Old Town Alleys are Getting a Makeover

Developments will boost safety, aesthetics and economy

By Courtney Riley

JTC 320

Imagine walking down an alley and being welcomed by an entrance of hanging lights strung above you, street furniture and potted planters lining the sides and a paved radial motif beneath your feet.

This is what the Fort Collins City Council sees for the future alleys in Old Town.

The Downtown Business Association’s Alley Project Team is finishing the final design work on the Downtown Alley Enhancement Project, said Anne Aspen, the project manager of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA). They’re also preparing documents to bid for a project contractor.

The three main goals of the project are to improve safety, aesthetics and economic vitality, Aspen said.

Construction on the alleys, including the Alley Cat Alley, between West Laurel Street and West Myrtle Street, will begin mid-May, except for the Old Firehouse Alley and the Montezuma Fuller Alley, which were renovated last year.

Improvements on the rest of the alleys will consist of utility upgrades, new decorative paving, planters, trash receptacle enclosures and upgrades of signage and lighting, said city council member Wade Troxell.

“We want to provide front doors where there were back doors,” he said. “We want to keep Old Town a desirable place.”

The first task of construction will be to remove the current surface of the alleys and then relocate the utilities of the areas by moving phone lines and cable pedestals underground.

In the summer, construction will be done where the paving from the alleys meet the streets they intersect. The paving will be laid in the late summer, and the decorative planters and lights will be added in the fall for a grand opening.

The developments are expected to increase revenues for businesses because they will boost the appeal of the locations, Aspen said.

She predicts renovations to the Alley Cat Alley will increase businesses nearby, such as Cold Stone, Chipotle and the Alley Cat.

The Alley Cat Alley has already been blocked off in preparation for future construction to begin in May, forcing drivers to use an alternate route to get to the Alley Cat’s parking lot.

Justin Safady, a junior business administration major, said he understands the construction in the alley will be worth it in the long run, but right now it’s just frustrating not being able to drive through it.

A few days ago he forgot the alley was blocked off and turned into it, thinking he’d be able to get to the Alley Cat parking lot.

“It was a miracle that I was able to turn my car around in there,” he said. “I almost slid into another car; it was a mess.”

The Downtown Alley Enhancement Project also supports the city’s sustainability goals through the use of durable materials, low energy lights and the recycling of waste materials.

The $1.2 million cost of the project is funded by the DDA’s operating budget, which comes from its bond proceeds.

Any of the $1.2 million that the DDA doesn’t have to pay the winning contractor will be frozen for later use of the city for other projects.

Jamie Duggan, a junior English major, said she thinks this is a great way for the city to spend its money. She said she loves the nightlife of Old Town, but thinks some parts of the city are a little eerie.

“I think this will make me a little less scared when I leave the bars at 2 a.m.,” she said.

The Alley Cat Alley off of West Laurel Street

Sketch of future alleys between West Laurel Street and West Myrtle Street