Almost six years after Lake Charles voters decided to sell $90 million in bonds to enhance public areas around the city, funds for the downtown and lakefront district are almost spent. Projects like the Ryan Street streetscape, lakefront promenade and marina were developed to make the lakefront and downtown the “porch” for all of Southwest Louisiana. (American Press)
(American Press)
Bond money tabbed for enhancing public areas almost spent
Last Modified: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 10:50 PM
By Eric Cormier / American Press
Almost six years after Lake Charles voters decided to sell $90 million in bonds to enhance public areas around the city, funds for the downtown and lakefront district are almost spent.
Mayor Randy Roach’s administration planned for $18 million to be spent to change the face of downtown and the lakefront.
Projects like the Ryan Street streetscape, lakefront promenade and marina were developed to make the lakefront and downtown the “porch” for all of Southwest Louisiana.
Karen Harrell, the city’s finance director, said $16 million in capital bond project money has been spent.
“We will probably use the rest of the money to finish Ryan Street construction,” she said.
Overall, more than $30 million, leveraged from the $18 million, has been used on the lakefront and downtown facelift.
Harrell said work on Ryan Street has been the biggest expense, costing $6 million.
Right now, the city is moving ahead with work near Millennium Park and the Gill Street extension.
Roach thinks the administration made good on its promise to reshape the lakefront and downtown districts.
“This phase of work is coming to an end. In other parts of the city, work will continue. Significant progress has been made in connecting the downtown and lakefront areas and making those areas a destination for tourists and locals,” he said.
In the future, improvements to the downtown will most likely be paid for through capital outlay funds that the city budgets every year.
Roach said the big-dollar items that have been ongoing in the district needed to be done and that now smaller projects can be planned.
“Now, we don’t have to continue spending lots of money,” he said. “Projects now can be affordable and still be improvements.”
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