Construction to begin in downtown parking lots

Finding a parking space in downtown Oxford is going to a little more challenging for a while with construction projects in the northwest and southwest parking lots beginning next week.
Last week, the Downtown Development Authority awarded a $534,484 bid to Pro-Line Asphalt Paving, based in Washington Township, to improve and expand the two lots over a six-week period.
‘I’ve worked with Pro-Line on a couple different projects in the past three years. They did fine work,? said Engineer Doug Skylis, of Rowe, Inc.
Pro-Line was the lowest of 14 bidders for the project. The highest bid was $689,989 from the Grand Blanc-based Zito Construction Co.
Plans call for the northwest lot to be completely reconstructed and expanded from the existing 54 paved parking spaces to a total of 117.
‘They’re going to tear out everything that’s there, then expand it and repave it,? Skylis said.
The existing gravel area, set up as temporary parking, and the vacant land once occupied by a two-story group home demolished in July 2006 will be turned into paved spaces.
Ingress/egress issues ? such as the large slope vehicles face entering and existing the lot on W. Burdick St. ? will also be corrected and a new drainage system installed.
‘We’re changing the grade in there to make that a little more friendly,? Skylis said.
A 30-inch high brick screening wall will be constructed along the south side of the northwest lot facing W. Burdick St. It will be identical to the wall used for screening in the southwest lot.
Plans call for the southwest lot will be resurfaced with two inches of new asphalt and re-striped to provide 32 additional parking spaces, bringing the total count up to 139.
Some drainage issues will be corrected as well.
DDA Chairman Mark Young said the southwest lot will be done first because the demand for parking there is greater than in the northwest lot. It should take about three weeks to finish the southwest lot.
‘They’ll probably be some simultaneous work (between the two lots), but for the most part we are focusing on getting the southwest completed first,? Young said.
Young had hoped the northwest lot could be done in phases so it could still be utilized during construction, but it appears that’s not going to happen.
‘It looks like, based on what we have to do, (the work’s) probably going to be pretty much done all at one time,? he said.
Young said the entire project should be completed, weather permitting, by mid-to-late November. The only thing that probably won’t be completed until next spring is some utility-related work, he noted.
During all this construction, DDA Board Member Chuck Schneider suggested those seeking alternate places to park be directed to the municipal lot located directly behind the village offices on W. Burdick St.
Schneider also indicated he’d be willing to temporarily open up his 15-space parking lot ? located in the northwest quadrant between the Healthy Smile Center and Sisters Hair Care ? to the public as long as the village paid his insurance.
Manager Joe Young suggested approaching Huntoon Funeral Home and asking if the village could use its spacious lot as an alternate parking site.