Foley is preparing for a major makeover of South Chicago Street as work gets underway on a key downtown corridor. The project is the next step in readying the area for the city’s new library and community center. Improvements will stretch between U.S. 98 and East Orange Avenue. City leaders say the changes will reshape the heart of downtown.

City staff members recently met with the contractor and representatives from Riviera Utilities to review construction plans. Work on the new corridor follows the North Chicago Street project, which opened in May 2025. The new improvements are scheduled to be finished by March 2026.

The library and community center are expected to open later in the spring of 2026. The building will have about 40,000 square feet of space. That is roughly twice the size of Foley’s current library facility.

The South Chicago Street work will run from U.S. 98 to East Orange Avenue, where the new library is under construction. Crews will rebuild the corridor as a streetscape project. City officials say the goal is to make the area safer and more welcoming for drivers and pedestrians.

Plans call for new walkways that will give people a safer path along the street. Green spaces with added street trees will soften the look of the corridor. The extra landscaping is also expected to provide shade and improve the appearance of downtown Foley.

The city will install brick pavers and columns similar to those now in place on Chicago Street at Heritage Park. Foley is also working with Riviera Utilities on decorative lighting. The lighting will match the upgraded look and help brighten the street at night.

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City planners say the new South Chicago corridor will mirror upgrades already completed on Chicago Street north of U.S. 98. That earlier project added an extension of East Jessamine Avenue. It also created a new gateway entrance to Heritage Park for residents and visitors.

To get the current work started, city staff members and Riviera Utilities representatives met with the contractor to go over the construction schedule. Under the plan, different parts of South Chicago Street will close at times. The closures will move as crews finish each section.

City officials say they will work closely with the contractor to keep the area open for daily life. They plan to maintain access to nearby businesses along the project route. They will also make sure that customers can still reach the Foley Post Office.

When the work is finished, Foley expects South Chicago Street to serve as an attractive gateway to the new library and community center. The improved corridor is also designed to calm traffic. City leaders hope the project will support downtown growth for years to come.