Taking to the Streets



City Manager updating board members
on South Front St. improvements

 The June Swiss Bear board meeting broke out of its usual format of meeting from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. in the Chamber meeting room last Thursday. Following a brief up-date, Mike Epperson, City Manager and Mark Stephens, Director of Public Works conducted a tour of South Front Street from East Front to the Farmer’s Market discussing improvements that are underway and streetscape improvements scheduled to be completed within the year.

Parking lot at Craven and
Hotel Service Dr.

Manager discussing additional
parking in Farmer's Mkt parking lot

To address parking concerns, Public Works is putting parking signs up directing people to the parking lot at Craven and Hotel Service Drive. The tall bushes that obscured the lot have been removed and will be replaced with low smaller shrubs. The lot, developed in the late 1990’s with Municipal Service District (MSD)funds, was reserved for businesses that leased spaces. Since few spaces were actually leased, the decision was recently made to open it up for public parking with the exception of the leased spaces. Parking signage will also be put up on Craven Street to identify the parking lot adjacent to Morgan’s Tavern (the spaces leased by Morgan’s are now clearly marked with signage), on Broad Street directing people to the City lot at the corner of New and Hancock Street and at the Farmer’s Market.    

Streetscape improvements to South Front Street (100, 200, 300 block) are scheduled to begin in early 2013 with completion by late April. Improvements include new sidewalks, street lights (using the same paving materials in other up-dated blocks) and landscaping. This project is being funded with MSD tax money, an additional $.13 ad valorem tax per hundred for property owners in the 12 core block area.  The 400 block will be included if bids come in low enough…If not, the block will be improved at a later date.

City lot at corner of Craven
and South Front St

We are excited South Front Street will be improved. The streetscape improvements will tie the urban renewal area and central business district together, a long term goal, and enhance the South Front gateway to the NC History Center.

Special thanks to Mike and Mark. We all  agreed it was good to actually go out and see what will take place and we plan to do it again when the comprehensive Goody Clancy report on the greater Five Points area is finalized and approved.

Susan Moffat Thomas

Executive Director