Despite Cost Increases, Spring St. Sidewalks Part 1 Approved

Cookeville will go forward with phase one of the East Spring Street Sidewalk project.

Council approved Thursday night spending some $469,000 to fund the project. Just one bidder came forward on the project which would build sidewalks from Old Kentucky Road to Raider Drive.

T-DOT delays have caused the costs to grow astronomically. City Manager James Mills said the original cost estimate to the city stood at $200,000 for the entire project. That was at the time T-DOT awarded Cookeville the grant some eight years ago to build out sidewalks all the way into the downtown area. Council voted earlier this year to split the original project to try to reduce costs.

Mills told the council last night city staff are still unsure whether phase two of the project will go forward.

Council also approved the rezoning of two West First Street parcels to Central Business District zoning. Three properties at the corner of West Broad Street and Hunter Avenue were rezoned commercial. The properties are currently part of the Bob’s Body Shop salvage yard.

Planning Director Jon Ward said the landowner plans to clean the remaining cars from these properties, combine them into one lot, and sell for commercial development.

The rezoning of the properties means they can no longer be used for a salvage lot following a 30-month grace period.

Council also approved a binding letter of intent between Cookeville Regional Medical Center and Tier One to former a partnership on a new surgical center to be built off Jackson Street. CRMC would own 20 percent of the operation. It’s expected to take at least two years to build out the project.

The replacement of the Deberry Heights pumping station will also move forward. The council considered four bids for the project with the top bid at $1.277 million.