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.

Trent River Waterfront Urban Renewal Project

Trent River Waterfront - 1960s
Prior to Urban Renewal project

Aerial View - 1960



Trent River Waterfront
 as seen from the block between
Craven & Middle Streets



Urban Renewal tract as it was in
the 1970s to early 1980s 

By the turn of the twentieth century, the high level of business activity on the Trent waterfront ceased to exist. Post WW II suburban development, malls and less use of railroads and water as a means of transportation, left many of the downtown commercial buildings vacant as businesses relocated to areas outside the city limits. The blighted dilapidated buildings continued to deteriorate becoming health and safety issues, hastening the decline of the waterfront and core of the central business district.

A survey by the New Bern Planning Commission in mid-1960 determined this blighted three block commercial area with its proximity to the central business district was eligible for urban renewal grant funds.  This opportunity appeared to have the greatest potential for revitalizing the downtown area.  The federal program of land redevelopment, relocation of businesses and demolition of structures to revitalize decaying inner cities was the leading national policy at the time.

In July of 1967, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved a planning grant to the City of New Bern to “renew” the area. The 21 acre project area was bounded by East Front, Tryon Palace Drive (now South Front Street) Hancock Street and the Trent River.

The City created a Redevelopment Commission in 1968 appointing John G. Dunn, Jr., Chairman, Sam Branch, Vice Chairman, Harry L. Vats, William M. Bryan, Clifton L. McCotter, C. Edward Hancock, Jr., Commission attorney and William (Bill) Edwards, Executive Director, who were responsible for overseeing the objectives of the Urban Renewal Plan, to include:

·         Identifying land to be acquired for clearance.

·         Obtaining fee simple titles through negotiation or eminent

             domain.

·         The removal/clearance of all structurally unsound

             structures.

·         Improving and widening existing street systems with

             adequate utilities, storm drainage and underground

             electrical distribution systems.

·         Preparing land for lease or resale for commercial and public

             uses as specified in the Urban Renewal Plan.

·         Raising the elevation of parts of the project area.

·         Construction of a bulkhead along the waterfront to reduce

             the threat of flooding.

·         Constructing sidewalks along the waterfront for public use.

The estimated cost of the redevelopment project was $3.5 million. Locally, the City had to share in one-fourth of the cost (cash or improvements) estimated at $716,100. With the anticipated resale of the land the estimated net project cost was $2.9 million.

As the various stages of the project progressed, the Redevelopment Commission obtained temporary loans from the federal government. Federal capital grant progress payments and local grants-in-aid were made as needed over the life of the project.

All but three structures were demolished. The Harvey Mansion (ca. 1798) owned by the County, was rescued from the “wrecking ball” by local preservationists who in an emergency effort got it listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The other two buildings were owned by a water softening company and a finance company. All three buildings fronted the 200 block of Tryon Palace Drive. Demolition was completed by 1974.

Between the years of 1970–1973, the Redevelopment Commission was granted permission by the State of North Carolina, the Department of Army Corps of Engineers, NC Department of Conservation and Development Division of Commercial Sports Fisheries to hire an engineering and construction firm to dredge, design and construct a bulkhead and fill in the irregular shoreline area, originally the site of warehouses, wharves, docks, marine railways and slips. Construction of the bulkhead, dredging and fill work was completed by the end of 1974, representing an investment of $4.6 million including in-kind work by the City.

 

In 1974, Redevelopment Commission members made a concerted effort to market the entire area to one or more developers to no avail.  A unified plan of development for the area had never been developed and the site was seen as dependent on the revitalization of the downtown.  To add to the challenge, HUD was pressuring the City and the Redevelopment Commission to bring the project to closure. At that time New Bern was a small town of less than 16,000 and did not have the ambiance it has today.

In 1976, Wachovia Bank & Trust Company purchased a lot at the corner of Middle Street and South Front Street and built a building for their new bank. Branch Bank purchased a parcel at the corner of South Front Street.

In January 1977, the County purchased two parcels of property on the eastern side of Craven Street. The County’s plan to build a county office complex to include a new jail on the Trent waterfront generated widespread controversy.   Articles in the Sun Journal, a political cartoon with prisoners fishing from their cell windows and letters to the editor led to the failure of a bond issue for construction

Another problem surfaced in 1977 when a local law firm, interested in building a new office complex on the urban renewal property, withdrew their offer when a problem arose in getting a clear title to the property that related to the land title of reclaimed underwater lands.

Even though all dredge and fill permit regulations were complied with and the State of North Carolina had delivered a Quit-Claim Deed to the Redevelopment Commission for the land reclaimed by dredging and filling, it became evident that land titles would be subject to the rights of the United States by reason of federal control over navigable waters, i.e., that section had to be removed from “federal navigable waters” jurisdiction so a clear title could be obtained by property owners.

City Attorney, Al Ward, sought assistance from Congressman Walter B. Jones, Senator Jesse Helms and Senator Robert Morgan. Introduced as part of a bill, it did not pass. The issue was finally solved when it was tacked on to Public Law 96-520, and became a U. S. law in December of 1980.

In the meantime, the Redevelopment Commission closed the project out, conveying the unsold portions of the urban renewal land to the City in 1978.

In January 1981, Swiss Bear obtained an agreement with the Craven County Commissioners and New Bern Board of Aldermen allowing Swiss Bear 12 months to develop a comprehensive Plan for the Bicentennial Park/urban renewal land to include identifying and recruiting potential developers and tenants for the property. Development Task Force members included representatives from Swiss Bear, financial institutions, developers,  city manager, planning department, the county, engineers, architects, real estate agents and appraisers.

The steps taken to market and develop the 14 acres of land to include a waterfront hotel, conference/ meeting facilities and marina will be related in the June 2nd column.

Susan Moffat Thomas

Executive Director