Meeting the challenges of change, keeping the vision in focus

Downtown New Bern
mid-to-late 1980s

By the late 1980’s most of the downtown development occurring up to that point was initiated by the private sector and funded through private development efforts and the Municipal Service District (additional property tax to downtown property owners).

From 1980 to 1986, approximately $17.5 million was invested in rehabilitation and new construction. Numerous events and promotions were attracting people back downtown. The arts and cultural organizations were developing an agenda of theater productions, art exhibits and concerts.

Tourism was now the county’s fourth largest industry. Two new waterfront hotels and marinas graced the waterfront and the newly established Craven County Tourism Development Authority promoted Craven County with funds generated from a hotel/motel occupancy tax creating a growing need for conference meeting space.

The changes brought new challenges and by 1988 they were beginning to surface. The many projects underway were being done on a piece meal basis and the professional resource team funded by the Pride In Place: Small Town Image Building Program pointed that out during their three day stay in mid-February.

While the Pride-in-Place team’s immediate task was to investigate the potential-use of the Kress store/Elks building to accommodate the need for meeting space, they said that task needed to be viewed in the context of other developments in the immediate vicinity and downtown as a whole. The public and private sector needed a master plan/urban design plan to guide development and redevelopment decisions and provide a unified sense of direction. Continual progress was dependent on public sector participation through a coordinated program of public improvements and development incentives.

The concept of an urban design plan was not fully understood and there was no consensus among the Aldermen to fund development of such a plan. They chose to rely on the recently commissioned Waterfront Conservation & Development Plan (WCDP) to develop long range plans for New Bern’s waterfront and a Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) grant concentrating on preserving water quality, increasing public access to the water and addressing storm water run-off in Union Point, Lawson Creek Park, Glenburnie Park and redevelopment property near the Towers.

At Swiss Bear’s April Board meeting, Tyler Harris, county manager reported NCDOT initiated a study on a U.S. 17 New Bern by-pass and/or replacement/relocation of the Neuse River and Trent River bridges. The increased traffic flow through downtown and across the Neuse and Trent River bridges was creating major traffic problems that would continue to increase. Options being studied were a New Bern bypass carrying traffic far outside of New Bern, construction of a high-rise bridge extending from Bridgeton to the vicinity of Hatteras Yachts or construction of a high-rise bridge from Sandy Point to James City and closing the two existing drawbridges.

A twelve member committee met with DOT officials expressing the third option for a new bridge system would best serve the needs of the community. A new bridge system would take seven to twelve years to move forward and if the project received funding from the Federal Bridge Replacement Act, it would require removal of the two existing bridges.

Facing this potential challenge, Swiss Bear Board members concurred it was vitally important to complete redevelopment of Union Point and other downtown improvements before any bridge and road improvements would take place.

In August 1988, the presentation of the WCDP study on the waterfront from Lawson Creek to New Street recommended improvements to Lawson Creek Park, acquisition of two parcels of land near the housing authority for a public space and developing a waterfront walkway from New Street to Hancock Street as a long term goal. Redevelopment of Union Point Park required more study.

The issue of incompatible waterfront development surfaced in September when Southern Home Management and New Bern Associates requested amending a zoning ordinance allowing Central Business District (CBD) residential structures to exceed 35 feet height restrictions. They were interested in developing residential housing in Bicentennial Park. Zoning regulations were inconsistent with no height restrictions on non-residential buildings in the CBD and a 35 foot height restriction on residential buildings. The Historic District Commission administered stringent guidelines for historic structures but not on new structures, setbacks, parking or public improvements.

At the same time, Morton Construction and Southern Home Management proposed construction of 52 condominiums (260 feet wide and 60 to 65 feet in height) or a five story hotel on the vacant three acre tract adjacent to Union Point Park on East Front Street.

This became a highly contentious controversial issue. Many objected to “blocking their view of the waterfront” even though it was privately owned property and there was a need for downtown investment and residential housing.

The Planning Board felt they needed to compromise to keep New Bern’s skyline intact and still allow development to move forward. The New Bern Preservation Foundation and New Bern Historical Society’s position was to leave the ordinance as it was until a land use study and urban waterfront design plan were completed with a moratorium on any waterfront construction until studies could be completed.

Swiss Bear board members voiced concern there were no height restrictions on non-residential buildings, that residential and non-residential development was needed and understood action taken on height restrictions would only be a quick fix.

At an October Public Hearing in City Hall, the Planning Board recommended amending the ordinance. Residential and non-residential construction could not exceed the height of the tallest building within 100 feet. Numerous people spoke for and against the amendment. Swiss Bear chairman, Harold Talton stated Swiss Bear’s support for the amendment was unanimous.

At the Dec. 6, 1988 Board of Aldermen meeting, the amendment became official. When Mayor Ella Bengel concluded the meeting saying it is the belief of Swiss Bear and other organizations an Urban Design Plan was urgently needed to eliminate problems like those associated with this amendment, Swiss Bear immediately committed to assist the city in raising funds to commission an Urban Design Plan to provide a vision/blueprint to guide planned growth during the next five–to-ten years.