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Guilford Downtown Project Announced

Guilford is rightfully proud of its historic Green, but the Green’s immediate environs don’t always reflect a similar, welcoming vibe. Things could start looking a lot different in the Water Street parking area, though, thanks to a $446,000 grant aimed at upgrading the lot’s aesthetics and safety.

State Representative Sean Scanlon and First Selectman Joseph Mazza, Jr., along with Town Engineer Jim Portley and Economic Development Director Brian McGlone, presented the concept this morning at the Water Street lot. A schematic of the project showed the addition of 24 new street trees and 16 new street lamps.

“Our downtown center along the Green is the lifeblood of our local economy and this project will go a long way toward making sure residents and visitors have a safe, well-lit, and pothole-free place to park when visiting our great shops and restaurants,” said Scanlon in a prepared statement. “I’ve heard a lot of complaints about the state of this parking lot over the years and I’m proud to have been able to secure this funding on behalf of our community.”

“This project has been on the drawing board for a few years and we are delighted to learn that through the efforts of Representative Scanlon we are now able to get the funding to move ahead with this renovation that will complement the shops and our wonderful Town Green,” said Mazza.

The grant, which totals $446,000, will be used to upgrade and renovate the existing parking lot through re-paving and enhanced drainage and by installing lampposts to properly light the parking lot at night, increasing handicapped parking, and installing traffic calming islands and crosswalks.

It is anticipated that project design and formal bidding will take 120 days and that construction will begin next spring before finishing by June 30, 2016. Officials said neighboring store owners would be consulted before a construction schedule was set.