Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/170820
Sarasota News Leader September 13, 2013 Page 27 portions of Main Street. The total project cost "The more word gets out that we've got good of $1.9 million was paid by the Downtown Im- outdoor dining, the more it will bring people provement District. to our downtown," Beeman said. In one phase, workers expanded the brick sidewalk at the busier pedestrian stretches in front of the Gator Club, Pastry Art and C'est La Vie on Main Street. That phase, from Lemon Avenue to Orange Avenue, is complete. The largest segment of work, currently under way, would replace diagonal parking spaces on the north side of lower Main Street — from Gulfstream Avenue to Five Points Park — with parallel spaces, which would free up more room for sidewalk expansion. The sideThe wider sidewalk sections — or bulbouts — walk in that area will gain eight feet. are designed to encompass additional outdoor café seating while making downtown more The third segment of work will bring enhancewalkable. As crews constructed the bulbouts, ments to the intersection of Main Street and lampposts also were repainted; brighter light Palm Avenue, one of the busiest and most visbulbs also are in the works. ible downtown. Beeman thinks the bulbouts will become a The Sarasota city commissioners voted in July boon for all of Main Street. to install brick pavers at the four crosswalks Construction continued along Main Street near Gulfstream Avenue last week. Photo by Norman Schimmel