Water Street was, literally, flowing with water on October 26, when a water main near the City Center for Contemporary Arts broke, creating a bubbling gurgle at its intersection with Second Street SE, just off the Downtown Mall. Was this small gusher a result of incessant utility work that’s been going on in that corridor?
Actually, City spokesman Ric Barrick says the break was the result of rusted bolts on top of a hydrant valve that burst—nothing to do with a month’s worth of gaping construction holes, exposed pipes and sundry hard hat-clad utility workers outside Atomic Burrito.
But, now that we think of it, what’s been going on over there, anyway? Barrick says it’s a combination of general plumbing maintenance and getting the utilities up to snuff for a possible project at the adjacent former Boxer Learning building, developed by Oliver Kuttner. In fact, as C-VILLE has reported, a site plan has been entered for a nine-storey boutique hotel to be built in that location. Apparently, the City has been prepping the pipes to water all those future boutique showers and pedestal sinks.
Barrick says they’re now through with utility work and only a little aesthetic pavement-smoothing will be further needed for the beleaguered alleyway.