Athens City Council approves an outdoor event to help uptown business impacted by construction
By: Meg Kuczinski
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) – The Athens City Council agreed to help out a business owner impacted by a sidewalk closure that has significantly restricted foot traffic in front of her store.
Council members voted unanimously at their Monday meeting to close a portion of West Union Street later this month so Cool Digs can host an outdoor gem show.
Cool Digs owner Saraquoia Bryant said the annual gem show is usually held in the East Side neighborhood, but this year she wanted to hold the event in front of her store to draw more attention to it.
The store is on West Union just west of Court Street. It’s next door to the three-story building on the corner that for decades was a college bookstore and is now undergoing months of renovations as it’s converted to an extended stay hotel.
A chain-link fence and traffic cones with caution tape were recently erected on the Union Street side of the building blocking off the sidewalk and part of the street, where building materials and equipment are being stored.
Councilmember Alan Swank said approving the outdoor gem show is a way for the city to acknowledge the effects the sidewalk disruption has had on surrounding businesses.
“I think not only is this gem show something fun and something new for a lot of people, but it’s a way for the city to recognize that we have a difficult situation here,” he said. “It has had an impact on not only the gemstone business but the florist next door.”
The gem show will be held Oct. 19 from noon to 7 p.m.
The council also approved an ordinance extending the Athens Uptown Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) season from the Friday of spring commencement to the Sunday before when Ohio University students arrive back on campus.
The DORA allows people to drink alcoholic beverages outside in a special cup, giving them more freedom to circulate during uptown events.
The council also approved an ordinance to amend subdivision regulations, design and construction standards and hillside regulations to address the city’s housing shortage.
One of the changes will decrease minimum residential lot sizes from 8,000 square feet to 4,000 square feet, which will promote the development of smaller and, presumably, more affordable homes.
“This will hopefully address some of the housing issues here in Athens,” Swank said.