Council debates scope and cost of preserving Terrace Park brick (bridal) streets

City staff presented a proposed policy and phased approach for bridal (brick) street preservation in the historic Terrace Park area at the Dec. 16 meeting. The recommended approach would harvest exposed bricks from an identified zone, stockpile them and use them to construct a U‑shaped historic route in the Terrace Park historic district. Staff said full curb‑to‑curb brick reconstruction would require concrete substrate and additional underground work in parts of the district and therefore carry substantially higher costs.

Council members questioned the estimated cost increase for brick reconstruction (staff described additional costs for wider streets, curb/gutter and storm‑sewer work) and asked for a detailed breakdown isolating the differential between a normal asphalt (HMA) reconstruction and a brick surface reconstruction including concrete base costs. Some council members favored preserving brick in the historic district but proposed narrower options—travel‑lane brick only, decorative strips, or phased segments—rather than full curb‑to‑curb bricking for every block due to the roughly multi‑million dollar differential discussed.

Staff agreed to run additional scenarios and return with detailed cost differentials for standard reconstruction versus brick reconstruction, and alternative designs that would preserve historic character while limiting the budget impact. Council members emphasized preserving historic character but asked for options that reduce the initial cost estimate.