What the possibilities are for the look of Ludington Street in Escanaba’s downtown will be the subject of a business workshop on Tuesday, April 18.
The Escanaba Downtown Development Authority (DDA) with the city of Escanaba is looking at the possibility of applying for a state placemaking grant to develop a town square concept at 11th and Ludington Streets and begin the design and construction of streetscape on Ludington Street.
“This is something that has been talked about for years, if not decades,” said Craig Woerpel, executive director of the Escanaba DDA. “We have an opportunity to apply for a competitive grant that may allow the vision to finally begin.”
A public meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18, at Escanaba City Hall to discuss the projects.
“We will find out more about the grant later this month so, for now, we are looking at what we would like to see done that might fit the criteria of the placemaking grant,” Woerpel said.
The concept is to create a gathering area on 11th Street from the alleys to Ludington Street and extend the public parking lots on the west end of the street into 11th Street. The area south of Ludington Street would be a plaza for various activities such as sidewalk sales, art shows or other displays. The area on the north side could include a dedicated area for food trucks with a small pavilion.
The activities in the new space would compliment activities at the Escanaba Marketplace and Municipal Dock, Woerpel said.
Ludington Street itself would include curbed medians with grass and trees to provide additional green space in the downtown and slow traffic. The concept would be to install medians from 12th Street to the Municipal Dock. The project would also include paving of Ludington Street to 9th Street when city crews replace utilities in 2024.
The discussion will also include the need for a public restroom at Centre Court on 11th Street and the development of an art garden. The plan is to build a new entrance to a restroom at the DDA building that is more private and open during business hours.
The art garden will include displays from three artists recently recognized at the Bonifas Arts Center’s Membership Show, a large mural, display of artwork from the Bonifas permanent collection and sculpture of the area’s monarch butterfly migration.
The garden could include sitting areas, pathways, rock displays, an arbor and plantings.
“We are hoping to start the art garden with a crowdfunding grant through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. It would be great to finish that project this year. It would then be the start of the larger project next year depending on funds available,” said Woerpel.
Tuesday’s meeting is to provide more detail and get public input before the grant process begins later this month, Woerpel said.
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