Railroad Square plan may get in gear tonight

The project is intended to bring pedestrians downtown and showcase the city's heritage.

By JODIE TILLMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published November 13, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - Another year, another plan for Railroad Square.

But these latest plans for the first phase of the long-discussedstreetscaping project finally came in under budget. If the Community Redevelopment Agency decides to move forward tonight, contractors could bid on the project as early as next spring.

The improvements, which would cover the stretch of Nebraska Avenue between Grand Boulevard and Adams Street, include the addition of brick-patterned pavement, decorative streetlights, trees, planters and drainage work. A simulated "track" in the pavement and railroad crossing signs would reflect the railroad theme.

Early estimates put building the improvements at $370,000, well under the $550,000 the city had put in its redevelopment budget, said David Crawley, manager with consultant URS.

Railroad Square is aimed at bringing pedestrians downtown and showcasing New Port Richey's heritage as a booming railroad town in the early 1920s. A train station was once at Nebraska Avenue and Grand Boulevard.

Five years ago, residents and downtown merchants started hearing about the idea for the project. But there were few concrete details until the city hired its first consultant.

The news the city got last year wasn't good. Officials had planned to spend $1-million on Railroad Square but learned it would cost at least twice as much.

This information came amid soaring costs for other city projects, including the new recreation center, and led to talk of shelving Railroad Square indefinitely. But council members in July 2006 approved a conceptual plan to build the project in four phases as money became available. Putting that entire plan into action carries a price tag of $4.5-million.

Last year, officials paid about $100,000 to hire another consultant, URS, which has spent nearly a year refining a first phase that won't break the city's construction budget.

A little-discussed factor in all this is private investment. On this particular stretch of Nebraska, for instance, the backs of about five buildings face the street.

City officials say they want to forge ahead with the project whether or not these owners do something to make their buildings fit in with a new setting. The hope, city officials say, is that public improvements will spur private investment.

Officials have sent letters to property owners about tonight's meeting and say the owners may also be eligible for city grant money to improve their facades.

"In this ultimate vision, it'll be critical to have community buy-in," said Crawley, the consultant.

A couple of the building owners said last week they weren't sure what they were going to do. After all, they've been hearing about Railroad Square for years - but never seeing progress.

Patrick Pellizze, district manager for Tampa Christian Bookstore, said he's supportive but not getting too excited yet.

"Maybe this will finally help," he said. "If it's going to bring people down here, I'm not against it."

Jodie Tillman can be reached at jtillman@sptimes.com or 727 869-6247.

Fast facts

In other business tonight:

Want a say about what to do with the city-owned First Baptist Church property at Orange Lake? The Community Redevelopment Agency will discuss how to proceed now that the developer who had proposed redeveloping the church has backed out. Should it seek other proposals? Sell the property as is? Demolish the church and then put the land on the market?

The meeting at City Hall begins at 7 p.m.

[Last modified November 12, 2007, 21:14:42]