EASLEY—The final phase of improvements to Old Market Square has been approved.

Easley City Council voted unanimously to accept a resolution that devotes $120,000 to the final phase of a four-phase project in downtown Easley.

The City of Easley is using TIF (Tax Increment Financing) money to pay for downtown beautification.”

“Phase four of the Market Square renovations, which should start in the next 30 days, will consist of the stairways going from the walk-through on Pendleton Street going up to Market Square,” said Easley Building Official Tommy Holcombe. “The new stairs will meet code a little better. We will tear the old stairs out and put new steps and handicap accessibility up through there.”

“We will also be putting more planters and beautification down through there as well,” Holcombe said.

Market Square has already seen drastic improvements, and Holcombe says the final phase will be the finishing touches.

“We’ve broken it down into about four or five phases,” he said. “The first phase was to build the amphitheater and the seating area. The second and third phases included the construction of walk-throughs from Pendleton and Main Street. This one will be for the stairways.”

Currently, no other projects scheduled after Market Square’s completion.

“This is the official last phase unless the TIF and council approve something else,” Holcombe said. “It has been a long project, but it has been a good project. Everyone seems to appreciate it and it’s very well used. That’s what we wanted to see.”

“Anything after this will have to go through the TIF committee and the council,” he continued. “As of right now we’re out of projects (for the TIF). We’ve still got about five or six years left in the TIF deal that we made with the county and the schools. We’ll have to see how much money we have left before we pick another phase.”

Lamar Construction Inc. will be contracted for the project.