KINGMAN — As dozens of Mojave County residents, business owners and elected officials gather in the heart of Beale Street to defy the heat and celebrate the start of a long-running movement, a new building sits on a nearby corner. I was given a juice sample from the restaurant, The Healthy Bar. Discussed the revitalization project of the city’s historic downtown.
One of many communities in northern Arizona with deep and enduring ties to historic Route 66, downtown Kingman stands out here compared to other places that are particularly focused on Route 66 tourism. It has been largely ignored as an investment target for decades.
“This is great for Kingman,” said Kingman Mayor Ken Watkins. “We already have a great city, but this will make it even better.”
The $7 million project will run between First and Sixth Streets along Beale Street, connecting to historic Route 66 one block away. Proposed improvements include updating pedestrian areas and making all sidewalks, ramps and driveways compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The project also includes the addition of extensive landscaping, wayfinding elements, street furniture and other amenities within the existing site.
The goal is to combine all these features to develop a unique theme and identity for downtown Kingman.
Construction is expected to take until May 2024 and will be done in three phases.
The first phase, which incorporates the first block of Beale Street heading east, begins this month and runs through October. After that, construction will begin on the next block, which is expected to be completed in January. The third and final phase of the project, he expects to be completed by May.
Pedestrian fencing will be installed to allow continued access to the store during construction.
After educating residents and local leaders about what improvements to downtown, not just those directly related to Beale Street, would mean for the community as a whole, and having multiple community organizations endorse the project, the construction finally ended. approved.
“The community worked really hard. Never in my seven years on the City Council have I seen an issue get so much support from the community. I think it gave us the confidence to make that investment,” said City Councilman Jamie Scott Sterry. , herself a second resident of Kingman.
“Investing in creating places for tourists and locals seemed like a worthwhile cause to me. It also boosts pride,” she said.
What impact has construction had on your business?
Business is reviving on Beale Street, with new restaurants and shops opening in the last few years, Stelly said.
Sarah Ferry is a Kingman local who opened the co-op West of Third in 2017 in phase one of Beale Street’s construction. She is also a member of the Downtown Ferry nonprofit Kingman Her Main Her Streets, and she is a passionate advocate on behalf of the project. She emphasized that the revenue generated on Beale Street benefits the city as a whole.
“Our city’s funding mechanism is the sales tax. We don’t have a property tax, so it makes sense to invest in something that generates more sales tax revenue,” she says.
She said these upgrades are expected to improve the livability and overall quality of life for current residents and, in the long term, ultimately attract new professionals to the area.
“There is a doctor shortage everywhere, and this doesn’t seem to be directly related to that, but in the more attractive neighborhoods, professionals live there and families have things to do, go and get together.” There are places where we can,” he said. Julia Walters Kolska, another member of Kingman Main Street, who works at a local hospital.
Businesses along Beale Street are strategizing how to best advance construction schedules and minimize business impact, Ferry said.
“Here’s the messy middle,” she said. “It’s going to be really tough during construction, but we all have to come together. We have to be really resourceful and creative.”
Ferry said construction will be completed block by block at a time, so companies on blocks that are still vacant will offer pop-up opportunities on storefronts in sections that are currently under construction.
The project “will be groundbreaking,” Ferry said, especially given that the street is one of the few areas in Kingman that is truly walkable.
“I don’t think people in our community are used to enjoying such a beautiful space.”
Here’s where to contact reporters: LLatch@gannett.com.
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