The village could potentially put the work out for bid to contractors after that, according to a landscape architect charged with designing the enhancements who gave a project update to the village board at their meeting Feb. 5.

The board of trustees approved several measures related to the projects at the meeting, notably approving a determination of non-significance on a New York State Quality Review Act survey for the village's Downtown Streetscape and Riverwalk Trail Project. That determination indicates that the project will have no significant adverse impact on the environment, and was a key next step in the process.

The board also approved several other measures related to the planned downtown enhancements.

“There’s some really great work happening on our Downtown Streetscape and our Riverwalk projects,” said Mayor Alexandra Jacobs Wilke at the top of the meeting.

“This work is going to be really incredible and transformative for our downtown. I’m looking forward to breaking ground,” Wilke said.

Project scope

Andy Rymph, director of landscape architecture with LaBella Associates based in Troy — the firm contracted by the village to do design work for its streetscape and riverwalk projects — gave an overview of both projects to the board and where the work moves from here.

The Downtown Streetscape Enhancement Project area will include areas of Market Street from its intersection with Depot Street to the intersection with Maple and Main Streets, and Raymond Street from the intersection with Market Street to its terminus at Garner Park. New sidewalks, pedestrian safety features, decorative crosswalks, pedestrian-scaled LED street lighting through National Grid, stormwater management facilities, new street trees, way-finding signage, and street furnishings are some of the enhancements expected under the project.

Rymph said other enhancements will include tightening up some of the longer pedestrian intersection crossings and the installation of new street trees and planters.

“Primarily, all new trees throughout. There are a few trees that will ultimately be able to be maintained in the corridor, but there are a lot which are either not the right tree for a location or have outgrown their original intention,” Rymph said.

The landscape architect said new LED pedestrian lighting of a consistent design will tie the streetscape together. “That’s a really important aspect of this project,” said Rymph.

The village's Downtown Riverwalk Trail Project area includes the section of Maple Street between Market Street and Clarkson Ave., Maple Street Park at the intersection of Maple Street, Clarkson Ave., and Sandstone Drive, and a connection between Sandstone Drive and Garner Park. The scope of work of that project will include bicycle lanes, new sidewalks, pedestrian safety features, a pocket park, pedestrian-scaled LED street lighting, new street trees, art installations, and way-finding signage.

“Its a very unique experience up here in Potsdam. You have the academic institutions. You have a very strong and vibrant art culture,” Rymph said.

The architect said the art included in the Riverwalk would be a way to “pull people through spaces, to energize spaces.”  

“It will really make it an enjoyable experience,” he said.

Rymph went over changes to date on the plan from original designs several years ago, due in part to some of the cost changes due to three years of inflation in the cost of materials since design on the project began.

Rymph said the negative declaration on the SEQRA form the board would approve later at the meeting was a key part towards moving things forward. He presented the updated designs for the projects to the board members but advised that the village meet again with its project design committee to further review the scope of work as it stands before getting started.

He said LaBella is now putting together its project documents to go back to the state Department of Transportation for design approvals.

Once the firm receives the proper permits, contracts with the state will be signed for the work. “We are actively working on that, targeting for the schedule at the end of… March to have that,” Rymph said.

After contracts are signed, the architect estimates the village can then bid with contractors to start the actual work.

Rymph cautioned that the village should expect some flexibility in the project price tags for various aspects of the work given cost fluctuations of labor and materials.

Village Trustee Sharon Williams, who is the executive director of the North Country Children’s Museum on Raymond Street, said the museum’s DRI funded project inflated in price by about 85 percent over initial cost estimates.

Skatepark project

The proposed village art and skate park, which received preliminary project approval as part of the Riverwalk from the state just last year after DRI project funding was freed up from another project backing out, is a little behind the other parts of the project.  

“We’re continuing to try to find out what needs to happen to get that final release of funding for the skate park aspect of the Riverwalk project. Again, the funding has been approved but its just not in our hands such that we can release our RFQ (Request for Quote) for design services which we’ve had ready for about a year now. So, once that happens, we’ll move that forward,” said Wilke at the top of the meeting.

Moving forward

Other agenda items related to downtown enhancements approved by the board at the meeting Feb. 5, included a real estate exchange between the municipality and Market Square Potsdam LLC, two easements for Trezza Realty dealing with that company’s project at the former Scanlon's Auto Parts building off Depot Street, and a decommissioning and abandonment of Liberty Street.

A resolution directing Fred Hanss, village director of planning and development, to solicit proposals from architectural and engineering firms to provide design service for the development and construction of Brooks Street was also approved.

Brooks Street, as proposed, will connect Raymond and Depot streets and be constructed during the enhancement of Market Square mall planned by owner Brooks Washburn, Potsdam-based architect.