A historic arch welcomes visitors to downtown Flint
The mural blends downtown scenes from the City of Flint’s past, present and future
Saginaw Street was regraded and many of the street’s original bricks were reused
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Wade Trim received the 2005 Community Beautification Award from the Flint and
Genesee County Business Awards Program. The award honors our Saginaw Street
Streetscape project, a major restoration and beautification effort in
downtown Flint, as well as work with other Genesee County communities.
The $2.4 million Saginaw Street streetscape and brick restoration project has had a
major positive impact on Flint’s downtown appearance. As one of Michigan’s
first brick roadways constructed in the early 1930s, Saginaw Street’s
bricks in the downtown area had deteriorated to the point that the street
condition was considered poor. In addition, the pedestrian sidewalks were
settling and crumbling beyond repair. A Michigan Department of Transportation
(MDOT) enhancement grant was awarded to the City to help fund a decorative,
vibrant, pedestrian-friendly streetscape along the historic street.
The project involved the City of Flint, its Downtown Development Authority,
and the Uptown Reinvestment Corporation. Working with local agencies and
stakeholders, Wade Trim designed and facilitated construction of a new
streetscape for the City’s half-mile-long corridor that helped
restore a six-block section of the brick road. Wade Trim provided survey,
design, bidding assistance, construction administration, inspection and
staking on the project.
Wade Trim’s design included decorative, textured, concrete
sidewalks and curb that enhances the beauty of the historic brick
roadway. Pedestrian-friendly street lighting included conversion
of overhead wiring to underground to enhance the appeal of the district.
Three species of decorative trees (donated by the Ruth Mott Foundation)
with an irrigation system and pedestrian benches and trash receptacles
helped provide a unified look. For the road restoration efforts, roadway
bricks were removed and reinstalled in areas along the new curb and
within deteriorated areas where the road settled or heaved, or where bricks
were covered with patches of asphalt. With the street repairs completed, the
integrity of the historic brick street was maintained.
Completed in Spring 2004, the streetscape project is the first phase of many downtown redevelopment
efforts currently planned in the Saginaw Street district. On-going improvements
include façade restoration and renovation of buildings for ground floor
commercial space and upper floor residential loft apartments.
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