A grassroots vision to convert a 100-foot wide, one-mile section of 14th Avenue Northwest that runs from the ship canal to Ballard High School could turn a dusty, rutted road into a manicured one, with plenty of greenspace. But the idea, which could take several years and millions of dollars to bring to fruition, is drawing skepticism from business owners in Ballard who fear the plan could cost them too much money and turn an industrial area into a park.

Eugene Wasserman, who represents the North Seattle Industrial Association, said the project is so far fetched that he isn't worried yet.

"The designs are financially unrealistic," said Wasserman. "Ballard has other priorities. It's nice to take a blank piece of paper and redesign a street, but the world doesn't work that way."

The 14th Avenue Project Steering Committee, consisting mostly of Ballard residents who live on 14th, released preliminary design ideas for the street last month, including moving the north/south traffic lanes to the west side of the road, whereas now a wide median splits the lanes.

North of Market, the roadway could be 26-feet wide with diagonal parking atop. South of market, towards several industrial businesses, the lanes would widen to about 30-feet to maintain larger trucks and allow for a wider turning radius. There would be a 42-foot wide (40 feet on the south side of Market) public space on the east side of the street, filled with a water treatment course, gardens, bike paths, playgrounds and benches.

Moving traffic lanes alone would require repaving the street, which could cost between $7.5 and $12 million dollars, according Charles Bookman, a street maintenance division coordinator for the Seattle Department of Transportation. That doesn't include the costs of upgrading the drainage and utility facilities, he said.

In May, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels unveiled a 20-year plan to eliminate the city's $500 million transportation-maintenance backlog. But Ballard's 14th Avenue is not high on the list of maintenance priorities because it isn't a major street for commuters, buses and transport trucks.

"There's no doubt about the need (on 14th), but we have millions of maintenance needs that have been diverted because (the city hasn't) spent enough on maintenance," Bookman said.

City drainage codes require that detention tanks, which store storm water underground and meter it out slowly, be installed if impervious surfaces are replaced, said Mike Brennan, a manager of consulting services for Seattle Public Utilities.

"For utilities, this is where the real cost is," said Brennan. "Sometimes they're a project killer."

Pervious pavers are included in the streets' design, which could reduce the cost for detentions. Detention tanks cost approximately $50,000 each, depending on their size. Strom drain inlets would need to be replaced if the curb line shifts; another major expense, said Brennan.

Peter Locke, chair of the 14th Avenue Project Steering Committee, has said the project may have to be done incrementally during the next several years as the group acquires funding. The committee plans to apply for city grants and possibly use Local Improvement District (LID) status to pay for much of the project.

A LID is a funding mechanism that allows property owners to pay for a portion of a capital infrastructure project that will benefit their property. The assessment for each parcel is determined by the benefits that the property receives from the improvements. Property owners can pay their portion in full or through multiple annual or monthly payments.

But Wasserman said business owners on 14th probably wouldn't be willing to invest in a project that they don't really want.

"Getting all the people on a street to change things is a very hard thing to do," he said. "And business people don't like change."

Dave McIntosh, owner of McIntosh Glass on 14th, said the new design would accommodate the steady flow of 18-wheelers that drive to and from his business daily. But so does the current street.

"Basically, the business owners don't have a problem with the way the street is," he said.

McIntosh is also concerned that a park-like street would encourage the city to install parking pay stations and eliminate the now free parking he and his 14 employees use.

While the new design for the street includes accommodations for industrial needs, it's also intended to change with an evolving community. At a community meeting last month, Don Carlson from Carlson Architects noted that if industrial property turned into a housing development the design could easily adapt.

Jim Demetre, a property owner on 14th, is betting that most of the business owners wouldn't want the project to move forward because they fear it could be a starting point for other major changes in the neighborhood.

Making a neighborhood more appealing for developers could raise property taxes and make it financially difficult to run a business, he said.

"Some people are adverse to change, but there are legitimate concerns," said Demetre. "It shouldn't be a question of change or no change, it should be a question of how to manage change and of understanding the concerns in the industrial area. Business owners are concerned about access, parking and costs."

Still, at least one property owner fully supports the project. Eric Eberlein, events and operations coordinator for Mars Hill Church on 14th thinks the project could serve as a way to connect the community.

"Mars Hill is in it for the long haul," said Eberlein. "Twelve million is a lot of money, but Ballard was built on dreams. I certainly think it's a feasible and necessary project."

But for now, Demetre said the community seems divided into two camps--those who embrace change and those who do not.

"There's a bit of a cultural divide," he said. "When residents start talking about storm water runoff treatment the business owners sort of roll their eyes. But it always comes back to how much it will cost and who will foot the bill."