Changes are coming to downtown Auburn.
The city of Auburn is planning a re-design of the intersection of South College Street and Magnolia Avenue to accompany the new oaks at Toomer's Corner.
Crosswalks and the square of the intersection will be raised to the sidewalk level, according to Kevin Cowper, Auburn assistant city manager.
"It will be a much more walkable environment there, and certainly a nice space when the intersection is closed for celebrations, different festivals and events," Cowper said.
While the design has not been finalized, plans call for a metal archway with Auburn written on it to be built spanning South College Street.
"One benefit of (the archway), it would be another structure down there that could become part of the rolling tradition," Cowper said.
Cowper said the city has gotten positive feedback from the University about the archway concept.
"Everybody is interested in keeping the rolling tradition at the intersection," Cowper said. "I mean, it really kind of spread out onto Samford lawn, and as much as possible, we'd really like to keep it at the intersection."
Rolling Toomer's Corner was recently voted the best college tradition in college football on USA Today's Fan Index website.
The intersection project has a budget of $1 million and construction is tentatively set for the summer of 2015.
"We'd be on a very tight schedule for construction," Cowper said. "We'd need to get it started so it that we could have it complete in August by the time football season starts again."
Other plans for the area include renovation to the alleyways connecting the parking deck on Gay Street to the intersection.
Cowper expects construction on the alleyway project to begin in January.
"One of our goals in the downtown area is to create an interaction between the businesses and the street, and one way of doing that is getting activity out on the sidewalk and outdoor dining in particular," Cowper said.
New paving, improved storm drainage and better lighting in the alleys are all part of the project.
Bids on the project are due Nov. 20, and the City Council will likely vote on the plan at the Dec. 2 Council meeting, according to Cowper.
Wider sidewalks behind Moe's Original Bar B Que and Little Italy Pizzeria will allow for outdoor dining areas.
Ricky Carmack, manager of Moe's BBQ, said the city allowed the restaurant to test the outdoor dining concept during the football season.
"It's more space, more people to eat, more people to sit, more room plus it's just kind of cool," Carmack said.
Michael Macaculop, assistant manager at Little Italy Pizzeria, said his restaurant is looking forward to adding an outdoor dining area.
"We can't wait actually," Macaculop said. "We didn't have our own space outside before, and I think it'll make it a more relaxing and better place to hangout."
The cost for the alleyway project is approximately $900,000.
"This is going to create an intimate, neat public space that people can go to and enjoy," Cowper said. "And really just turn something that was a really crummy space into something nice and usable."
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