Kearsley Street to get $700,000 facelift

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) awarded the city of Flint a $353,297 grant for Kearsley Street enhancements in the College Cultural Center campus. Renovations will begin at Walnut Street and end at Crapo Street.

Matching funds for the project will be provided by the C.S. Mott Foundation through a grant to the Flint Cultural Center Corporation.

According to the grant request: “The Kearsley Streetscape project is intended to slow the flow of traffic through the campus, improve the appearance of the street and make it more pedestrian friendly, for both walking and bicycling. The project will add crosswalks, create bicycle lanes, install new ornamental, energy-efficient streetlights, repair sidewalks and add trees and other landscaping.

After Mayor Dayne Walling's April 27 press conference announcing the grant, some people criticized the use of state funds for beautification projects while the city's public safety services and schools are experiencing severe budget cuts.

"This improvement is not costing the city a cent," said Walling. "The Cultural Center initiated the grant process several years ago as part of its longterm planning. The city will have oversight of construction."

Walling said the project calls for new lighting, benches, improvements to pedestrian walkways and bike markings, but the basic street pattern will not change.

Linda Moxam, director of development for the Flint Cultural Center Corporation, said she began working on the MDOT grant proposal in 2006.

"We partnered with the city who will be overseeing the construction phase," Moxam explained.

According to Moxam, the enhancements on Kearsley Street that connect the Cultural Center to downtown will provide visitors easy access and promote area businesses such as restaurants and art galleries.

Jerry Rule, president of the Central Park Neighborhood Association, the group that represents the neighborhood  bordering the cultural center campus, said he would like to see the efforts expanded.

"We would like the cultural center to get involved in revitalizing the Kearsley Street corridor between Chavez Drive and Crapo Street and the Crapo Street corridor from Kearsley Street to Court Street. We want visitors to have a great impression of all of Flint, not just the Cultural Center," Rule said.

The Central Park Neighborhood Association adopted the East Street Park earlier this year.

"Our group wants to help present a positive image to visitors. We will be involved in the cleanup of several properties along Crapo Street," Rule said.

Fred Kump, C.S. Mott Foundation program officer, said work is expected to begin sometime this summer and be completed by the Crim Festival of Races slated for Aug. 27.

"We strongly support the Flint College Cultural Center Corporation and we recognize the importance of its campus," Kump said.

"The fact that we can leverage the state grant with additional matching funds is important to us. The center is an asset to the entire community and with this grant we are going to see a more pedestrian-friendly campus."

More than 500,000 people visited the Cultural Center Campus last year, according to Moxam.

"We are a regional destination for visitors reaching out to 16 counties in Michigan. We've had tourists come from Traverse City to see a show at the Whiting," Moxam added.

"We want the center to be the premier destination in Michigan for cultural, scientific, educational, musical and artistic experiences. The center promotes understanding of the diverse cultures reflected in the greater Flint community. We have something for everyone," Moxam added.

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