For over a month now, the main downtown intersection in Baldwin City at Eighth and High St. has been closed for construction. Announced by Baldwin City on Aug. 27 via The Baldwin Beacon following a survey sent out in July, the road closure and renovation was planned to begin on Sept. 3 and last for about three weeks.
The project was completed by Heartstone, Inc., a construction company from Wichita, who won the project bid from the city this summer. Heartstone both removed the old brick as well as reinforced the road subbase and replaced some of the old bricks as well as added new ones.
On Sept. 2, the intersection was blocked off, and the next day the renovation began. In days following, the old bricks within the intersection were completely removed and set aside. Next, the Heartstone crew reinforced the infrastructure beneath the old street with a layer of new concrete. After several days of rain that delayed the drying process of the concrete, the crew began relaying some of the old bricks in the center of the intersection in the shape of a maple leaf.
By the beginning of October, Heartstone had completed the iconic Baldwin City maple leaf and moved on to filling in around it with a darker gray ironspot brick. Finally, this gray border around the maple leaf was surrounded by the rest of the original red bricks.
The renovation was completed on Monday, Oct. 13, and the intersection was announced by the city to be reopened within the next 24 hours of the project’s completion.
On Friday, Oct. 17, there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce at 4:30 p.m. to celebrate the new design.
