What is not so obvious is the exciting part! By the time you read this, paverstone sidewalks along Broadway will have begun to materialize. New granite curbing is in place, and the historic looking lights are at the Niagara Mohawk barn in Saranac Lake. Soon, the cast-in-place concrete steps will be poured that will lead you to the wooden boardwalk along the Aubuchon Realty Company building. Luminaries will be added to the bridge abutment creating an attractive area to draw in visitors. The pedestrian bridges are on order and are expected to arrive sometime in December.

The River Walk is moving along nicely as well. The I-Beams are set for the bridges. The bases are in for the boardwalk. A new retaining wall is being built along the waters edge behind Snap Shot Photo. Bank stabilization is complete. The walkways along the north side of the river are being cut. The Bridge abutments are expected to be completed within the next couple of weeks.

Common elements to both projects include lighting and paverstones. We selected a "Semita" Paver from Canada for the river walk pathways. It is a red/black blend similar to the stones already installed along the river behind the Main Street buildings. They are square, with four different sizes that, when laid in random patterns, creates a warm feel. The sidewalks are a "Plaza" paver from Potsdam. Plazas have the traditional brick look. They will be laid in a herringbone pattern. The color is similar to the river walk, a red/black blend.

Niagara Mohawk has been a wonderful partner to have on these projects. Their lighting department worked very hard to make sure we selected a light that we would be happy with for a long time. You can see them on Niagara Mohawks website under lighting. Look for the Armory Square pole. It has 6-sided wide base, comes in Black, and has a small teardrops near the bottom and at the top of the pole. The light is a Williamsville globe. It resembles the historic lights along the waters edges.

I hope you will be pleased with the results. I am told, it has always been difficult to attract visitors to this area of Broadway. It is our hope that the new features will call special attention to the area as well as offers an attractive and safe way to travel along the parking area between Broadway and Church Streets. Please remember the businesses located along this area that are deeply affected by the disruption and make a concerted effort to visit them. Construction is usually done by 3 p.m. They need your support more than ever.

Your comments are always welcome.