The parking lot behind the Blue Talon Bistro in Colonial Williamsburg is open again after months of construction. (Sian Wilkerson)

WILLIAMSBURG — After months of construction, the parking lot behind the Blue Talon Bistro in Merchants Square is back in action.

The lot, which is called P3, had been closed since February for improvements. One of the major changes to the configuration of the lot was the permanent closure of the alley beside the Blue Talon, necessitating a change in the parking lot traffic patterns.

During the reconfiguration work, eight parking spaces were added to the lot, as well as new landscape islands and site lighting. The area was also regraded to improve draining. The alley next to Blue Talon is now a walkway, and there’s a place for the restaurant to have outdoor seating.

An alley next to Blue Talon Bistro is now a walkway, with a place for the restaurant to have outdoor seating. (Sian Wilkerson)

These additional improvements were “cost effective” in concert with other necessary work, said Ellen Peltz, spokeswoman for The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. .

During the months of work, “visitors, locals and the merchants whose shops were affected by the parking lot closure were extremely patient and adaptable,” Peltz said.

At the start of construction, the owners of two businesses, The Shoe Attic and Three Cabanas, together created a temporary pop-up shop in an empty storefront on Duke of Gloucester Street, formerly home to the Craft House and a block away from their affected stores.

Kelly Terracina, who owns the Three Cabanas Lilly Pulitzer Specialty Store that sells women’s clothing, accessories and jewelry, said at the time that she didn’t want to chance her business being affected by the construction.

Visitors were able to make use of the several other nearby lots when P3 was offline, but plenty of people will be glad to see this lot back in action. Colonial Williamsburg is “excited” to bring back the expanded and improved lot for the community and guests, Peltz said.

Over the weekend, Colonial Williamsburg and Merchants Square held a block party to celebrate the reopening. Several nearby businesses, including Simply Southern, Baskin Robbins and Blackbird Bakery, participated with promotions. During the event, there were also prize wheels, chalk art, swag bags and plenty of food, drinks and entertainment.

Sian Wilkerson, sian.wilkerson@pilotonline.com, 757-342-6616