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Sutter Street Revitalization to Break Ground, Public Invited

FOLSOM - A community groundbreaking ceremony for the Sutter Street Revitalization Project will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 23 at the corner of Sutter and Wool streets in Historic Folsom.

The revitalization project includes removal of the center median strip and shed roofs; construction of new traffic lanes, sidewalks and on-street parking; installation of water and sewer infrastructure; and the addition of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ramps and other accessibility improvements.

"Revitalizing Sutter Street is crucial for the continued success of the very heart of our City," says Mayor Jeffrey Starsky. "Our goal is to increase the Historic District's economic viability while preserving the unique character and ambiance we all treasure."

The City Council awarded an $8.4 million contract to Teichert Construction during the Jan. 12 Council meeting. Following the ceremonial groundbreaking, work is slated to begin in early February and be substantially complete before the 2010 holiday season.

"We encourage residents to continue supporting Historic District merchants during construction," says City Manager Kerry Miller. "All businesses will remain open and special events will continue as usual. It will be exciting to watch the process unfold in the coming months."

The Sutter Street Revitalization Project is funded with Redevelopment funds that are derived from property taxes generated within the Historic District. These funds are restricted and can only be used in the designated project area for narrowly defined purposes.

City officials, merchants, historic preservationists and residents worked closely together over the past four years to plan the revitalization project. The City conducted about 20 large scale public meetings and frequent small group meetings focusing on specific topics related to the project.