MONROE - Donna Glynn has some work to do.
Monroe Main Street (MMS) told its Design Committee chairman Monday to start preparing her committee for the coming architectural design concepts around Dec.1.
The committee will have a limited time to decide which benches, trash receptacles and other items will grace the downtown Square.
The committee was preparing to make those determinations anyway, but at the urging of board member Ryan Wilson, the committee decided it would be better to spend its time now overseeing and coordinating the sequence of getting the conceptual design into construction documents.
"The Design Committee needs to move up a level or two and not be so concerned with details," Wilson said. "We shouldn't spend more time on details, but rather be part of the designing."
Wilson said Fehr-Graham, hired to do design concepts, should be utilized for what it is getting paid to do with its expertise in material and design.
Wilson said by the time the conceptual design is presented, architects will have whittled the list of furnishings for the Square to a more manageable size, and will save the committee time and work in finding the items themselves.
December will be the third and possibly last time the design concept is presented to the public for input. The committee will then make its recommendations to the Monroe Main Street Board for final approval.
"If we're serious about getting the work done, we need to get (from design plan to construction) in a reasonable amount of time," Wilson said.
Wilson said the board could aim for construction of the new downtown streetscape to begin next year. Mayor Ron Marsh told the board that the city's Eighth/Ninth streets reconstruction project will not begin next year, so both projects will not take place at the same time.
"I think we should push it as much as we can and get it going," MMS board chairman Dr. David Riese said.
Riese said his major concern was the effect construction will have on downtown businesses. Monroe has alleys which will allow access to fronts of stores, said Marsh.
"Tell businesses to get ready to pull customers in from the backside of their buildings," Riese said.
Monroe Main Street (MMS) told its Design Committee chairman Monday to start preparing her committee for the coming architectural design concepts around Dec.1.
The committee will have a limited time to decide which benches, trash receptacles and other items will grace the downtown Square.
The committee was preparing to make those determinations anyway, but at the urging of board member Ryan Wilson, the committee decided it would be better to spend its time now overseeing and coordinating the sequence of getting the conceptual design into construction documents.
"The Design Committee needs to move up a level or two and not be so concerned with details," Wilson said. "We shouldn't spend more time on details, but rather be part of the designing."
Wilson said Fehr-Graham, hired to do design concepts, should be utilized for what it is getting paid to do with its expertise in material and design.
Wilson said by the time the conceptual design is presented, architects will have whittled the list of furnishings for the Square to a more manageable size, and will save the committee time and work in finding the items themselves.
December will be the third and possibly last time the design concept is presented to the public for input. The committee will then make its recommendations to the Monroe Main Street Board for final approval.
"If we're serious about getting the work done, we need to get (from design plan to construction) in a reasonable amount of time," Wilson said.
Wilson said the board could aim for construction of the new downtown streetscape to begin next year. Mayor Ron Marsh told the board that the city's Eighth/Ninth streets reconstruction project will not begin next year, so both projects will not take place at the same time.
"I think we should push it as much as we can and get it going," MMS board chairman Dr. David Riese said.
Riese said his major concern was the effect construction will have on downtown businesses. Monroe has alleys which will allow access to fronts of stores, said Marsh.
"Tell businesses to get ready to pull customers in from the backside of their buildings," Riese said.