Work beginning on third phase of Norco facelift

‘Our little town is just the ideal place to live’

Norco’s downtown revitalization isn’t a historic movement, but it’s certainly a move toward reviving the appearance of a town that owes its founding to the New Orleans Refining Co.’s 1916 purchase of a sugar cane field for its oil terminal.

Named for this company, Norco remains a community dedicated to its roots and its future.

A $91,000 grant from Shell’s Norco Economic Development Foundation fund (NEDF) is kicking off the third phase of the town’s revitalization.

Sal Digirolamo, president of the Norco Civic Association (NCA), said the revitalization project, is estimated to cost $320,000 to date and aimed at rejuvenating the community’s main street.

“I think it has gone a long ways to putting our Norco to the way we used to know Norco,” Digirolamo said. “The area was really getting into bad shape with a couple of buildings, but now we’re getting a lot of compliments and it’s instilling more pride in Norco. Our little town is just the ideal place to live.”

John Campo of Campo Designs – Architects, which designed the first two phases, is also working on the third phase. Campo said it will involve moving into the next block, which is Good Hope Street going east toward the Shell refinery.

The work will include continuing the brick sidewalk, as well as adding planters, light poles and business signs to ensure uniformity in the downtown look.

“We’re coming back and doing some asphalt pavement improvements across the entire 2-1/2 block area,” Campo said. “We’re finally getting the asphalt work at the parking lot area put in.”

The project is anticipated to be finished within 60 days or finished by mid-November.

“We’re not attempting historic restoration,” Campo said of the work. “We’re taking some architecturally significant buildings and bringing them back to life. This is the business district and this is important. It’s been there for 80 years. It just needs a facelift.”

The project got a thumbs-up last year by the NEDF when representatives saw the first two phases, which Campo said he takes as an encouraging sign that more funding may be coming to continue the revitalization.

If funded, future phases will mean continuing third phase work to Apple Street, which could include upgrades for residents there. Campo said the work will continue as long as there is funding.

Digirolamo agreed.

If more funding is approved, the fourth phase of the revitalization will include a couple of buildings between Apple and Hope streets, and the corner of Apple Street heading down the street.

Another welcome component to the work overall is the buildings are becoming handicapped accessible, he said.Digirolamo said the project was made possible by NCA officers, as well as the group’s 320 members. He also praised Valero’s contribution to help get the parking area done and the River Parish Community Development Corp. for handling the group’s finances.