By Staff
DIGGING IN Meridian construction worker Kevin Wallace, of Jellenc Construction Inc., uses his shovel to move some dirt while working to build what city officials are calling "the new" 10th Avenue in north Meridian. Hugh Null clears a path with a bulldozer in the background. Jellenc was contracted by the city last November to build the new road. Photo by Paula Merritt / The Meridian Star
By Fredie Carmichael / staff writer
March 15, 2002
A Meridian construction company is halfway finished building what city officials are calling the "new" 10th Avenue in north Meridian.
City officials contracted Jellenc Construction Inc. last November to build the 1,400-foot road that will connect Old Country Club Drive and Windmill Drive.
Assistant City Engineer Jason Gault, who is overseeing the project, said he expects construction of the road, water and sewer lines to be completed by the scheduled date of July 1.
City officials are hoping the new road will help attract new families to build homes inside the city and help boost property tax revenues. Census 2000 figures showed a marked decline in Meridian's population as residents moved to Lauderdale County or elsewhere.
The property where the road is being constructed is owned and developed by Windmill Properties Inc. and Poplar Springs Development LLC. Ten acres of the property on the east side of the new road is owned by Northpointe Presbyterian Church.
Meridian developer Robert Ward, who has developed nearby Windmill Crossings and Windmill Estates subdivision, said he has already started constructing homesites on the new road.
Ward said the 22 new lots on the west side of the road will make up Windmill Gardens a subdivision featuring 1,700-2,200 sq. ft. luxury garden homes. He said the six on the east side of the road will become Phase II of Windmill Crossings.
Meridian City Council president George Thomas, who represents Ward 1 including north Meridian, said after the new 10th Avenue is completed he hopes to eventually extend it south of Windmill Drive and connect it to Highway 39 North.