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NILES — Construction will soon begin on Niles’ planned public outdoor space in the heart of downtown.

Construction on the Niles Outdoor Dining Experience is set to begin Tuesday, Sept. 3. The project – expected to be completed by Nov. 22 barring unforeseen circumstances – calls for the permanent closure of Second Street between East Main and the north alley and for curbs to be installed that would run east-west at the north and south ends of The Forge. The existing roadway will be milled out and pulverized to be used as a base before concrete is paved between the existing curb lines. 

Features will include a fireplace, overhead lighting and a stage area for performances. The street would be designed as an inverted crown, allowing water to flow toward the center of the street and into a drain. 

According to the Downtown Development Authority, Second Street will be closed from Main Street to the Second Street alley beginning Sept. 3. There will be some closure of the alley to both the north and south as necessary for equipment staging during the process, but no dates have been stated as of today. The construction site itself will likely be fenced off, but the sidewalk will remain accessible to the businesses. The roadway will be passable for Apple Festival Parade participants on Saturday, Sept. 28 but the area surrounding the construction site will be closed to parade viewers.

The Niles City Council voted in April to move forward with plans to close off a section of North Second Street to create an outdoor dining and event area, a design that would scale back from the original design approved in September 2022 due to rising construction costs. The Second Street closure option had the lowest price tag of the three new options considered, with the other two keeping the street open.

Council voted in July to approve up to $305,642 in American Rescue Plan Act Funds to match the Downtown Development Authority/Revitalization and Placemaking grant for the construction of the NODE. 

The DDA will have bi-weekly, in-person updates with the construction team and weekly updates from Wightman that will be shared with businesses and the public.