Yesterday, the Leader-Telegram reported that local engineering firm Ayres Associates submitted the lowest bid for the South Barstow redevelopment project – the one that could drastically change and (hopefully) dramatically improve a huge chunk of downtown Eau Claire. From the article:

• The City Council will discuss Monday night a contract for a downtown traffic analysis and transportation and land use planning, along with conducting public input sessions and designing the reconstruction of stretches of South Barstow and Eau Claire streets. The council is scheduled to vote on awarding the contract on Tuesday.
• Eau Claire-headquartered Ayres Associates submitted the winning bid of $99,225. Two Madison firms - Schreiber Anderson Associates and JJR Inc. - and Design Workshop of Aspen, Colo., were other finalists
• Council President Kerry Kincaid said she's excited at how the plan could better use views of the Chippewa River and make the streets more conducive to their current use.

It’d pretty cool to keep the South Barstow redev local. We'll see how it bans out ...