ARLINGTON — Soon, local business patrons will be able to push Jim Minifie’s buttons — in a good way.

The owner of Jim Minifie State Farm Insurance recently commissioned an elevator to be constructed at his downtown Arlington office on East Fifth Street.

The elevator, which is slated to be completed soon, will give residents access to businesses on the second and third floor of his building.

It will also give Minifie some unique bragging rights.

“In the downtown area, we don’t have very many elevators,” Minifie said. “It will give us easier access. Before, we just had a long stairwell.”

More than two years after a $4.1 million construction project changed the face of downtown, some area business owners are taking it upon themselves to continue improving the look and feel of the old town business district.

From major renovations to a fresh coat of paint, a number of business owners have been making sure that their buildings look the best that they can.

Minifie said that projects big and small have been spurred on by the construction projects the city did downtown in 2007. Those improvements included replacing storm water lines, curbs, gutters, street trees and lighting and repaving segments of road near downtown.

“It all started with the leadership of the mayor (Margaret Larson),” Minifie said. “It was a real boost in the arm. Once the city started to shape up, it really motivated me.”

Other merchants have said that they have noticed business owners making renovations to keep up with their neighbors, even if those changes are not major.

Yvonne Ito, owner of Three Peas in a Pod, said that businesses have been making a concerted effort to keep their buildings in good shape.

“People are trying to do whatever they can to bring in more clientele,” Ito said. “You see people out sweeping or painting and you want to look just as good as they do.”

Paul Ellis, Arlington capital projects manager, said the city has seen an increase in permits for smaller construction projects. However, larger projects — although less common — have also taken place within the city.

“We’re seeing a lot of interest from owners who can obtain funding,” Ellis said.

Larger projects that have cropped up after the downtown Arlington construction project include the construction of Stillaguamish Square on West Avenue, major renovations by Arlington Co-op Supply to the old Safeway building on Olympic Avenue, and various businesses opening up on the downtown corridor.

Ellis said smaller projects have been much more common. An increasing number of business owners have built new awnings and added new signs to their existing businesses in the past two years, he said.

“Although permits for bigger construction projects have been decreasing, building permits for smaller projects have been going up,” Ellis said.

Minifie said he’s noticed other merchants stepping up and doing renovations throughout the downtown, despite many of the buildings being more than 100 years old.

Minifie’s building was constructed in 1909.

“I think that it’s important that us business owners step up and do things like this,” Minifie said.