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Staff outlines Midtown streetscape, underground utilities and conduit plan; guidebook for future restoration proposed
Summary
City staff showed first-phase Midtown design sheets covering underground utilities, fiber conduit strategy with multiple providers and a design guidebook to standardize sidewalks, bricks and streetscape restoration as redevelopment and utility work proceeds.
Nicole Setzer, who identified herself "for the record," briefed the council on Midtown streetscape design and underground utilities, describing the first phase focused on the northeast quadrant near the News‑Press site and existing municipal facilities.
Setzer said the design includes utility relocations, drainage work tied to a new lift station and an effort to put conduit and hand holes in the ground so developers can tie in fiber and other services without the city taking on the full installation burden. "One of the things that we would like to do is... get some conduit in the ground more than we would need so that we have it available," she told the council, and she described coordination with private providers such as Comcast and Tillman Fiber.
Staff plans include a design guidebook that will specify sidewalk style, brick type and other restoration standards so that when developers or utilities restore surfaces after excavation, the rebuilt streetscape matches Midtown's planned look. Setzer said survey work is under way and that the city will continue to refine parking, landscaping and drainage details prior to construction.
