The $313 million, two-year long construction renewal project on the Foothills Mall is well underway.
The project is another step by the city to beautify and rejuvenate the Midtown area in Fort Collins, but has begun to cause traffic disruptions for Fort Collins residents this month.
Ad
Since the project began in February, it has caused traffic disruptions on West Monroe Drive and South College Avenue. Last week, from June 9 to 10, the western-most southbound lane of College Avenue was closed for curb and gutter construction. This week, from June 16 to 18, the eastern-most northbound lane of College Avenue will be closed during the day for tree removal.
The Fort Collins Urban Renewal Authority took on the Foothills Mall project in an effort to address the mall’s 61 percent decrease in net taxable sales over the last decade, stating on their website that the mall is in a state of deterioration.
“The vision of the new mall is to create a more pleasant shopping experience as well as more public gathering spaces,” states the city’s website. “The reinvented mall will include major improvements for bicyclists, pedestrians and vehicle traffic.”
The project includes creating two large community gathering spaces for concerts and other events, a new pedestrian underpass connecting Foothills to the Mason Street corridor and a recreation and community center to replace the current Youth Activity Center.
Updates on the construction of the Foothills Mall can be found at their website, and photos of the project can be found at their Flickr account.
Collegian Reporter Caitlin Curley can be reached at news@collegian.com.