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Council approves Riverpoint lighting and downtown gateway sign projects funded with CCCFF and local match; public raises budget concerns
Summary
The council awarded contracts for downtown festoon lighting and a gateway sign funded by a state CCCFF grant and local matches; staff said the projects will replace some existing poles, provide corridor lighting and be maintained by the vehicle parking district, while a public commenter criticized use of vehicle parking district funds and raised long‑term cost concerns.
Council members approved two related downtown projects Feb. 2: a $577,873 award to Model Electric for festoon and corridor lighting that will connect the Riverpoint district to downtown, and a gateway sign contract to Huff Construction (low bid $615,489) later reduced by negotiated change order to $535,189.
Staff said the lighting project covers six intersections and corridor festoon lighting across Third Street and Brush, with fixtures hung about 22 feet high and replacement of remaining signal poles. Funding includes CCCFF (Creative and Cultural Community Financing Fund) grant dollars and vehicle parking district contributions; staff said the vehicle parking district will assume maintenance responsibility for the new assets. Candace, a city staffer, said match dollars came from prior Johnson Park redevelopment work and private donations.
Public comment highlighted mixed views. Jim McKenzie criticized the funding shifts, arguing that using street‑repair money to cover downtown repairs freed vehicle parking district money for the sign and lighting projects and warned about ongoing insurance and maintenance costs. Several speakers, including Pastor Tai and Cara Wanderer Gastra (director of Norfolk's Creative District), praised the investments for improving downtown attractiveness and economic activity.
Staff later reported they negotiated value engineering with the low bidder and a subcontractor (Love Signs), reducing the gateway sign contract by $80,300 and bringing the final contract price to $535,189; council approved the change order.
Why it matters: The projects aim to boost downtown visibility and pedestrian connections between the riverfront and downtown and use grant funds paired with local match, but some residents raised concerns about long‑term maintenance and budget tradeoffs.
