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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us December 27, 2005 2006 will be busy in Talent Urban renewal in city to kick into high gear By Jennifer Squires Ashland Daily Tidings TALENT — Bids for the renovation of the historic Wagner Creek Bridge on Talent Avenue will be unsealed on Jan. 19, opening a busy year for the Talent Urban Renewal Agency. The agency will be involved in three significant construction projects — the building of a new city hall, improvements to Home Street and the bridge renovation — as well as sponsoring the master planning for the West Valley View Road area, according to agency executive director Marla Cates. “It’s a very long public process that’s going to start occurring in the middle of winter,” Cates said. In The Works Talent Urban Renewal projects planned for 2006: • The restoration of the historic Wagner Creek Bridge on Talent Avenue is expected to begin in the spring. A request for proposals sent out this year failed to generate any bids by its early-December deadline. Proposals for the contract are now due on Jan. 19. • Groundbreaking on the new city hall building could occur as early as July, according to Cates. Construction is anticipated to start earlier than planned because of increased costs. The first phase will include the staff offices. The urban renewal agency will renovate Library Park as part of the project. Bids for development of the park will be accepted in February and the city hall construction proposals will be due in April. • Improvements to Home Street, a short stretch just west of the Talent Library, will be made this summer. • The urban renewal-sponsored improvement of building facades will continue. The project gives property owners inside the urban renewal district $5,000 in direct grants or $10,000 in matching grants to restore historic qualities of buildings. The West Valley View Road master plan will outline where future streets and alleyways could be built in the two mammoth blocks that side up against West Valley View Road between Talent Avenue and South Pacific Highway (Highway 99). The north block starts at New Street, near Umpqua Bank; the south block ends at Gangnes Street. The goal “is to have a master plan as this area develops over time, as it will,” Cates said, explaining the plan will indicate how to create access to the insides of the property for appropriate development. “There will be a street network plan in place that will allow that area to function well.” Discussion about creating a master plan for the area began with community meetings back in February and April of 2004 to determine if property owners and residents supported the project. “All the people who came to the meeting said ‘Yeah, it’s sounds beneficial,’” Cates said. The urban renewal agency contracted Portland-based consultants Fregonese Calthorpe to complete background research and facilitate the public process. One of the consultants working on the project is former Ashland City Planner John Fregonese, whose familiarity with the area will aid work, Cates said. Talent City Manager Betty Wheeler and City Planner John Adam are also heavily involved in the master planning process. Fregonese Calthorpe began work this month and will present several scenarios for development to the Talent residents at an open house in January. For more information, contact Cates at 535-6170. Staff writer Jennifer Squires can be reached at 482-3456 x 225 or [email protected]. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Deep Muscle Stimulator Ceramic Piggy Banks FREE Entertainment Guide Women's & Men's Slippers Accelerate Weightloss Products Backpacks Online Pharmacy Vegas Travel Guide Search Engine Optimization Student Loans Hotel & Airline Reservations Hammocks Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Online Casinos Community Bonus Casino Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Mailing Lists Click Here Advertisement .:Advertisements:. Site Search: RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams