Latest / The Bubble Lounge (Highland Park & University Park Texas) / Detours and Developments: Your Summer Guide to Construction

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Detours and Developments: Your Summer Guide to Construction · The Bubble Lounge (Highland Park & University Park Texas)

• 0:07
  Speaker 1: Welcome to the Bubba Lounge.
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: I'm Martha Jackson, and today we are diving into something that is affecting just about everyone.
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: Right now, construction From Snyder Plaza to the Miracle Mile and beyond.
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: Our town is undergoing some major infrastructure upgrades and, let's be honest, it's a little chaotic out there.
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: Joining me today is Katie Barron, head of engineering for the City of University Park.
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: She's here to help us make sense of what's going on, what improvements we can expect and, most importantly, how to stay informed and sane this summer while navigating detours, blocked roads and all that comes with the progress.
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: So just to give you some things to look forward to, the main part of Snyder Plaza should be done at the end of September, then the landscaping will come in after that, and so everything should look beautiful for Thanksgiving.
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: So for the Miracle Mile, they're working on Lover's Lane, and that construction should be done by the end of the summer.
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: But don't worry, you can still use Lover's Lane.
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: You just drive through the parking lot.
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: Then from there they're going to be working on the parking, which will be done section by section in the fall.
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: Each phase should take a couple of months and everything should be complete by March 2026.
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: So basically, in less than one year.
• 1:29
  Speaker 1: Everything should be complete and we should have everything back up and running.
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: And to give us more details, katie Barron is joining us today.
• 1:37
  Speaker 1: I wanted to give a personal thank you to our good friend and show sponsor, kathy Elwall State Farm Agency.
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: We have known Kathy for more than 15 years and there is no person we trust more when it comes to insurance than Kathy Elwall.
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: Kathy is always available to help you find the right insurance for your family needs, whether it's covering your home auto or providing a life insurance policy tailored to the unique needs of families in Highland Park.
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: My family trusts Kathy with our insurance and we hope you will too.
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: Please visit kathylwallcom to learn more and let her know that Martha from the Bubble Lounge sent you Katie welcome back to the show.
• 2:14
  Speaker 2: Thank you so much for having me again, Martha.
• 2:15
  Speaker 2: I really appreciate it.
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: Of course.
• 2:17
  Speaker 1: Well, you're becoming quite the regular because we have so much going on in the city and right now, everyone's question is why is the whole place under construction all at once?
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: So we are going to talk to you today and get all the answers everyone could possibly want.
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: Why is it all happening at one time?
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: I'll do my best.
• 2:36
  Speaker 2: So the first biggest reason is the city is 100 years old and we have had quite the lull in construction from a forward-facing thing for really the last 50 years or so, and if you think about our major retail areas, they're even older than the 50 years that we're talking about.
• 2:57
  Speaker 2: So, along with our stormwater infrastructure, we have in our mile-per-year programs programs the two marquee projects that we've got going on right now for Snyder Plaza and then the Miracle Mile just started.
• 3:09
  Speaker 2: They've been in the works for a long time, but they're primarily to fix the aging infrastructure that we just need to bring into the 21st century.
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: Now, of course, 25 years.
• 3:22
  Speaker 2: But that's really the main crux of this is trying to get it all updated so that it continues to be a beautiful place for our residents to live and work and go do recreational things.
• 3:37
  Speaker 1: I think that makes perfect sense, but it's so hard for the average Joe which I fall into that category to understand because we don't know what's going on under the ground and we don't know about you know, the water pipes and all the things that need to be updated.
• 3:51
  Speaker 1: So I think that's why we really love having you on the show, because you always do such a phenomenal job of really describing things and letting it for the average Joe to understand what's actually going on here.
• 4:05
  Speaker 2: Well, thank you for the compliment.
• 4:06
  Speaker 2: I appreciate it.
• 4:07
  Speaker 2: I do my best.
• 4:09
  Speaker 1: Well, so one of the biggest things we need to update on is Snyder Plaza.
• 4:13
  Speaker 1: It's still going full force.
• 4:15
  Speaker 1: I can tell there's definitely progress being made and I think that's where we really need to keep our focus on.
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: Is that there is progress being made and we just need to be patient and keep?
• 4:25
  Speaker 1: Is that there is progress being made and we just need to be patient and keep going to all these businesses and give us an update of what's happening in Snyder Plaza?
• 4:32
  Speaker 2: Oh, it's super exciting.
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: I am super thrilled that with the progress that we've gotten so far.
• 4:36
  Speaker 2: So we just opened the area right around the fountain.
• 4:40
  Speaker 2: If you haven't been to Snyder Plaza, you need to go immediately and go check out what we've done.
• 4:45
  Speaker 2: We have one more block to go in the major Snyder Plaza section that we have.
• 4:50
  Speaker 2: That started today.
• 4:51
  Speaker 2: But the work on the fountain is the next piece that comes.
• 4:55
  Speaker 2: So the new fountain is constructed but we still have to put all the tile and the stonework and then the bowl on it and all the plumbing.
• 5:02
  Speaker 2: So that's coming in the next six weeks or so.
• 5:04
  Speaker 2: We're hoping that that is done by July.
• 5:07
  Speaker 2: 4th is kind of where we're what we're shooting for, weather permitting, of course.
• 5:11
  Speaker 2: I always have to have that disclaimer, but it's really exciting.
• 5:15
  Speaker 2: Just all of the beautiful pavers that are there and the landscaped areas, the drive aisles are accessible.
• 5:21
  Speaker 2: Now the section on Milton.
• 5:25
  Speaker 2: There's lovely brick walls and it's really turning out to be a great project.
• 5:31
  Speaker 2: I'm so super happy with how everything's turned out so far and it's only going to get better when we finish up that section and we can start putting the trees in and the rest of the trees we have a couple, but it's not good time to plant trees in the summer or plants whatsoever, so we'll be.
• 5:48
  Speaker 2: The plan this whole time has been to wait till we were done with the major infrastructure piece and do that coming in the fall.
• 5:54
  Speaker 2: So TBD for that, but it is.
• 5:57
  Speaker 2: It will just continue to look better and better.
• 5:59
  Speaker 2: Well, the light, the power to the lights, will be on hopefully in the next two weeks.
• 6:04
  Speaker 2: We've been waiting for Encore, so it'll be lit up and great.
• 6:08
  Speaker 2: So the contractor continues to be ahead of schedule by a couple of weeks.
• 6:13
  Speaker 2: It kind of depends on where we are with some things sometimes and I know it looks like it takes longer than it should, but there's a lot of moving pieces to it should, but there's a lot of moving pieces to it.
• 6:27
  Speaker 1: I can only imagine.
• 6:27
  Speaker 1: I mean, you have been living this for the past couple of years, basically, but especially the past few months, and we were driving through right there by the water fountain the other day and Sean was so observant.
• 6:36
  Speaker 1: He noticed that there's new light fixtures.
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: Oh yes, there's new light fixtures.
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: The new fountain is actually going to have some planting around it too.
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: The tile work is going on with that and the light fixtures themselves, I think, will really help to highlight the pedestrian aspect of the plaza, to really make this a nice place for people to walk down the sidewalk and accentuate those particular pieces.
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: Every spring in the park cities we all notice it, that funny taste in the water.
• 7:07
  Speaker 1: It's that time of year when algae buildup takes over.
• 7:11
  Speaker 1: And let's be real, the water quality in Dallas isn't exactly improving, with so many chemicals being added to the water to treat that algae.
• 7:19
  Speaker 1: And it's not just about taste.
• 7:21
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• 7:28
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• 7:52
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• 7:55
  Speaker 1: Okay, well, I did notice with the water fountain.
• 7:59
  Speaker 1: It just it looked a little higher than it did before.
• 8:02
  Speaker 1: Can you describe what it's going to look like?
• 8:04
  Speaker 1: What's the end game here?
• 8:06
  Speaker 2: It's actually still got a bowl to go in the top of it.
• 8:08
  Speaker 2: So if you think about that, remember the old fountain had that pedestal-looking bowl, kind of like a punch bowl your grandma's old punch bowl that would have water coming over it.
• 8:18
  Speaker 2: Well, a similar piece is going to be on the top, kind of the top layer, of that cake, if you will, and that will be a cast stone.
• 8:27
  Speaker 2: That's going to go in one of the last pieces, but there's going to be tile and stonework around the edge of both of those other two layers of the cake, with some nice reflective tile, and then it's set back with the planting around it, like the old fountain had, with those beds that our wonderful park staff would change out seasonally, if you will.
• 8:46
  Speaker 2: That's going to be there too.
• 8:48
  Speaker 2: So we were trying to have it look very similar to the existing fountain, but a little bit more grander scale.
• 8:56
  Speaker 2: And of all of the designs that we showed the council, we had at least three, but I feel like there was kind of alternates for a couple of those as well.
• 9:04
  Speaker 2: This was by far.
• 9:06
  Speaker 2: Oh, we wanted to look as close to the original as possible, but make it fit the space, if you will.
• 9:13
  Speaker 2: And it is a pretty big circle.
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: Yes, got it, got it.
• 9:17
  Speaker 1: Well, I know, the last time you came here, we talked a lot about the Christmas tree lighting, which, of course, is one of my most favorite things that we do in our community every year.
• 9:24
  Speaker 1: Tree lighting, which, of course, is one of my most favorite things that we do in our community every year and I think, if memory serves, it wasn't going to be quite ready for the tree lighting this year, or is the goal for it to be ready?
• 9:32
  Speaker 2: I don't know.
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: I told you last time that I couldn't answer that and I still can't.
• 9:38
  Speaker 2: The Parks Department primarily manages that event through our events coordinator and there's a whole committee that gets involved with that.
• 9:45
  Speaker 2: It may not happen this year again in the same location just because planning it and having dates and like they're, they start doing it now.
• 9:55
  Speaker 2: So I haven't heard an update about that actually one way or the other, but we'll, we'll be ready if they do choose to do that.
• 10:03
  Speaker 2: But I I think it may be in Centennial Park again this year until they can kind of get an idea of what all of the rest of the plaza is going to look like.
• 10:09
  Speaker 1: Well, I have to be honest, I actually liked it better over there.
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: I wasn't sure that I was going to be on board with it, but we just had, like this bigger area and there was more people and more things set up and I thought it was really special.
• 10:21
  Speaker 1: I thought you guys pivoted and did an awesome job.
• 10:24
  Speaker 2: Oh, thank you Again.
• 10:25
  Speaker 2: Kudos to the Parks Department.
• 10:26
  Speaker 2: That was all them.
• 10:27
  Speaker 1: So I'm totally fine if it's back there again this year.
• 10:31
  Speaker 1: So let's get over to Daniel.
• 10:35
  Speaker 1: That's quite the little traffic delay there.
• 10:39
  Speaker 1: There's a lot going on there and that just happened very recently.
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: Yes, ma'am, that's actually technically part of the Cider Plaza project.
• 10:52
  Speaker 2: So the original concept plan that the council approved way back when I feel like that was so long ago, it was a year ago did include that realignment of the intersection.
• 10:57
  Speaker 2: So what we're doing at that intersection is realigning the south side, so south of Daniel, back towards the Chick-fil-A and, like on the SMU side, to line up better with the north side so we can add a turn lane and widen out that intersection just and take out that big hump.
• 11:14
  Speaker 2: So that's the work that's happening with that as part of the rest of the Snyder Plaza construction project.
• 11:19
  Speaker 2: And we'll do the rest of Daniel down to where we stop, so right there in front of JD's Chippery, into the alley.
• 11:21
  Speaker 2: It'll go to there and then all construction project.
• 11:23
  Speaker 2: And we'll do the rest of Daniel down to where we stopped, so right there in front of JD's chippery, into the alley.
• 11:27
  Speaker 2: It'll go to there and then all the way to the entrance to the law school garage.
• 11:32
  Speaker 2: So we're realigning the intersection a little bit.
• 11:34
  Speaker 2: Um, excuse me, that intersection has the highest amount of pedestrian traffic, so we're also providing big, wide crosswalks and push buttons and really making this an easier place for people to cross the street as well, as we're going to have a large SMU pony logo in the middle of the intersection and pavers oh my gosh, that sounds interesting.
• 12:01
  Speaker 2: Yeah, the city council approved that a couple of months ago as part of the add to that, when SMU built the law school garage that's right there on that corner, that parking garage that's there.
• 12:12
  Speaker 2: Part of their agreement with the city was to help to pay for intersection improvements, because they were increasing the traffic, and to donate any land that was needed for that intersection improvement.
• 12:24
  Speaker 2: So SMU is paying for a good portion of that particular piece and they're paying for the pavers and the SMU logo.
• 12:30
  Speaker 2: So we were going to put pavers in there anyway, but we've upped the ante a little bit, if you will, and it's going to be a red pony with a circle, very similar to what they have around the edges of the football stadium too.
• 12:43
  Speaker 2: Okay, this is exciting.
• 12:44
  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's really exciting.
• 12:45
  Speaker 2: You heard it here first.
• 12:47
  Speaker 2: We closed with Daniel, first because we were trying to get ahead of their summer semester and that kind of dead week in between the two weeks before.
• 12:56
  Speaker 2: But they've started in earnest now to really get everything moved over so we can get that new side, which is the east side, done first and then we'll flip traffic over to the west side.
• 13:06
  Speaker 2: We should not have to close the intersection at all through the whole process, but the goal is to get that section done this summer so it's back open by the time school starts again.
• 13:18
  Speaker 1: Okay, I like that goal.
• 13:19
  Speaker 1: That is an awkward intersection, it's just there's a lot contributing to it and I've always been nervous.
• 13:27
  Speaker 1: I'm on heightened alert whenever I drive over there.
• 13:29
  Speaker 1: I'm so scared that I'm going to encounter a pedestrian.
• 13:33
  Speaker 1: Then teaching both of my kids to drive it was like that was always a big point of discussion right there.
• 13:40
  Speaker 1: Just really be on alert, guys, because this is a scary intersection.
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• 14:31
  Speaker 1: All right?
• 14:32
  Speaker 1: Well, let's move on to Miracle Mile, because there's a lot going on down there.
• 14:37
  Speaker 2: So that project has actually been in the works, I'm going to say, probably longer than the Snyder Plaza project.
• 14:44
  Speaker 2: Is that right?
• 14:45
  Speaker 2: We, originally the city was.
• 14:47
  Speaker 2: I mean, lover's Lane has not been repaved for years and if you drive over there now like there's potholes, there's just so many times we can patch things and the parking area has some drainage issues and there's just some things that we need to correct and just make it prettier, too, to those weird asphalt curbs that are up against the edge of the travel lanes that separate the travel lanes to the parking.
• 15:12
  Speaker 2: So the city I'm going to say 15 years ago looked at some different options, put that on hold because they were not really well-received by the public and we were not really well received by the public, and it was.
• 15:25
  Speaker 2: We didn't really have any money for it.
• 15:26
  Speaker 2: Well, I actually worked on this project as a consultant starting in 2018, before I came to work for the city, and we had a series of public meetings.
• 15:36
  Speaker 2: What would the community, what would the merchants, what would the business owners want for this area to be?
• 15:42
  Speaker 2: And, as part of that process, came up with several alternatives, presented those to council.
• 15:47
  Speaker 2: We're putting it back exactly the way that it is.
• 15:50
  Speaker 2: But it's going to be all brand new, building face to building face.
• 15:52
  Speaker 2: And the other part of this is Dallas County is helping to fund this as part of their public works call for projects.
• 16:02
  Speaker 2: So they provide funding through their public works department for all of their member cities.
• 16:11
  Speaker 2: And of course we're in Dallas County, so we are a member city and pay county taxes, and so they help give that part back and they're funding half of this project up to $4.6 million.
• 16:20
  Speaker 2: So with that we had planned this for a long time.
• 16:25
  Speaker 2: And then, of course, covid hit and okay, let's put the brakes on this a little bit and see what we're going to.
• 16:30
  Speaker 2: Actually, dallas County asked us to do that too, because they also were having here's when we think we can get this funded.
• 16:37
  Speaker 2: So we were kind of on their schedule as well.
• 16:42
  Speaker 2: I often get asked the question why are we doing this the same time as you're doing Snyder Plaza?
• 16:46
  Speaker 2: I've just been living right, I don't know what to say.
• 16:49
  Speaker 2: I'm a glutton for punishment, I guess.
• 16:51
  Speaker 2: But they won't overlap too much longer.
• 16:54
  Speaker 2: Snyder Plaza should be done, like I said in the fall, and then the Miracle Mile will continue in phases.
• 17:02
  Speaker 2: We're doing this project very similar to what we're doing with Snyder Plaza.
• 17:04
  Speaker 2: So phased construction where Lover's Lane itself, the main lanes, will be all paved through the summer, when there's significantly less traffic, and then we'll do each paving section block by block.
• 17:16
  Speaker 2: It should go a lot faster than Snyder Plaza because we don't have the amount of utilities there that we do in Snyder Plaza.
• 17:23
  Speaker 2: The other part of this project is there's drainage improvements that we're making I mentioned.
• 17:29
  Speaker 2: It's really flat right there and they do have some drainage problems and low water places and stuff like that that are not great to walk through.
• 17:38
  Speaker 2: So the drainage piece is one of the big things that we are improving.
• 17:43
  Speaker 2: We also have a water line we're doing, so we're taking care of a lot of these things.
• 17:46
  Speaker 2: The other thing that we're doing is upgrading the intersection.
• 17:49
  Speaker 2: The traffic signals that we are hoping will really help the flow of traffic through there.
• 17:58
  Speaker 2: I know everybody.
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: I have never understood how to navigate that area.
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: I've lived here for 20 plus years.
• 18:04
  Speaker 1: I've never understood what you're supposed to do.
• 18:08
  Speaker 2: Me neither.
• 18:08
  Speaker 2: In fact, that's one of the other things we're trying to do is make it obvious when you're going to a parking area and when you're not.
• 18:15
  Speaker 2: So there's sometimes when you're driving up there going am I supposed to go straight?
• 18:18
  Speaker 2: Am I supposed to go in the parking?
• 18:19
  Speaker 2: Where do I go?
• 18:20
  Speaker 2: That crazy traffic light at Armstrong, there in front of the Firestone, where there's like you get a green light in the parking but then you don't have a green light and you're not sure who's supposed to be going.
• 18:30
  Speaker 2: And that's what we're going to close off that through up there.
• 18:34
  Speaker 2: So that will also help with the timing of the traffic signal.
• 18:41
  Speaker 2: Most of the timing through there is actually dictated by the traffic signal at the tollway at Loma Alto and Lovers.
• 18:46
  Speaker 2: The city of Dallas owns that traffic signal and operates it on both sides.
• 18:51
  Speaker 2: So that traffic signal is currently not in our scope of work, but we're working with the city of Dallas to get that incorporated.
• 19:00
  Speaker 2: They have a project on their side of Lovers Lane, all the way back to the airport, I believe.
• 19:05
  Speaker 2: I'm not sure what it is yet which is why we're significantly ahead of them.
• 19:10
  Speaker 2: So that's why they were going to replace the traffic signal in their project, and we just suggested that we do it in ours, so that we're in and out of there at the same time.
• 19:19
  Speaker 2: Oh okay, got it, got it.
• 19:21
  Speaker 1: Well, I mean this is all tying in again with infrastructure and so many things that most of us don't see and don't understand, and again, you're doing an excellent job of explaining why these things needed to happen.
• 19:33
  Speaker 1: So I really appreciate that.
• 19:34
  Speaker 1: Why these things needed to happen.
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: So I really appreciate that.
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: I did attend the last city council meeting and parking seemed to be a big topic of discussion during the construction of Miracle Mile.
• 19:44
  Speaker 1: Talk to us about that.
• 19:46
  Speaker 1: How's that working out?
• 19:47
  Speaker 2: The times I visited, I personally didn't find it to be too bad, but it does look like kind of a mess it does look like a mess, because it is a mess Right now as we get moving through the rest of the phases, where we are actively, we have levers, lane, paved and so we're not having digging ditches and putting pipes in takes the longest time and it takes the biggest equipment and it takes the biggest equipment.
• 20:18
  Speaker 2: So, once that's done, the parking situation that's one of the reasons why we were doing it block by block, so that if we're working in front of Sugar and Sage, you won't be able to park there because we're going to be working that parking area similar to what we're doing in Snyder Plaza.
• 20:30
  Speaker 2: But you can park in the next block or you can park across the street.
• 20:34
  Speaker 2: So let's say, you park in front of the donut shop across the street or you go over to Petco and then you're like you know what?
• 20:42
  Speaker 2: I'm going to run over and grab a bagel real fast and then come back.
• 20:46
  Speaker 2: You can do those things accessibility and the changes to the traffic signal, traffic signals through there, so that we are providing you a place for, as a pedestrian, to cross the street safely.
• 21:03
  Speaker 2: So you can park once and do all your shopping.
• 21:07
  Speaker 2: You can drop off your dry cleaning, you can go get fajita peats, and you don't have to change sides of the streets unless you just want to.
• 21:14
  Speaker 2: We're trying to make it more accessible for everybody.
• 21:22
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• 22:17
  Speaker 1: When do you think the Miracle Mile will be wrapped up?
• 22:21
  Speaker 2: That's an excellent question.
• 22:22
  Speaker 2: So we originally were planning on 18 months for this project, which is why we wanted to get it.
• 22:31
  Speaker 2: We have some additional funding that's coming from DART and that means we need it to be done by Christmas of next year so Christmas of 26, going into 27, to be able to take advantage of the rest of that funding.
• 22:44
  Speaker 2: So 18 months from that was starting in April.
• 22:46
  Speaker 2: But when we bid out the job, syb our favorite construction company, our favorite contractor they're doing this project as well as Snyder Plaza as well as our alley projects.
• 22:58
  Speaker 2: They're working all over town but their proposed schedule is 15 months.
• 23:01
  Speaker 2: They're already a little bit ahead of schedule.
• 23:04
  Speaker 2: We're hoping to combine two of the phases with how we're doing the drainage work and then in Lovers Lane as well.
• 23:10
  Speaker 2: So I'm anticipating us being through Lovers Lane and starting the realignment of the intersection at Douglas and Lovers right about the time school starts back up.
• 23:20
  Speaker 2: We're hoping that we're not going to be impacting that intersection too much A little bit later whenever, when all of the new sophomores start turning 16 and they need a place to park and they can't get a permit to park in the garage and park in the neighborhood or wherever we're trying to get that taken care of earlier in the fall so that that will be done and then move on through the rest of it.
• 23:45
  Speaker 2: Right now, their schedule is anticipated to be done in March of next year, so just a year from now pretty much Okay.
• 23:52
  Speaker 1: Well, yeah, that's another weird intersection that just I've never understood why.
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: It just didn't quite line up the right way and it just feels awkward to drive across that area, doesn't it?
• 24:02
  Speaker 1: Yes?
• 24:02
  Speaker 2: ma'am and when that lot on the corner that is currently we're using it for construction staging but it's been vacant for a long time.
• 24:09
  Speaker 2: The city had the opportunity to purchase that actually when we were still in design of this project.
• 24:13
  Speaker 2: When we were still in design of this project, and it was a great thing that the city council was able to make that happen at the time, because that allows us to realign the intersection.
• 24:22
  Speaker 2: We have a dedicated left turn lane for both directions.
• 24:25
  Speaker 2: It makes it easier for pedestrians to get through.
• 24:28
  Speaker 2: It provides some additional green space for a potential big entry sculpture piece, another pocket park, similar with the fountain, like we have at Shattuck Park there at Preston and Lover.
• 24:40
  Speaker 2: So it provides just a lot greater opportunities for the city to then make a big statement of welcome to University Park.
• 24:48
  Speaker 2: And here's this beautiful infrastructure and we're very excited about that opportunity as well.
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: Okay, well, I can't wait to see it.
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: I mean, there's so many things to look forward to.
• 24:59
  Speaker 1: It sounds like I'm super excited about it.
• 25:01
  Speaker 1: Let's talk about communication for a bit, because I've gone to a couple of city council meetings and a big topic is some people don't feel like that.
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: They knew any of these things were coming along.
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: They may be business owners or residents.
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: Any of these things were coming along.
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: They may be business owners or residents.
• 25:20
  Speaker 1: I feel like you guys have done an excellent job of communicating.
• 25:22
  Speaker 1: If you know where to go for those communications, such as the City of UP website, instagram, subscribe to the newsletter.
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: I feel like it's all right there for you, but it is human nature.
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: We get busy.
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: We don't know that we need to kind of go out of our way to subscribe to these things.
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: Talk to us about how we can stay in the loop on everything.
• 25:44
  Speaker 2: Oh, absolutely so.
• 25:46
  Speaker 2: In addition to the website, first thing you'll find for both projects, both the Miracle Mile and Snyder Plaza project we have a dedicated landing page for both of those projects and at the top of the page is a link for you to subscribe to bi-weekly emails that we send out.
• 26:01
  Speaker 2: Anybody can subscribe, you don't have to be.
• 26:03
  Speaker 2: You know, I've subscribed because you don't have to be UP resident is what I'm trying to say.
• 26:08
  Speaker 2: So anybody can subscribe to that.
• 26:11
  Speaker 2: Any of your listeners can go there.
• 26:12
  Speaker 2: Click on that button.
• 26:13
  Speaker 2: We send out bi-weekly emails every Friday, but if we have something coming up in addition, we send out like oh hey, by the way, this is happening If there's a construction update, if we're going to have a lane change, if there's going to be night work although there's not but like if they're going to be working past their normal work hours, if there's going to be Saturday work, we let people know.
• 26:34
  Speaker 2: That's honestly, the best way to do that and we put to get up-to-date information and I tell people that all the time, like well, nobody told me this.
• 26:42
  Speaker 2: Well, have you subscribed to our email list?
• 26:44
  Speaker 2: We try not to inundate you and they're typically pretty short, but they do have the most up-to-date information that we just can't put on the website because by the time we get it on the website it's out of date.
• 26:56
  Speaker 2: So, um, but our communications team, um Paige and Abby, do a great job of making little videos about how to get in and out of the businesses when we've got those um the sidewalk closed, but you can still walk through the parking lot, how to navigate the parking area, how to navigate the circle around the fountain, which um will be around about now.
• 27:16
  Speaker 2: So, like, what do you have to do with that and where you can go park, how you can get in the garage.
• 27:20
  Speaker 2: They're planning several of those for Miracle Mile as well.
• 27:23
  Speaker 2: Their Instagram page and Facebook page, social media, your podcast is also an excellent way to keep involved because you do a great job of keeping everybody up to date in the Park City.
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: Well, it's just, I feel like it's been really helpful to have you come on here and talk to us, because you explain everything so well in layman's terms where we can all understand it, and it gives a really good picture of what is going on out there.
• 27:48
  Speaker 1: And then, plus, if you couple that with the things that are on your website, like you can really have a visual there with the maps.
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: They're very detailed and I feel like you guys really have a visual there with the maps.
• 27:56
  Speaker 1: They're very detailed and I feel like you guys are doing an excellent job.
• 27:58
  Speaker 1: It's just, we as a community just need to know where to go for the information.
• 28:03
  Speaker 2: Absolutely, and you're welcome to reach out to any of us anytime, any of your listeners, if you have questions.
• 28:08
  Speaker 2: A person a live person actually usually answers the phone.
• 28:12
  Speaker 2: If I don't answer the phone, I will call you back.
• 28:15
  Speaker 2: Leave me a voicemail and it will probably be me.
• 28:18
  Speaker 2: But for the most part, trying to get that information, making sure that it's accurate, keeping the public informed of what's happening.
• 28:28
  Speaker 2: I regularly tell people this when we're out in the field there's a lot of things that we can do.
• 28:32
  Speaker 2: Sometimes we just don't see it every day, so people will call hey, did you know this is happening?
• 28:37
  Speaker 2: This actually happened in the Miracle Mile Over the weekend.
• 28:39
  Speaker 2: We had a sign pointed the wrong way but it got turned around and we didn't know about it because it was Saturday and I was like oh so we just thank you so much for letting me know and there are some things that we can pivot and do, but there's some things that we can't.
• 28:55
  Speaker 2: So we try to be really clear about the communication piece of that from here's what's coming, here's what we're going to do, here's how you can do that.
• 29:03
  Speaker 2: Business owners, merchants, the public at large, everybody.
• 29:10
  Speaker 2: We try to give them the most up-to-date information.
• 29:13
  Speaker 1: Right, right.
• 29:13
  Speaker 1: Well, I mean, it changes so frequently and you can't be everywhere every time and if a sign gets changed around, you know.
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: If you see something, say something, be sure and call the city because otherwise they may not know.
• 29:26
  Speaker 2: Oh, absolutely Especially.
• 29:27
  Speaker 2: I mean we're not there on Saturday night and we won't be back until Monday.
• 29:31
  Speaker 2: So call PD if you see something that does not quite look right and they'll address it at that time.
• 29:37
  Speaker 2: That very rarely happens.
• 29:39
  Speaker 2: It's actually happened more on Lever's Lane because of the through traffic and it's just much more heavily traveled than Snyder Plaza is like in the middle of the night.
• 29:48
  Speaker 2: So they come and set the barricades up every morning because they are messed with every night.
• 29:55
  Speaker 2: Oh no, oh no, it's just funny.
• 30:08
  Speaker 1: Well, I just want to really stress to everybody the businesses are open, yes, and these are our small local businesses, which we absolutely love and adore and what makes our community so special.
• 30:14
  Speaker 1: You guys, we've got to keep supporting them.
• 30:16
  Speaker 1: Whatever you can do to get out there, buy gift cards, have your neighbor drive you up there.
• 30:23
  Speaker 1: If you're going to Snyder Plaza, tell your neighbors on your group text I'm heading up there.
• 30:28
  Speaker 1: Does anyone need anything?
• 30:29
  Speaker 1: Let's help each other out.
• 30:31
  Speaker 1: We're making a lot of progress here, katie, and it's moving along very nicely, so we just got to keep supporting those guys out there.
• 30:39
  Speaker 2: Absolutely.
• 30:40
  Speaker 2: I could not agree more.
• 30:41
  Speaker 2: And after we got through the first block of Snyder Plaza, I think everybody kind of realized it's not going to be so bad.
• 30:49
  Speaker 2: We kind of had that cadence like okay, so here's where you can go and here's how you get around.
• 31:03
  Speaker 2: And I feel certain the same thing will happen in the Miracle Mile once we kind of get that first section going.
• 31:05
  Speaker 2: But everybody is open.
• 31:06
  Speaker 2: I encourage you to go visit them.
• 31:06
  Speaker 2: Go shopping in one of the dress shops, go get your hair done, go get a facial, go across the street and go to Party Bazaar, get you some balloons, go get your nails done.
• 31:15
  Speaker 2: There's anything that you could possibly want in that particular area.
• 31:20
  Speaker 2: It's effectively like one-stop shopping.
• 31:23
  Speaker 2: And then you can go, you know, have some oysters at Hudson House when you're done, or go down to Chip's and get some fries and a shake.
• 31:28
  Speaker 2: And don't forget your tires.
• 31:30
  Speaker 2: Oh yes, and your tires Shoot.
• 31:32
  Speaker 2: Just drop off your car and you can just walk around all these places.
• 31:34
  Speaker 1: I mean you're right, Like anything you could possibly want is going on right there at the Miracle Mile.
• 31:39
  Speaker 2: Well, and I know it is hard to get around right now, but as we've moved into the summer months and it gets a little bit less traffic, the through traffic really cuts down because people aren't trying to get to Dallas, and the through traffic we're trying to route them around other places.
• 31:53
  Speaker 2: Right, so go up to Northwest Highway, go over to University, so that we can keep the local traffic for our businesses, so that that's maintained for them as much as possible.
• 32:01
  Speaker 1: That makes perfect sense.
• 32:02
  Speaker 1: I love it.
• 32:03
  Speaker 1: Well, katie, this has been so fun and such a great update.
• 32:07
  Speaker 1: I'm super excited about all the changes.
• 32:09
  Speaker 1: Like I keep saying, we're making progress.
• 32:11
  Speaker 1: It's moving along nicely, in my opinion, anyways, and I really appreciate all the communications that you guys give us.
• 32:18
  Speaker 2: Oh, of course.
• 32:18
  Speaker 2: Thank you so much, martha.
• 32:19
  Speaker 2: It's been a pleasure and we really do appreciate all of your support and giving us the opportunity and me the opportunity to come on and talk to people about it, so I appreciate it Absolutely.
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: Anything that we can do to keep the public informed.
• 32:32
  Speaker 1: I'm all on board for Well, that's been another episode of the Bubble Lounge.
• 32:37
  Speaker 1: I'm Martha Jackson and I'll see you next time.