With the snip of a giant ribbon by appropriately sized scissors, state and city officials helped introduce the reconstructed 100 block of State Street, just in time for the two-week long Overture Grand Opening Festival.
On hand to unveil the 116-day, $5.2 million dollar project were U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison., Madison mayor Dave Cieslewicz, Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, and representatives of Joe Daniels Construction, downtown businesses and city departments.
\This is a glorious day for downtown and State Street,"" said Tom Beach, owner of Pizzeria Uno's, 222 W. Gorham St., and chair of Madison's Central Business Improvement District Board. ""Today we're seeing the first part of this great work.""
Beach said the street was in need of refurbishing so it could continue to be the most recognizable street in the city, if not in the state.
The groundwork for the reconstruction began in 1998, when the Madison City Council adopted the State Street Strategic Plan.
""It's a great day to be a Madisonian,"" Cieslewicz said, who made a multitude of thank-yous to those who aided in the improvement. ""This project really has been a model of cooperation.""
Among those who received gratitude from the mayor was representative Baldwin, who Cieslewicz said was ""literally responsible"" for the project thanks to her securing of some $3.75 million in federal money for the reconstruction.
Baldwin, who said she will ask for more federal dollars to keep the project on track for completion, called State Street ""the main artery to the heart of the city,"" and ""a pulse point for this community.""
""A walk down State Street nourishes us, body and soul,"" she said.
Verveer enumerated the many improvements to the 100 block, including visitor information booths and custom-built bus shelters.
""Without question, the state's greatest street needed a facelift, deserved a facelift,"" he said. ""This truly is a great day for the downtown.""
Construction on State Street will continue, and officials expect the 200 block to be completed n 2005, the 300 and 400 blocks in 2006 and the entire project in 2007.
