Luxemburg’s Main Street is about to get a new look.

Both its structural integrity and appearance will be improved this year with $1.7 million from the village’s Tax Increment Finance (TIF) district.

At a Luxemburg Area Chamber of Commerce meeting recently, Lee Novak, village engineer with Robert E. Lee & Associates Inc., reviewed the plans for Luxemburg’s Main Street Enhancement Project for more than 40 of the village’s business leaders.

“When it is completed, it will invite people to come down the street,” he said.

The plans include replacing aging storm sewer pipes and other infrastructure from Wisconsin 54 to Peter Street, repairing and repaving Main Street and adding new curbs from 54 to Ash Street, except between Ralph and Oak streets.

The street will stay the same width but have new colored concrete on parts of the sidewalk that are the same burgundy color used by the Spartans of Luxemburg-Casco High School.

Although the village had hoped to plant trees between the sidewalk and the street, urban trees just don’t work in these locations, Novak said.

Instead, the village plans to install large planters that can hold various seasonal flowers and greens.

“There will be lots of benches and new ornamental lampposts,” he said.

The new ornamental lamps will be acorn-shaped and at least 15 feet tall, with some lampposts exceeding that limit at the intersections, he said. They will stretch from Wisconsin 54 to Robin Lane.

“The lighting will be higher in the business areas but kept at a lower level in the residential areas,” Novak said.

The lamposts will allow banners to be hung and changed seasonally,  he said.  Wisconsin Public Service Corp. (WPS) will own and install the lights.

In addition, the sidewalk will be extended from Main Street to Charles Street to allow people in the Countryside subdivision to walk into town.   A sidewalk will also be added from Hickory to Church streets.

The construction will begin in late July after the Kewaunee County Fair, he said.

“Construction will impact your business,” Novak told the audience.

He said that Main Street will only be open to local traffic and existing sidewalks will be torn up during construction.

“If you have only one entrance to your business, we will help you lay board walkways around the construction,” he said.

He urged Main Street businesses with two entrances to close off their Main Street entrance during construction.

“I’ve supervised these projects in Green Bay and Algoma,” said Novak, warning that there would be lots of dust that could affect furniture stores and other businesses.  “There will be construction nuisances.”

He said that he expects the project to be completed by mid-October.

Ann Kulhanek, Luxemburg Chamber of Commerce president, said that the chamber is excited about the project.

“I believe that it benefits everyone in our village, including businesses and residents,” she said.  “When a community takes pride in how they look, it reflects well on everyone.”

In addition, the Bank of Luxemburg has allocated $1 million to provide in low-interest loans to Luxemburg businesses who want to improve their property.

Loan amounts will vary from $5,000 to $50,000 with a low fixed interest rate and special repayment terms based on individual project needs, said Tim Treml, executive vice president of the Bank of Luxemburg.

Eligible loan uses include facade improvements, pedestrian cover, historical preservation, structure renovations and accessibility improvements as well as other improvements, Treml said.

“We’ve already had our first application,” said Treml, who added that at least 10 other local businesses have made inquiries about financing projects, such as parking lot and exterior improvements and interior remodeling.

Last week Bank of Luxemburg announced that it was increasing its local revitalization fund to $3 million and would expand it to include businesses throughout all of Kewaunee County.

“Like Luxemburg, Algoma has its Main Street program and Kewaunee is looking toward additional development with its harbor renovation,” Treml said.

“From the town of Carlton to the town of Red River, there are small businesses that could benefit from this program,” he said.  “We are trying to do things that make people’s lives better.”

Karen Ebert Yancey can be reached at [email protected], on Facebook at Kewaunee County Star News Facebook, on Twitter at @EbertYancey or by calling 920-559-1235.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press Gazette: A New Look for Luxemburg