TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX) – If you’re heading downtown anytime soon – or any time over the next year – be aware that you won’t be able to access a portion of Hansen Street East, either by foot or vehicle. The road is now closed between Second Avenue East and Main Avenue East for the Downtown Commons project.

A portion of Hansen Street East will be closed until summer 2017 for the Downtown Common project. (Photo by Andrew Weeks)
A portion of Hansen Street East will be closed until summer 2017 for the Downtown Common project. (Photo by Andrew Weeks)
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The project includes repurposing the old Banner Furniture store into a modern City Hall and turning the site of the former Rogerson Hotel into a community gathering place with trees, umbrellas and a splash fountain.

City spokesman Joshua Palmer said the portion of road will be closed until the project is complete in summer 2017.

The downtown water fountains have been razed as part of the city's Downtown Commons project. (Photo by Andrew Weeks)
The downtown water fountains have been razed as part of the city's Downtown Commons project. (Photo by Andrew Weeks)
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The downtown water fountains, which were established in the 1970s, were removed on Monday also as part of the project.

Some business owners, although sad to see the fountains go, said they are excited about what the city is doing to rejuvenate downtown.

“If anything is going to help downtown be rejuvenated, I’m all for it,” business owner Keith Brown told the radio station on Monday. His family’s furniture store, Claude Brown’s, stands next to the now-razed fountains and south of the future City Hall.

The city needed to do something different downtown because whatever has been done so far “hasn’t worked,” he said. “It’s not going anywhere.”

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