DDA considers makeovers for Old Town plaza, 2 alleys

FORT COLLINS — The Fort Collins Downtown Development Authority has initiated work on two beautification projects for the central business district.
First, DDA officials want to put Old Town Square Plaza through a nearly extreme makeover, a project that could run up to $1 million.
“It’s 20-years-old, it needs to be renovated,´ said Chip Steiner, executive director of the DDA. “Even the lights look dated. They looked cool for 1980.”
The DDA plans to issue a request for proposals for renovation of the plaza, which has become a victim of its own popularity.
“One of the things that initiated this is the general inability to keep the pavers clean,” Steiner said. “It just seems impossible to keep them clean.”
Chief culprits in the paver problem include gum, grease and candle wax.
Another motivation for the planned renovation is the condition of concrete planters, benches and other fixtures in the square, all of which are at various levels of degradation.
In a related matter, the DDA is negotiating to take over maintenance responsibility for the plaza along with the city of Fort Collins. Currently, Old Town Square Partners — the private firm that owns the surrounding retail and office buildings on either side of the plaza — supervises the maintenance on the public plaza.
Ed Stoner, president of Old Town Square Partners, said he’s agreeable to the switch.
“The usage of the plaza has been greater than anybody anticipated,” he said. “Right now there are people everywhere and it’s just 1:30 on a Monday afternoon … We had 77 different events on the stage last year, and this year it’s going to be equal to that.”
It just gets a lot more use than was originally anticipated. It’s taken its toll on the concrete, on the pavers, on the planters, and the skateboarders just knock the heck out of the benches.”
Steiner expects the renovation work to begin after the Christmas shopping season, and hopes to see it completed in time for the summer.
Old Town Square may be the most visible space in downtown Fort Collins, but the DDA sees princely possibilities with some otherwise ignored corners of the central business district.
The DDA board of directors has started discussions for renovation of two alleys — Trimble Court between Old Town Square and North College Avenue, and the alley that connects Mountain and Laporte avenues on the west side of College Avenue — both of which have become significant pedestrian walkways.
Initial plans call for turning the alleys into commercial venues, with space for outdoor seating, vendors and public art. Project estimates for the renovation total $1.4 million.
“You can go into alleys anywhere in Europe and they’re just overgrown with flowers and ivy — it’s very inviting,” Steiner said.
One significant benefit to upgrading the Mountain-to-Laporte alley is to improve the pedestrian access to and from the Civic Center parking garage. Currently, the alley is poorly lit and includes large trash bins.
“If the environment were improved … it would probably improve the willingness and acceptance for using those parking garages,” Steiner said.

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