Twin Cities
Two Missouri towns near Kansas City have rekindled public interest in their 19th century “heartland of America” legacies and coordinated their downtown revitalization projects to reflect that heritage. Lee’s Summit and Oak Grove upgraded landscaping, sidewalks and street lights to complement their commercial centers.
Lee’s Summit launched its revitalization projects early in 2007, and Oak Grove discovered that, by ordering some of the same materials, it could “ride” on the contracts that Lee’s Summit had set up. For both communities, updating the 40-year-old lighting downtown was of prime importance in improving aesthetics and safety. The fixtures they chose are reminiscent of a “gaslamp era,” with a classically styled lantern with shepherd’s crook arm, and an acorn-style luminaire with post top. “The new lights had to complement both the turn-of-the-century architecture and updated landscape design,” says Rick Lunceford, public works inspector for Oak Grove. “Our criteria were straightforward: fixtures that looked historic, yet with modern benefits, such as easy installation and maintenance.”
The lanterns with decorative arms were prominently placed around Lee Summit’s red brick civic center and are often decorated with colorful banners promoting local events. Traditional acorn-style pole lights with finials were installed along Lee Summit’s main boulevard. In Oak Grove, both styles line Broadway, the main street in town, leading to the spruced-up city center. Along with lighting, the sidewalks were replaced with new surfaces that include snow-melt systems that keep the sidewalks warm when temperatures drop.
Lee’s Summit decorates the light fixtures near its civic center with banners promoting local events.
Project: Downtown beautification
Jurisdiction: Lee’s Summit and Oak Grove, Mo.
Vendor: Palmdale, Calif.-based Sun Valley Lighting; Overland Park, Kan.-based BHC Engineering; Kansas City, Mo.-based Musselman and Hall; Kansas City, Mo.-based Gould Evans, Salt Lake City-based Warm Zone; Kansas City, Mo.-based Yates Electric
Date completed: December 2007
Cost: Approximately $580,000 per community
