COTTAGE GROVE – With yellow stripes painted on the road, shrubbery planted in the mulch, and light fixtures and signage safely secured, the City of Cottage Grove celebrated the completion of the Main Street Revitalization Project last Saturday with a block party.
Construction started around February, 2025 to upgrade five blocks of the historic commercial district. The project focused on new utilities, accessibility improvements, street paving, and landscaping.
After almost a year of heavy equipment, caution tape, and traffic cones being staples along Main Street, the community showed appreciation for the completion of the five blocks that construction had taken over.
From Highway 99 to about North 6th Street, white tables and chairs, colorful balloons, and community members spread out on the streets.
A stage between 7th and 8th streets, where the band Riffle performed live. Kids played in the sun that crept through rain-filled clouds, which threatened a slight drizzle from time to time.
Even with the modest precipitation, a temporary shield under a canopy tent or local business awning did not keep folks from enjoying the sense of community that had been bolstered.
The South Valley Farmers Market is no stranger to Saturdays in downtown Cottage Grove. Vendors set up their fresh produce and homemade goods on 7th Street and welcomed the influx of community members on this special occasion.
Downtown businesses opened their doors wide and embraced the return of strolling passengers. The hanging baskets with blooming pink and purple flowers outside The Bookmine made an extra-enticing case.
Three ribbon-cutting ceremonies took place across Main Street, in front of the All-American Square. The first one was to celebrate the folks who started the project, according to Public Works Director Faye Stewart.
The second was an appreciation for the workers who helped bring the concept to fruition.
“We also want to recognize Wildish and all of their subcontractors and the people that they worked with to get the project done. Nothing makes a bigger difference in a project like this than having a good local contractor that you’ve been working with,” said city manager Mike Sauerwein. “They were fantastic in working with all of the businesses and working with city staff. I can’t tell you how much they went out of their way to try to keep every business’s front door open and access to their business while construction was going on,” he said.
The final ribbon-cutting ceremony recognized the elected officials who were instrumental in funding the program. The project was funded mainly through a $5 million federal grant awarded by the Economic Development Administration (EDA), which was financed by the American Rescue Plan (ARP). This federal investment is matched by $1.3 million in local funds, totaling over $6.3 million.
After each ribbon was snipped with large red scissors, confetti cannons popped, sprinkling rainbow papers into the air. Children frolicked in the aftermath.
The Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce arranged a raffle giveaway with five prize drawings valued at over $750 each, and a $3,000 grand prize. All of the prizes were gift certificates from Main Street businesses affected by construction.
Ryan Thomas, a contractor and member of Downtown Cottage Grove (DCG), shared updates proposed for All American Square. Public input was requested for improvements to the little park across the street from The Bookmine.
“One of the things that an organization like ours can do is to help the city with things in our district that maybe are kind of a heavy lift for a city, you’ve got volunteers, you’ve got grant opportunities, and so it’s time to do something with the park.
“We’re calling it more of a refresh, but you can see, the pavers and the unevenness, it’s a trip hazard,” Thomas said.
The refresh would tie the park to the newly upscaled Main Street with new concrete and matching benches.
