Appletree Alley in Cornelia is getting a major facelift, and while it’s going to cause area visitors some temporary headaches, city officials say it will be well worth it in the end.
The city will close the public parking lot behind Hodges Street on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 9 and 10. “This parking lot will be closed those two days for the installation and relocation of power lines that supply power to the downtown area,” explains Community Development Manager Jessie Owensby.
The parking lot will close at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, March 9 and will reopen on Wednesday, March 10 at 6 p.m. Parking will be available in the smaller public lot adjacent to Connextion Church or the parking lot located at the Historic Train Museum.
Million-dollar makeover
Georgia Power will be onsite with a crane to install new poles and relocate lines throughout the parking lot. This is one part of the overall $1 million streetscape construction project set for completion by this summer.
“It’s never fun to completely close a parking lot, but the end result will be phenomenal, and the two days of closures will be worth it at the conclusion of the project!” says Owensby. “We’re excited to see the finished product!”
The Appletree Alley Streetscape project has been on the Cornelia Downtown Development Authority’s wish list since 2013. The project includes relocating power lines, widening the center island, restructuring traffic flow, adding parking spots, building new sidewalks, adding drainage and curbing, and adding string lighting.
The project is funded through grant money awarded by USDA and Georgia Power and supplemented with Community Redevelopment Funds.
