Village gets start to make-over

June Casagrande

BALBOA VILLAGE -- Roadwork begun this week on a stretch of Balboa

Boulevard marks the start of an $8-million improvement project likely to

continue into 2004.

The City Council on Tuesday approved a nearly $3.3-million contract

with GCI Construction for the first phase of a three-phase project of

major work, which will include a 35-foot tower at the northeast corner of

Palm and Balboa Boulevard.

Work crews have closed off the north side of Balboa Boulevard between

Adams and Main streets.

“We’ve already had some traffic control issues there and they’re going

to continue,” said Bob Stein of the city’s public works department.

Within days, the parking lot area next to the pier will be partially

closed to accommodate equipment and work, and it will remain closed until

about Memorial Day. About 250 of its roughly 660 spaces will be kept

available for parking until the lot reopens with 718 spaces.

When crews have finished work along Balboa Boulevard, the sidewalks

will be refinished with a diamond-pattern surface and new trees, planters

and light fixtures will be some of the first visible elements.

Before fall 2002, Pier Plaza will boast one of the most striking

elements of the improvement project: a wave pattern in concrete walking

surfaces.

“And now there’s going to be another way out of the parking lot

there,” Stein said. Specifically, cars will be able to drive from the

parking lot, around Pier Plaza and directly onto Main Street.

After fall 2002, the second phase will begin diamond resurfacing of

Main, Washington and Palm streets south of Balboa Boulevard. By fall

2003, residents should also see one of the bolder elements of the plan --

between A Street and Adams, Oceanfront will be imbued with three colors

of glass and mother of pearl.

“It will be very colorful,” Stein said.

Streets north of Balboa Boulevard, including Washington, Palm and Bay,

will get resurfacing beginning in fall 2003. When this final phase is

complete, a 35-foot walk-through tower will lead pedestrians to a

mini-park with landscaping, trellises and seating. City planners are

still considering designs for the tower.

“It will be a little park -- a community gathering area -- that’s

going to have a little bit of the pavilion feel,” Stein said.

Peninsula Park also will be refurbished in the final phase of the

work.

Financing for the project comes from community development block

grants, and off-street parking and gas taxes. About $2 million is

expected to come from certificates of participation, which are basically

bonds, Stein said.