Upcoming projects the focus at Coffee with the Mayor event

With the city’s new library open and operational, Chelsea has started to turn its focus toward other upcoming projects. At a Coffee with the Mayor event on April 18, Mayor Tony Picklesimer discussed the city’s progress and first steps on several of those projects.

At the time of the event, Chelsea Public Library had been open at its new spot on U.S. 280 for about three weeks, said Library Director Dana Polk, and the difference in patrons was already noticeable. While the library issued about 59 new library cards in the first three months of 2018 — prior to the move — they issued 89 in the first three weeks at the new location.

“We couldn’t be more proud, couldn’t be more grateful,” Polk said.

Picklesimer said in addition to the library, the city recently completed upgrades to the sports complex on Shelby County 47 and were in the design stages of the next phase of the sports complex on Shelby County 11.

“The project will include four more ballfields but also a recreation area around the lake that would include the Weldon Pavillion,” Picklesimer said, referring to a project first announced in January 2017 that will use materials from the building that once stood at the intersection of Shelby County 36 and 47. The building was torn down in 2017 to make way for future intersection improvements in that area, Picklesimer said.

In regard to the intersection, Shelby County Engineer Randy Cole has said the design phase is coming to a close and they plan to begin work in the fourth quarter of this year.

“It will undoubtedly cause some delays and heartaches as we get through that,” Picklesimer said. “... The design will help alleviate the traffic flow and issues we have there and it’ll also create opportunity for a downtown area of Chelsea in the coming years.”

He added that a downtown was not imminent or happening soon, but that the possibility would be opened by the roadwork.

Another project on the horizon is a new fire station for Chelsea. The city is in design phases for renovations to a city building on Shelby County 51, and that building will become Station No. 33 for Chelsea Fire and Rescue.

“It will serve the Chelsea Park area and other communities on the Highway 51 corridor,” Picklesimer said. “We hope to begin renovations soon on that, and it should be completed and operational by the fourth quarter of this year.”

With the construction of the new station, Picklesimer also noted the city’s recent purchase of a 107-foot ladder truck for the fire department.

As the city looks to expand its fire coverage, Picklesimer said it is also looking to expand its tax base to support a rapidly growing community.

“All of these projects, they are made possible by the continuing growth we see in the housing market and new businesses coming to Chelsea,” he said.

The city expects a biopharma business and new restaurant to come to the city soon, which will help expand the economy, and they are continuing partnerships with The Retail Coach and 58 Inc. to continue recruiting businesses to the area, Picklesimer said.