewalk of Main Street. The south sidewalk ribbon has yet to be installed.