As orange construction cones continue to disappear from downtown Fargo, north Broadway businesses are looking to make a comeback.  All Broadway intersections are open for the first time since May, the city Street Department announced Monday.  The final phase of the $8 million Broadway Streetscape project should be finished by Oct. 15, project inspector Rick Larson said.  The three-year facelift spruced up Broadway from First Avenue South to Ninth Avenue North with red brick at the intersections, historic light posts, hanging flower baskets, benches, trash receptacles and decorative stone columns.  This year's portion cost $2.2 million and stretched from Fourth Avenue North to Ninth Avenue North.  Construction started May 17, and businesses felt the impact soon after, said Cynthia Herfindahl, manager of Cynthia's Custom Cakes at 524 Broadway.  Business was slow enough this summer that Herfindahl decided to close the bakery, sandwich shop and espresso bar for three weeks to replace the carpet, reupholster the chairs and paint the walls.  "It wasn't worth it" to stay open, she said. "We had to lay some people off, too.  "Since Broadway reopened, though, Herfindahl has already noticed customers returning.  "We're excited. We want to show off what the street looks like," she said.  To do so, several Broadway merchants north of the Fargo Theatre plan to offer store specials and entertainment during "Broadway Alive" Oct. 22-24.  Greg Danz, owner of Zandbroz Variety at 420 Broadway, said his business picked up in September after a painful lull in May, June, July and August.  "We're hoping that that will continue and that, actually, with our pretty new streets, we'll get some new people down here, too," he said.  Businesses in the 500 block of Broadway, just north of the railroad tracks, are optimistic about their new scenery.  "Now we look like part of downtown," said Brad Stephenson, owner of B.D.S. Books, 506 Broadway.  Herfindahl praised general contractor Northern Improvement Co. of Fargo for being mindful of maintaining access to businesses.  Larson said some work remains on the sidewalks, streetlights and traffic signals at Sixth Avenue and Seventh Avenue North, where left-hand turn lanes have been added. The decorative stone columns will be erected at Sixth Avenue and Ninth Avenue.  Downtown residents and businesses will get a break from road construction next summer. No major projects are planned, said Mark Bittner, city engineer.  "I hope they leave us alone for a few years now," Danz quipped.

Photo:Northern Improvement Co. worker Scott Schlenker puts the finishing touches on a new section 

of sidewalk along Broadway near Sixth Avenue North at First Lutheran Church in Fargo on Monday. Bruce Crummy / The Forum