Plan to spruce up downtown Eureka leaves many disappointed

Tuesday, April 14, 1998 | 10:25 a.m.

Instead, it has left a lot of people disappointed and the county holding a lot of bills.

The project consisted of installing antique street lights, park benches and planters. A $650,000 economic development grant was expected to pay half the cost of the redevelopment and airport improvements.

The airport is done, but is $80,000 over budget. To date, the cost of both projects is at $1.66 million and is likely to reach $1.8 million, according to County Engineer Paul Lumos.

"We're not going to be able to throw money at this forever," County Commissioner Pete Goicoechhea said, according to the Elko Daily Free Press.

Lumos has suggested that the county hold the 10 percent retainer due Canyon Construction Co. on its $742,623 contract until some of the problems primarily dealing with handicapped access are resolved.

Canyon Construction owner Mike Lattin said he would do what he could, but part of the problem lies in the plans he was given to follow. Some downtown merchants agree that the problem may lie as much in the design as in the actual construction.

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