Information of long term Yampa Avenue sidewalk undertaking makes mixed feelings for business enterprise entrepreneurs

The 500 block of Yampa in entrance of The Obtain and Cornerstone Realty, as seen on Thursday, Jan. 7. The town of Craig is arranging a sidewalk renovation project, slated to start off later on this year on the 400 and 500 blocks of Yampa. (Joshua Carney / Craig Press)

Some downtown company homeowners have blended feelings about the sidewalk reconstruction task alongside the 400 and 500 blocks of Yampa Avenue.The news that development would start off on the extend of downtown was announced on Jan. 6 at a General public Will work meeting.

According to Landmark Consultant’s husband or wife, Eric Griepentrog, the venture will choose most if not all of 2021.

Some company owners fear design could block off entryways to their small business. The results of diminished foot website traffic could strike even tougher coming on the heels of the pandemic.



“I am bummed that they are doing it a summer time after we’re recovering from COVID,” Barrel Cathedral Supervisor Savanna Crow said. “I’m worried about the park staying taken above by development and contractors and how that could possibly prohibit us from obtaining activities in the park this summer time.”

The owner of Downtown Publications and Coffee, Liane Davis-Kling, welcomes the sidewalk advancements and gains from obtain to a backdoor that shoppers can use to enter the bookstore.



“That would be my organization I are unable to converse for other companies,” she claimed.

Some small business proprietors questioned the require for these kinds of a undertaking. One particular of individuals business entrepreneurs is Kyann Mounts, the proprietor of Buckaroos Western Use.

“Honestly, I imagine it’s wonderful. I don’t seriously think it is important to shell out the income to redo it when there is things there by now in position and the trees are high-quality and the lights are great,” Mounts reported. “So I am not guaranteed why we will need to shell out dollars with the city to have it all redone, personally.”

Other small business proprietors, this kind of as Embroidery Shoppe owner Rodney Beason, think it should get finished irrespective of exterior impacts.

“Yeah, do it anytime. That need to have zero impact whatsoever on this undertaking,” Beason mentioned.

That impression was also echoed by Davis-Kling mainly because of the anxiety of a pedestrian acquiring harm on the uneven streets.

“It however is needed because they have been there for so extended and they are starting up to slide apart. As the ground shifts, you’re going to have far more dips,” Davis-Kling mentioned. “Somebody is heading to get into an incident and then you have a lawsuit. … In addition it aids every person who is a little little bit disabled to get all around a tiny bit improved.”

In addition to the prepared sidewalk advancements on Yampa Avenue, the town is also improving upon the gentle poles, which could assistance enhance enterprise the moment the job is complete, one business operator said.

“I would like to see more lights because at like 5, 6 o clock, it is dim. Far more gentle than what we have. I hope they have that in the projections because if it’s just correcting the sidewalk and leaving like it is,” Renata Beason, the proprietor of the Embroidery Shoppe claimed. “It’s not good. I assume for downtown to enchantment a lot more it requirements to be extra noticeable for the reason that people are not going property when it is dim.”