To the untrained observer, it might not look like much is happening on our site, but lots is going on—the kind of work that serves as the literal and figurative infrastructure for all of the development still to come. According to Jim Hall, director of design and construction, crews currently are “setting the backbone” for the entire neighborhood.

“These beginning stages unfold slowly, and then all of a sudden, one day you’ll see the street go in, with curbs and gutters, and sidewalks and trees,” he said. “It’s an important phase. A critical phase. Once the infrastructure is in place, all of the other parcels within Mill District can start to be developed, one by one, to create the neighborhood we have envisioned.”

On our site, this has meant the recent addition of new recycled water lines, sewer lines, domestic water mains, and storm drains (to name a few).

Off our site, along the east side of Healdsburg Avenue, a good portion of the new curbs are in place, and earlier this month we installed bases for lampposts. The City of Healdsburg is tasked to install the streetlights, and has already started that process. (Once the City installs the lights, construction patterns on Healdsburg Avenue will shift again, so that the new utilities on the west side of Healdsburg Ave can be installed).

Another milestone currently underway: site prep for Lot 7. The formal name for this neighborhood-within-our-neighborhood is The Exchange. We just hosted a webinar with partner Eden Housing updating our community on what is happening, what is to come and what to expect. If you’d like the recording, please email josie@milldistricthealdsburg.com.