Paris Alley Project wrapping up allowing people to step back in time

PARIS, Tenn. — Residents in Paris will soon be able to walk back in time by visiting one of the oldest places in the city after a year long project wraps up.

In downtown Paris there is a small space that has had a big impact across the city.

“The drainage from the rooftops was an issue, when we discovered that we started the process of trying to repair the storm drains,” Building Department Head Mike Brown said.

City leaders said the buildings surrounding the alleyway are more than 100 years old, the piping underneath the alley was made of clay, and had completely stopped functioning around a year ago.

“The water was getting in the basements, where the drainage in the alley was just gone they just was made out of that old clay pipe and most of it had collapsed water was just getting in the basements and we had to do something,” Public Works Director Phillip Jessie said.

City officials said they knew they had to do something to stop the damage, which led into the alleyway project.

“It needed to be paved, we already knew that, we thought, while we have got it all dug up what about the utilities that are included the water, the sewer, the gas lines so we pulled in all the utility companies AT&T and Charter,” City Manager Kim Foster said.

The project then took another turn, leading officials to create a new spot downtown for people to visit.

“We are getting a lot of great feedback from the community, everyone seems to be really excited about it they are coming and taking pictures and people are talking about the possibilities about things that can be done,” Foster said.

Foster said they hope to paint more murals on the walls and in the windows down the alley.

They also hope to make the alley an outdoor event space to promote their downtown area.