Duluth Matters Volunteers Painting Alley Buildings

Duluth Matters volunteers started priming and painting the buildings along the alley behind shops on Main Street in the Old City Hall Block during a workday (May 18).

About 50 volunteers showed up to work, according to Councilman Billy Jones, founder of Duluth Matters. The volunteers included other city council representatives and members of the Duluth High School Naval Jr. ROTC and Key Club.

The alley links West Lawrenceville Street and Abbotts Bridge Road in downtown Duluth.

Mayor Nancy Harris selected the paint colors to be used. The former Parsons warehouse façade is being painted ochre with barn red trim. The warehouse faces West Lawrenceville Street. The buildings that line the alley, including a vacant building that fronts on Abbotts Bridge Road, will be painted in pale blue colors.

Windows and openings in the vacant building were covered with plywood prior to painting.

The city’s Public Works Department is going to utilize a new piece of equipment to break up the concrete on the alley walkway and then patch the asphalt, Jones said, so that it will be level enough for shoppers and Duluth Fall Festival visitors to use it. The Fall Festival Committee has contributed funds toward the alley improvements.

Public Works employees already re-shingled the overhang on the former Parsons warehouse. Duluth Matters purchased the roofing materials.

More alley work days are planned in the future. To volunteer to help, email Jones at bjones@duluthga.net.

The councilman recently formed Duluth Matters to help with various community improvement projects in the city. The first project involved making minor repairs and painting the basement at the Red Clay Theatre. Then Duluth Matters volunteers cleaned up the vacant Cash & Sons lot on Main Street.