TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The City of Tallahassee will begin construction on the Fifth Avenue Plaza Beautification Project on Monday, Feb. 6.

The project will extend from Thomasville Road to North Gadsden Street. The primary intent of this project is to enhance Fifth Avenue by providing some drainage improvements and overall beautification to create a multi-use plaza.

Work will begin at N. Gadsden Street and proceed west toward Thomasville Road. Weather permitting, work is expected to be completed by early summer. Construction will normally occur on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with limited weekend work. A total road closure will be in effect during the majority of the construction period. Access will only be provided to Fifth Avenue residents. Detour routes will be clearly marked.

“Midtown has experienced a renaissance over the past few years, and this project will add another element to further enhance the area,” said Commissioner Mark Mustian, lead commissioner on the Long Range Planning Target Issue Committee. “This project is designed to enhance the quality of life for all Tallahassee residents.”

This project is part of the Placemaking Action Plan undertaken by the Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department, as approved by the City Commission. This portion of the plan aims to create a new public space by transforming the street into a multi-use plaza, which will include sidewalks, seating walls, multi-use parking areas, vendor and band hookups, decorative pavement treatments, new gas lights and stylish landscape plantings. While it will still function as a typical street after the project is complete, it will easily transform into a pedestrian plaza for special events by simply closing it to vehicular access.

The construction of this project is being coordinated by the City’s Public Works Department.

For more information on this and other Sense of Place projects, please visit Talgov.com. In addition, citizens may receive traffic updates via their Twitter accounts by following @COTTraffic.