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By the time it’s completed, the city of Bondurant will have spent nearly $1 million on its Main Street streetscape project, which City Administrator Mark Arentsen said is a big boon for the small town.

The city is investing $990,000 on the redevelopment of Main Street, with the project slated to wrap up Nov. 1. “For a little town like Bondurant, that’s a significant investment,” Arentsen said, adding that by his estimate, the community has about 3,400 residents.

The streetscape project, along with other downtown initiatives in recent years, is rapidly changing the community’s landscape.

The Main Street refurbishing, under way between Second Street Northeast and Second Street Southeast includes repaving about a block and a half of the street, installing new sidewalks on both sides, upgrading storm sewers, increasing the amount of on-street parking, installing decorative street lighting, and adding three street radiuses with colored and stamped concrete crosswalks on the intersections of Main with First Street Southeast, Second Street Southeast and Railroad Street. Next spring, landscaping, park benches and trash receptacles will be added.

Since 2007, seven buildings have been demolished in the four-block area, Arentsen said, in an effort to remove undesirable or unaesthetic structures, “all of which needed to go.”

In July 2008, the city purchased two properties, 100 First St. S.E. and 104 Main St. S.E., demolishing them in March to make room for additional off-street parking stalls and create a commercial property. Once the streetscape project is complete, the city plans to combine the parcels into one lot and sell it as a commercial development site.

That initiative, Arentsen said, has helped attract business owners to the area.

For example, Bridget Baer purchased a property at 17 Main St. S.E. in April for $112,000, relocating her Baer Necessities beauty salon business there in May. Prior to that, she had operated the business for almost seven years out of a leased space at 210 Second St. N.E.

Though the Main Street redevelopment project didn’t necessarily directly influence her decision to move, she knew it was coming. “I didn’t know for sure, 100 percent, what was going on with it,” she said. “It probably helped a little bit. … It’s going to be worth it when it’s done.”

“I can’t say this is a direct cause-and-effect relationship,” Arentsen said, but the improvements are having an impact. “If it wasn’t for this project, those kinds of conversations wouldn’t be happening,” he said.

The purchase of 15 Main St. S.E. last month, for example, was directly related to the streetscape initiative, Arentsen said. Denise Roberts, owner of Imperial RV Center in Ankeny, paid $73,000 for the property on Sept. 17. Though Arentsen said he’s not sure what Roberts’ plans are for the 1,800-square-foot building, “I know for sure that was related to this project happening,” he said. Roberts was not immediately available for comment.

“I think over time more valuation is going to be created downtown,” Arentsen said, adding that the buzz continues over how the redevelopment may spur other downtown enterprises forward.

Last fall, the city completed the construction of a $2 million library at 104 Second St. N.E. and the construction of a $950,000 public safety building, which houses the fire station. Those two projects were funded by a $2.3 million bond issue that was approved by voters in 2007. About 83 percent of voters supported the bond issue, Arentsen said.

“It’s amazing to me the amount of public support” that the city has received for its public improvement projects, Arentsen said. “They want to see things improve.”

Arentsen said Bondurant is poised for growth, with the groundbreaking on several residential subdivisions expected next year. As of Oct. 15, the city had issued 63 residential building permits for single-family houses, compared with a total of 53 such permits in 2008.

The construction of Bondurant-Farrar Community School District’s new $13.3 million high school should finish up in December. About two miles of sidewalk and bike trails are currently being installed along Second Street Northeast, from the east to the west side of town. Arentsen is optimistic that a proposed tornado shelter will be constructed next year and has high hopes for a new post office. A major sewer project, which will connect the city to the Water Reclamation Authority, is slated for 2013.

“There is more coming,” Arentsen said.