ELDRIDGE, Iowa - Business has continued to grow in the small downtown area of Eldridge.
"It's a lot of fun to see that people are starting to become aware that Eldridge actually has a downtown," said Rhonda Groh, Owner of Eastern Iowa Baking Company.
But the street hasn't been able to keep up with all the growth.
"It's showing it's age, it's that old lady whose lipstick is not quite straight," said Groh.
Groh's business sits on Second Street and she's excited to see a big change happen right outside her front door.
"We're gonna narrow the street down very slightly on either side, so we'll have wider sidewalks, we'll be putting in trees along the way, colored concrete, to make everything look very nice," said James Martin, Asst. City Administrator for Eldridge.
The city is giving the street a big makeover, expected to cost around $1 million.
"From local sales tax, from our hospitality fund, from our road use funds, so we've been kinda putting aside money for this purpose for a while," said Martin.
But with construction comes a bit of a headache, Groh is looking to temporarily relocate her store front during it.
"We are actually the only business in downtown Eldridge that does not have a back door, which is why were working with the city for another location," said Groh.
In the end, she thinks it will all be worth it to have an attractive downtown street.
"You just gotta keep looking ahead, we're moving forward and it will be really nice to have the lighting down here," said Groh.
Construction is going to start in mid July and expected to be done by October.