After nearly four years of community meetings, zoning negotiations, and two rounds of public comment, ground has officially broken on the downtown revitalization corridor — a $14 million project that promises to reshape the heart of the city before the end of next year.

The effort, a partnership between the city’s economic development office and a local private investment group, will convert eight consecutive vacant storefronts along Main Street into a mixed-use strip featuring ground-floor retail, twelve units of affordable housing, and a 4,000-square-foot public plaza anchored by a covered pavilion.

“This is what happens when a community refuses to accept decline,” said City Councilwoman Priya Nair at the ceremonial groundbreaking on Tuesday morning. “Every storefront that went dark was a symbol of what we were losing. Every one we bring back is a symbol of what we can be.”

The project has not been without controversy. Several business owners whose leases were terminated to clear space for construction have criticized the timeline and what they call inadequate relocation assistance. Pam Kowalski, who operated a florist shop at 214 Main for eleven years, said she was given less than sixty days’ notice before her space was claimed under the city’s eminent domain provision.

“I’m not against growth,” Kowalski said at a county commission meeting last fall. “I’m against being treated like an obstacle.”

City officials maintain that relocation support — including a $7,500 grant available to displaced tenants — exceeded state minimums, and that four of the affected businesses have already secured new locations within a half-mile of the project zone.

What Gets Built

The first phase, expected to be complete by late summer, covers three storefronts on the northern end of the block and includes an anchor restaurant space, a co-working hub aimed at local entrepreneurs, and a fitness studio already leased by a local yoga instructor who outgrew her current space.

The public plaza — which design renderings show as a mix of fixed seating, planters, and a small stage for outdoor events — will be built in phase two alongside the housing units, with completion targeted for Q1 2027.

A community advisory board will oversee programming for the plaza, including a farmers market on Saturday mornings that organizers hope to launch by summer of 2027.

“We didn’t want a plaza that looks nice in renderings and sits empty in real life. We wanted something programmed by the people who actually live here.” — Marcus Dreed, Advisory Board Chair

Local Business Angle

The project’s development team says they are actively recruiting locally owned businesses to fill the retail spaces, with lease terms structured to give independent operators a price advantage over chains during the first three years of occupancy.

Three of the six commercial units are reportedly already in negotiations with prospective tenants, including a bookshop, a specialty grocery focused on locally sourced goods, and a restaurant concept from a chef with previous experience at two well-regarded kitchens in the region.

What’s Next

Construction crews began work Monday on utilities and foundation prep. The development team expects minimal disruption to the surrounding blocks, though parking on the east side of Main between Fourth and Sixth will be closed for approximately six weeks.

A project progress website has been set up at a city-managed domain where residents can track construction milestones, submit feedback, and apply for the small business advisory council that will help evaluate tenant applications.

The next community update meeting is scheduled for April 9 at the Central Library, 6 p.m.