Published: November 07, 2009 06:55 am      

Development may also improve riverfront

TRAVERSE CITY -- A new downtown high-rise may lead to improvements along the Boardman River.

A five-story building under construction at 101 N. Park St. spurred a concept to revitalize the southern riverbank between Cass and Park streets, where a commercial alley runs behind Front Street's buildings, said Rob Bacigalupi, of the city's Downtown Development Authority.

"We have this beautiful river running through downtown and we want to utilize it and make it more of an asset," he said.

Conceptual plans call for a boardwalk along a section of the river's south bank, a replacement footbridge and beautification efforts to create a more "pedestrian-friendly" alley that may add frontage value to buildings' back doors along Front Street's 200-block, Bacigalupi said.

The DDA's Nov. 20 meeting will feature a project update and the goal is to start construction after Labor Day next year, he said.