Dancing in the street: City and business leaders celebrate reopening of Superior Street

Two blocks of the newly reconstructed Superior Street reopened to traffic Tuesday.

Before the barricades between Third and Fifth avenues west, up since April, were taken down, dozens of business owners, employees, construction crews and city of Duluth officials celebrated on the street in front of the Maurices headquarters at Fifth Avenue West.

For Sara Sarvela, who's owned of Frame Corner Gallery at 323 W. Superior St. for 22 years, this was the first massive street reconstruction project her business endured.

"It's amazing, being a business owner, how excited you get when the hole in the street gets filled with dirt, or there's a sidewalk and now there's white lines," Sarvela told the crowd.

The two blocks opened Tuesday are the first completed in the city's Superior Street reconstruction project, which includes completely new sidewalks, road surfaces and underground utilities.

After two more phases in 2019 and 2020, most of Superior Street through downtown Duluth - from about the Gateway Plaza to Fourth Avenue East - will be reconstructed.

Work on the first phase continues on Superior Street west of Fifth Avenue West, in between the Duluth Public Library and Radisson Hotel, and that section of street remains closed, including the Sixth Avenue West and Superior Street intersection, but will likely reopen next month.

Duncan Schwensohn, a senior engineer for the city of Duluth, said the city will "probably have that open in the next couple of weeks."

While the road surface is complete along that stretch, concrete work on the sidewalk and amenities continues, Schwensohn said.

But the reopening of the first two blocks in the multi-year process was a milestone and a relief for businesses that dealt with reduced foot traffic and sales for six months.

"This is a day of celebration," said Duluth Mayor Emily Larson, who arrived at the event in a firetruck.

The celebration included dancing in the street with choreography led by Harbor City International School students as the Harbor Harbor City String Band performed "Sandy Boys."

Throughout Tuesday, businesses along Superior Street hosted open houses and trick-or-treating to celebrate the street's reopening.

"We're glad it's over," said Kathy Kubiski, owner of Namaste Gifts and Healing at 400 W. Superior St.

She's telling business farther up on Superior Street, who will be affected by the next two seasons of reconstruction, to prepare for - but not fear - the project.

"It had to happen," Kubiski said. "If you keep a positive outlook on it, it all goes better than if you sort of came in with a negative one."

1/3: Superior Street between Fifth and Third avenues west opened to traffic Tuesday. Bob King / rking@duluthnews.com

2/3: Mariah McKechnie, owner of Northland Special Events on Superior Street downtown, enjoys the grand opening ceremony with her dog "Cheech," who wears an "I am the boss" sweater. Bob King / rking@duluthnews.com

3/3: A crowd of people assembles to listen to speakers at the grand opening of the newly constructed section of Superior Street at Fourth Avenue West Tuesday morning. Bob King / rking@duluthnews.com