UPPER LAKE – On Tuesday afternoon, a work crew installed the new arch leading into downtown Upper Lake.

The project is a key piece of the town's downtown revitalization project, which began over the summer.

County Deputy Redevelopment Director Eric Seely said the arch installation “represents a major milestone of the Upper Lake Main Street Project.”

The $1.7 million downtown improvement project is upgrading both sides of Main Street, extending from Highway 20 down to the intersection at Second Street – including undergrounding of utilities and new sidewalks, county officials reported. Main Street also is being rebuilt and new streetlights have been installed.

Seely said improvements are still coming, with the column stone work and landscaping to be installed in the coming weeks.

Tallman Hotel and Blue Wing Saloon owner Bernie Butcher commended Seely and the redevelopment agency for the work downtown.

While street repaving was under way last week, Butcher said the street was only shut down for a few days, and the crews did a good job of allowing access to Main Street businesses.

“When finished, it will be quite an attractive transformation,” he said of the project.

Butcher gave Seely kudos, noting that Seely has personally overseen the project every day during construction.

The arch and new streetlights are in place in time for the town's holiday celebration and Christmas parade, which takes place on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 5. Upper Lake's merchants and residents invite everyone to come and join in the fun.

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