An adage states, “Good things come to those who wait.” However, waiting for something good can be challenging, even for adults. Today, Wednesday, October 9, 2013, a long-anticipated beautification project, at the intersection of W. Market and Orange Streets, finally began. We must wait 60 days to see the complete transformation, but it will be done before Christmas.
About 2009, S. Robert Wood initiated the concept of a comprehensive “Market Street Renaissance,” through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO.) He secured a $75,000 grant to pay for improvements to the parking lot–if the City of Morrison purchased the land from ComEd. They did not, so the grant funds sat idle.
On Wednesday, May 16, 2012, the Morrison Area Development Corporation (MADC) voted to gift the City funds needed to purchase the property.
These two generous gifts will provide the City an attractive, much-needed parking lot for businesses, employees, and visitors of the downtown. With steady traffic along Orange Street, there will be many opportunities to admire the combined and determined efforts to improve Morrison.
Civil Constructors staff used a saw and an excavator to remove concrete at the north lot entrance. The powerful machine ripped out fence posts bordering the lot, as easily as removing candles from a birthday cake.
Extracted posts were carried by skid-steer loader to a flatbed trailer for removal.
Sterling Fence employees assisted in the first day work.
Demolition always makes for dramatic changes. Let the rebuild begin!
