The City of Atchison is keying up a seven-figure investment in its downtown district, which could result in the removal of the Commercial Street Mall as we know it, and a complete renovative facelift for the community.
Joe Warren, chief spokesman for the municipal government in his capacity as director of administrative services, announced on Wednesday morning via a news release that a grant will award $1.5 million of a $2 million streetscape project. The grant is being enabled by funding from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), via its Cost Share Program.
In the main, the project is meant to convert the 500 and 600 blocks of Commercial Street into a regular city street which will allow vehicles to drive through the center of downtown and park in front of businesses on an area currently reserved for foot traffic. City Manager Becky Berger, as quoted in the news release, said the resulting improvements will mirror the 700 and 800 blocks of Commercial Street, west of the mall. In recent years, that area has shown the most rapid economic growth in town.
(Read more: Atchison Globe Now)