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The value of a downtown

New Bern a national model for Main Street revitalization

Downtown New Bern has changed and grown over
the decades to what visitors and residents now experience.

In the 1991 book, “Edge Cities, Life on the New Frontier,” Joel Garreau argued the shopping center replaced the downtown as the city center. As a passionate advocate for downtown, I acknowledge that many downtown's have died, however, as Don Repkema points out, “they don’t die because they have been replaced by shopping centers, they are lost to history because the importance of the downtown to its community has not been recognized.”

We all agree, shopping centers play an important role in the economy and meet a range of customer needs, but to believe they take the place of the city center, village square or heart of the community is to fail to understand the nature and importance of downtown and their value. 

In a successful downtown there is a sense of community ownership, “it is our downtown.” It is home to the institutional leadership of the community, local government, financial institutions, law firms and others. It serves as the city center offering a range of cultural activities, museums, shops, parks, and historic attractions … a place of diversity and interaction among the entire community and most importantly, as a barometer on the economic health of the community.

Our downtown under the Main Street program has emerged as the nexus of the interests of economic development, historic preservation and the community-at-large. In 1980 when North Carolina became one of six pilot states for a new program called Main Street, under the leadership of Mayor Leander Morgan, New Bern was one of five communities chosen to participate. Since we already had a preservation based downtown revitalization effort in place for many years, the local government determined Swiss Bear should remain a free-standing organization with the same responsibilities and serve a pivotal role. The city planner and Swiss Bear director were designated to serve as co-project managers of the downtown effort. 

The waterfront in downtown New Bern looked
much different in the 1960s.

For 33 years New Bern has been a national example, not just of a successful Main Street program, but of how historic preservation can be the foundation for sustainable economic development. New Bern is the embodiment of the Main Street Principles: incremental, comprehensive, partnerships, self-help, identifying and capitalizing on existing assets, change, quality and implementation.

Aerial photo shows downtown New Bern in the 1960s.
The Trent River is in the foreground and the Neuse
River in the background.

Communities all over the country look to New Bern to see how it’s done.

Since 1981, in our downtown the cumulative net new jobs is 591; cumulative net new businesses 138 and private investment $97,045,495. Swiss Bear’s cumulative efforts over the past 34 years resulted in an investment to the greater downtown effort of over $204 million. Total public and private investment has been $320 million, the most of any Main Street City.

As one of the original demonstration states for Main Street, North Carolina has collected a wealth of data from participating towns. Local program managers are required to submit annual reports on activities in their districts to the state office. For most of the years these reports have included number of facades redone and number of buildings rehabilitated; number of net new jobs, number of net new businesses, amount of private investment and amount of public investment.

At the recent Main Street conference held in New Bern, keynote speaker , Donovan Repkema presented an overview of the results of  his analysis of statistical data in a report, “North Carolina Main Street, Decades of Success, The Economic Impact of Main Street in North Carolina, prepared for the Department of Commerce and the NC Main Street Communities.”

Repkema is the principal of Place Economics, a Washington D.C. based real estate and economic development consulting firm.

In the report’s introductory letter, Sharon Decker, Secretary of Commerce, NC Department of Commerce, pointed out, “…since North Carolina  began its Main Street Program in 1980, $2 billion has been invested in Main Street districts — over half of which has come from the private sector. There has been a gain of more than 18,000 net new jobs and 4,700 new businesses.

“We must acknowledge that we are at a point where public budgets are stretched thin and we simply have to do more with less. Main Street is a champion in this regard. The net new businesses each year in Main Street Districts pay five times in sales revenue what the entire Main Street program costs. This is a program that provides the kind of return on investment that any corporate chair would envy.

“Main Street works because it builds on the assets, the traditions, and most importantly, on the aspirations of the citizens of the community. It is a form of economic development. And North Carolina communities are the better for it.”

We agree.

MUMFEST BANNER SALES   

       FUNDRAISER FOR NEW BERN ROTARY

The Rotary Club of New Bern and Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corporation are working together again this year in support of the Rotary Club’s community service projects.   

Area businesses may show their support by sponsoring a MUMFEST banner, which will have their company’s name displayed on both sides of the banner for only $160. The banners, made of vinyl and measuring 22” x 37” are hung from downtown streetlights for approximately six weeks beginning in mid-September. After MUMFEST the banners become the property of the sponsor to display in their business.  

The Rotary Club of New Bern through its fundraising efforts supports many community service projects each year, such as awarding college scholarships and making sizable grants to the Salvation Army, RCS, Merci Clinic, YMCA, Creekside Park and Habitat for Humanity.

Because the opportunity to sponsor a banner ends July 30, 2014, area businesses should email Sandra McKinney sandramckinney@suddenlink.net  or call Swiss Bear (252.638.5781). Banner applications may also be downloaded at www.mumfest.com by clicking on the banner-merchandising button near the top of the homepage.

Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corporation produces MUMFEST, a City sponsored event with the support of area businesses and organizations.  Title Sponsor: Joe Alcoke Auto and Truck Center.

Festival proceeds help fund MUMFEST expenses and downtown revitalization projects.  MUMFEST draws an estimated 100,000 visitors to New Bern's historic downtown. 

The beautifully restored downtown and riverfront, unique shops, art galleries, restaurants and historic homes make New Bern a destination for many travelers. To learn more about MUMFEST and Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corporation go to downtownnewbern.com  or mumfest.com.

Tel: 252-638-5781

Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corporation

316 South Front Street, PO Box 597, New Bern, NC 28563

Media Contact: Nancy Hawley – 252.349.4741 (nancy.hawley.nh@gmail.com)

Streetscape improvements: Past and present

Middle Street is shown with the new
Streetscape improvements.

June and July of 1994: noise from jackhammers, commotion, dust, visible evidence of a city’s prosperous optimistic mood. An army of men with  heavy equipment tearing up the 200 block of Middle Street in preparation of the new streetscape improvements uncover old street car tracks and brick street pavers encapsulated under the asphalt, relics from an earlier period prosperity.

Middle Street in the late 1980s was
in need of some improvement.

In the early 1900’s the sights and sounds in the downtown area were similar, but far more aggressive. By 1910 the city had completed an extensive program of public improvements, funded in part by a bond referendum in an amount equal to $1 million. This included the installation of 25 miles of concrete sidewalks, granite curbing and the paving of 35 blocks of streets with brick.

The city improvements were a result of a period of growth and prosperity in the first several decades of the 20th century. The depressed financial conditions of the late 1800’s and repayment of old debt prevented badly needed improvements prior to that time. In this period of prosperity, the lumber industry, the large-scale manufacturing of commercial fertilizers, shipping, fish, oysters and agriculture had a tremendous impact on the growth of the New Bern’s downtown area and outlaying areas directly or indirectly.  The Elks Temple, (the largest office building in the city), Union Station, Saint Luke’s Hospital, schools and many other buildings were constructed in addition to the development of two new suburban residential areas, Riverside and Ghent.

The Ghent developers formed the New Bern Ghent Street Railway Company in 1912 which installed a street car system linking Spencer Avenue to Pollock and Middle and then looping to South Front Street, to Craven Street continuing on to Queen Street, down Queen to Metcalf and then back to Pollock Street.

The street car lines, the extension of city services and development of new communities allowed residents to move out of the more congested areas of the city. This gradual exodus to the suburbs and the collapse of the lumber industry in the late 20’s brought profound change, and led ultimately to the gradual decline of the downtown and surrounding areas.

With the celebration of the United States Bicentennial, reconstruction of Tryon Palace, establishment of the New Bern Preservation Foundation, development of the 1977 Downtown Central Business District Revitalization Plan, and creation of Swiss Bear, an era of optimism began to develop as New Bern’s historic features were seen as resources that could be used to revive a declining downtown economy.

Unlike the early 1900 streetscape improvements, the public improvements that began to take place in the 1980’s, in an attempt to regain prosperity, was due to  the  public/private partnerships with the local government, Swiss Bear and the additional municipal service district taxes paid by downtown property owner.

By the early 1990’s, major streetscape improvements became a priority project. The sidewalks installed in early the 1900’s were narrow and in poor condition in the retail core and required improvements to present a desirable high quality image and increase retail presence and increased trade. Then City Manager Bill Hartman and Alderman Bill Ballenger involved Swiss Bear in the process to ensure community support and the project’s success.

The first phase of improvements involved deciding on a design concept for the streets. This was done in a preliminary way during the preparation of the Urban Design Plan and Guidelines. During that work, the retail areas of Middle, Craven and Pollock were classified as needing the highest level of finish and given the highest priority for implementation.

During the conceptual Design work that followed in 1992, alternative paving patterns and design details for the different types of streetscape were presented to the steering committee by Land Design Research, Inc. and preferred alternatives were chosen. The choice for the retail streets was red brick bands enclosing an area of hexagonal concrete pavers. Preliminary choices for street furniture and lighting were also made.

The recommendations for the design standards were presented to the Historic Preservation Commission for review and approval followed by the Board of Aldermen’s adoption of the design standards as public policy.

The process of preparing construction documents was far more challenging than in the early 1900’s. In addition to a survey of the street to the define exact position of curbs, streets, water and gas meters, building walls at street level other considerations were downspouts, grates, traffic and street lights, electric poles and so on. The prepared drawings showed exactly how the new streetscape would fit into existing conditions … what would be demolished and how the new street, sidewalks and fixtures were to be constructed.

Funding for the $500,000 improvements with Municipal Service District (MSD) monies was approved by the MSD Advisory Committee with the stipulation, all materials used had to be of first quality.

To minimize the impact on the downtown businesses the contract for the three blocks required the completion of improvements in 60 days. Everything possible was done to anticipate problems and the decision was made to begin June 6 as inevitable setbacks could be minimized with longer work days and warmer weather. 

To say goodbye to the old streets and sidewalks, the June “Alive At Five” kicked off with a Street Dance. Advance publicity encouraged people to come downtown and see downtown grow and enjoy the shops “construction” sales.

A ceremonial “street breaking” was held with John Peterson, MSD Chairman, Mayor Tom Bayliss, Swiss Bear Chairman Ricky Brown and the Swiss Bear Executive Director, turned over the spadefuls of loose asphalt, initiating the first phase of downtown’s streetscape improvements.

As the old pavement was hauled away, treasure hunters emerged in full force with metal detectors in hand. The thrill of the find included old buttons, coins, trolley track spikes and many other collectibles.

By the end of August the 100 and 200 blocks were finished … visible evidence of a city’s prosperous optimistic mood. Since then 12 blocks in the core downtown area have been completed with MSD funds. The urban renewal tract along the Trent River, separated from the core retail area in the 1970’s, became a united with the central business district with the recent streetscape improvements to South Front Street.

Choice Neighborhood

The April 4, 2014 letter to the editor “All hands in the pot”, suggests Swiss Bear should back away from the Choice Neighborhood Planning Initiative recently received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). To be successful, the $400,000 grant, designated for developing an action plan for the revitalization of the Greater Five Points area requires all hands/partners to be at the table, including Swiss Bear. Partnerships, achievable goals and objectives and long range plans…the formula that worked for the revitalization of downtown, is the same formula needed to affect positive change in the Greater Five Point area.

The challenges in the Greater Five Point area are great and require strong community partnerships. Building a thriving Greater Five Points area takes vision, opportunities, the community working together, and dogged perseverance. The Choice Neighborhood Initiative offers New Bern that opportunity, but only if we all work together to make it happen. What is inspiring is the fact New Bern is the smallest city of the nine chosen to participate in the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Choice Neighborhood Initiative, an indication that HUD is confident, we as a community have what it takes to be successful.

In the summer of 2013, Julian March, Executive Director of the New Bern Housing Authority asked Swiss Bear to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as a Principal Team Member which was included in the application for the HUD Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant.  Other MOU Principal Team Members are: Craven County government, Neuse River Community Development Corporation, Craven Community College and the Greater Duffyfield Residents Council.

The MOU identifies the roles and responsibilities of each entity as it relates the ultimate HUD Choice Neighborhoods implementation grant for the Greater Five Points area. This grant and the corresponding transformation plan identify the target area of Craven Terrace and Trent Court Public Housing properties and their surrounding neighborhood.

We all agreed, it is in our mutual interest and benefit for the goals to be accomplished and that we will work cooperatively in developing and executing a comprehensive transformation plan.

HUD recognizes significant planning and resources are necessary to complete the required transformation plan for this project. 

The initial phase of work focuses on a community planning process to develop a shared vision and a Transformation Plan that must be submitted to HUD in October 2015.

The second phase is the actual implementation of the Transformation Plan and if our planning effort meets the criteria and New Bern is selected as a recipient, $20-30 million of federal money will be made available for this initiative and take place in a series of phases over a multi year process.

In the 1970’s, our city was at a critical juncture. The deterioration of downtown and its waterfront threatened New Bern’s economic growth and development. Then, like today, community leaders and government officials recognized steps had to be taken to revitalize the Greater Five Points area.

Throughout the past 30 years, the city worked to improve the Five Point area by investing in construction of the new fire house, police station and acquisition of the First Citizens Bank for public utilities service. M ore recently, in partnership with NCDOT, major streetscape improvements to the Broad Street corridor. They  established the Five Points Revitalization Committee under the Planning Department with representatives from Swiss Bear, Craven Community College, Chamber of Commerce, the Uptown Business & Professional Association.

Swiss Bear, in partnership with the city, sponsored numerous initiatives to promote the revitalization of the Five Points area including the 1990 and 2000 Urban Design Plans, a Million Dollar Loan Pool and supported the establishment of the Uptown Business and Professional Associations’ small learning and business center.  Grant applications to establish a small incubator business center and business recruitment efforts were unsuccessful.

The well intended projects/efforts only brought modest change. The underutilized sites on Broad compromised the corridors’ image. The vacant Days Hotel, evidence of disinvestment, stigmatized the neighborhood. Additionally, Craven Terrace and Trent Court, obsolete public housing, though well-maintained, concentrate poverty which effects investment, residential and commercial.

With the current administration’s commitment to implementing the City’s Gateway Renaissance Plan, the Choice Neighborhood Initiative coupled with multiple community partnerships is the opportunity of a lifetime for New Bern. Our city’s proven track record with downtown’s revitalization effort, an effort based on community partnerships, has made New Bern a national example. Downtown is, once again, an economic engine driving growth and development in New Bern and Craven County.

The Choice Neighborhoods Initiative is an exciting economic development tool that we as a community need to take advantage of. This is the time for active participation, a time to put down differences, listen  to each other, actively address the real issues and develop a plan that will make it possible.

Susan Moffat Thomas. Executive Director

Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corp.

Council Bluff Green Project - paving the way

Swiss Bear and the Council Bluff Green
spearheaded improvements to the Neuse River waterfront
park between Broad and Change streets.

Historically, Swiss Bear’s revitalization program has been based on building partnerships with the private sector to assist the City of New Bern with public facility improvements, all of which promote the general interest and quality of life for visitors and Craven County residents. The redevelopment of Union Point Park and Council Bluff Green were two of those projects.

In 1997, when the Union Point Park Put Your Mark on the Park fundraising campaign was still underway, the new Neuse River Bridge was under construction. Its completion in the fall of 1999 would require the removal of the old Neuse River Bridge at the end of Broad Street.

At the Nov. 27 Swiss Bear Board meeting, I presented plans/drawings developed by Dick Smith, Smith Design Group of improvements to the Neuse River waterfront park between Broad and Change streets. The park, constructed in the 1930’s on a historic site, was in need of major improvements. The sidewalk and retaining wall systems were deteriorated, cracked and uneven. Amenities such as lighting, benches, trash receptacles and seating areas needed to be upgraded.

By March 1999, more than $120,000 was raised for the
Pave the Way campaign.

Our board was unanimous in their support of another fundraising effort as they recognized it was important to take advantage of this opportunity to assist the city in improving the entire park. To be known as Council Bluff Green, the narrow stretch of land has been historically important for centuries. It is where Native Americans of the Chattawka nation held tribal councils, where early settlers built their homes and where a Post Road was constructed to link Newberne with communities to the west. The restoration and preservation of this historic site was important to New Bern and improvements to Council Bluff would serve as a catalyst for development of the adjacent site and would complete the northern section of the city’s waterfront promenade.

The City’s commitment to the construction of a new police station, Union Point Park and Pollock Street (300 block) improvements prevented their ability to provide any funds other than $48,000 earmarked for critical stabilization work, and if approved, a $50,000 grant from the N.C. Coastal Waterfront Access Program (CAMA).

Due to their financial commitments, the Board of Aldermen was concerned we would not be able to raise the additional $150,000 needed to complete redevelopment of the park. To assure them we could, we received pre-campaign commitments of more that $50,000 from 13 families. In April 1998, a month after the Put Your Mark on the Park campaign ended, the Council Bluff Project was sanctioned and officially approved by the Board of Aldermen.

Based on Smith Design Group’s development plans, the project consisted of the redevelopment of the 600 foot long linear waterfront access area which included demolition of existing deteriorated structures, storm sewer improvements, construction of a new promenade using brick and exposed aggregate concrete, adjustment of the granite curbing at the street’s edge, landscaping, refurbishing existing railings, planter urns, bulk heading and planting the area with major and minor trees.

The Pave the Way campaign would raise funds by selling bricks, pavers, sections of aggregate, urns, lighting and benches. As was the case with all of our fundraising campaigns, the money received was put in a special bank account and was turned over to the city at the end of the campaign.

In an Oct. 2, 1998 letter to Mike Avery, director of planning and inspections, Donna Moffitt, director of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, congratulated the City as a recipient of a $50,000 grant, and stated “the project should be completed just as it was in the proposed development plans unless modified by mutual agreement.”

By March 1999, more than $120,000 was raised. Major contributors included Craven County, Rob and Claudia Hubbard, the Kellenberger Historical Foundation and the Swank Foundation. 

In April, Swiss Bear and the City was caught off-guard as controversy arose when the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) raised concerns during the pre-application process for a Certificate of Appropriateness (CA) regarding the original design, number of light fixtures and trees. The controversy intensified in May when the project in a 6 to 3 vote was denied a CA, based on issues with the palette of materials, lights, trees and benches.

Many residents of the Council Bluff Green neighborhood offered support, those who contributed were unhappy with the outcome.

Letters to the editor complained, “the project had too many trees and benches … the only publicized plans were concept boards and the plan on the fundraising brochures ... city and Swiss Bear put the cart before the horse, prior to selling bricks the concept should have been brought before the HPC from the beginning.”

Many defended Swiss Bear, questioning “the motives of the critics … the project had been endorsed and sanctioned by the City, New Bern Historical Society, New Bern Preservation Foundation, New Bern Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Development Authority and Craven Arts Council and Civic Theatre from the start of the campaign and the concept/plans were well-known … let’s move out from the power play.”

The modified plans, with fewer trees and lights and the exposed aggregate concrete along the promenade sandblasted to soften its appearance, resubmitted to the HPC in June were approved. The City put the project out for bids awarding the contract to L. R. Thomas & Sons, Inc. and construction began in late fall due to delays created by Hurricane Floyd. Pave the Way officially ended in August having raised approximately $160,000.

On July 16, 2000, Mayor Bayliss, the New Bern Board of Aldermen, Pave the Way Steering Committee members: Susan Moffat Thomas, David L Ward, Jr., Charles H. Ashford, Jr. and Rev. C Edward Sharp, representatives from Swiss Bear, the various organizations and the community  joined together to celebrate the restoration of this historic site. A prayer by Teresa Morris, a Tuscarora descendant closed the dedication ceremony.

The success of the campaign/project like many others was due to the high level of participation and support from local government, area organizations, businesses and the community-at-large.

North Carolina Main Street Award Winners...

Video Links:

MUMFEST Award of Merit 2013

NC Main Street Champion - Judy Avery