East Market Street, Greensboro North Carolina | PSC 630 Community and Economic Development Presentation | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | East Market Street Development Corporation

1. East
Market
Street
Corridor
Study
Andrew Lester Kurt Stolka
Jane Hill Nick Harrell
Steve Lebonville Edward
Beaver
November 27 2012
27,

2. Target Area: East Market St Retail
T tA E t M k t R t il
Corridor between Murrow and US 29

3. Historically,
Historically East Market Street was the heart
of East Greensboro, a vibrant commercial
area…
Heritage

4. Heritage
Historical photos courtesy of generous assistance from
the Greensboro Historical Museum archives

5. Mission/Vision
Mission/Vision*
• Mission: East Market Street Development
Corporation (EMSDC) is the lead agent working
toward revitalization of the East Market Street
Corridor.
• Vision: To create an economically vibrant
vibrant,
attractive, pedestrian-friendly, and safe
community that attracts and sustains existing and
new b i
businesses with continuing commitment t
ith ti i it t to
minority entrepreneurial development and the
area's unique cultural center, through diverse
partnerships and l
t hi d leveraged resources.
d
• *Source: 2012 EMDC Literature

6. Mandates:
Mandates:*
• The EMDC is a non-profit organization that
offers comprehensive community
revitalization services in the East Market
Street Corridor to create and sustain assets
through economic, b i
th h i business, and community
d it
development services and programs. The
overall goal is to build community and restore
g y
pride in the East Market Street Corridor and
East Greensboro.
• *Source: EMDC
Source:

7. A littl b k
little background…
d
• By the last half of the 20th
century, original buildings were
replaced with strip
buildings, vehicle-focused.
vehicle focused.
• Mixed zoning: Established
churches, small industrial and
warehousing, houses, A&T
• Wide setbacks. Streetscape
underused. Excess surface
p
parking.
g
• Historically African-American
commerce now shared by other
ethnicities

8. Strengths and Weaknesses
• Quality streetscape • Vacancy & abandonment = image of
decline
improvements, very
walkable, t
lk bl transit access
it • Perceptions of safety
• Ideally situated, proximity to • Lack of evident commitment &
communication by stakeholders
downtown, institutions, US
220/29 • Lack of a public gathering space (losing
longtime Y!)
• EMDC success in
neighborhood redevelopment
• Poor pedestrian scale, parking setbacks
inhibit street activity

9. Opportunities
• Residential real estate market improvement
• Growing political awareness/support of E Greensboro potential
• Trend toward buying local
• Rising Downtown home prices (highest growth in city)
• Greenway expansion
• New residences coming to A&T and UHOP site
• Creative class/ millennial generation preference for Live, Work, Play
options

10. Threats
• Y! relocating away from EMST
• A&T capital investment focused away
from EMST
• Continued recession and tight bank
g
lending
• Government funding cuts
• O
Online competition for retail sales &
e co pet t o o eta sa es
services competition elsewhere
• Malls, High Point Rd., Battleground,
Downtown,
Downtown Eugene St Cone Blvd
St., Blvd.

11. Threats

12. Strategic
Challenge
How do we promote retail & restaurants
on EMST?

13. Strategy 1:
Increase Pedestrian Traffic
• Tactic #1
• Improve commercial mix, start with temporary
spaces
• T ti #2
Tactic
• Move EMDC to highly visible, easily
accessible,
accessible inviting site on EMST
• Tactic #3
• Improve p
p public transit
• Tactic #4
• Actively promote/ tie in to Greenway users

14. Commercial Mi
C i l Mix
• Temporary spaces, food trucks. Create a node for dining.
• Update/maintain
U d t / i t i EMDC web site with clearly accessible
b it ith l l ibl
commercial vacancy information (size, rent, suitable use)
• Retail follows Rooftops. Use new housing (UHOP site) and
data from recent report to actively recruit anchor tenant (i e
(i.e.
chain drug store with grocery supplies and “minute-clinic”
services (potential site: Alston Plaza)

15. Dining as a Catalyst
• Local quality restaurants started revitalization in
Downtown Greensboro *
• A signature restaurant or node of eateries can turn
around a commercial area, unlike a grocery store or
g y
a night club
• Outdoor dining puts “eyes on the street”
• Outdoor dining can b d
O td di i be done simply
i l

16. Increase Pedestrian Traffic
• Outdoor Dining:
g
• Work with merchants to encourage outdoor dining
options. Enhance social options. Create a “pulse
node
node”
• Create new ‘roots’:
• Canopy tents in underused parking lots for
community events or outdoor dining can encourage
p
pedestrian traffic.
• Kiosks or temporary structures can be utilized for
impromptu food vending and farmers market spaces

17. Dining Fort Dining
Worth, Texas, Pittsboro
former gas
g NC, former
station Car
C
Dealership
Pop up cafe
St.
Paul, MN

18. Leverage Public Transit
• Promote EMST as a live, work, play location. Leverage its
connectivity to public places GTCC & jobs via transit Attractive
places, transit.
features. Needs bus shelter and fewer stops to reduce ride time.
• Well-used transit puts “eyes on the street.” Enhances sense of
safety
• Bus shelter can be part of a new public space
• Creative class, immigrants and aging populations appreciate transit.
Access to downtown and Depot (bus and train hub).

20. Strategic
Challenge
How Can EMST be a Destination
Place?

21. Strategy 2: Encourage Place Making
Use visioning workshops including all
workshops,
stakeholders:
• Tactic #1
• Identify a sense of place/ public art that embraces the
p
pedestrian experience
p
• Tactic #2
• Develop a community meeting space with easy
pedestrian accessibility
• Tactic #3
• Address neglect, signage and safety perception
issues

22. Sense of Place/Community Space
• Use facilitated visioning workshops to build
capacity,
capacity empower neighbors engage stakeholders
neighbors, stakeholders.
• Create unique sense of place. Establish a brand. Promote
brand consistently in/on all media
• Let
L t residents/stakeholders d fi /
id t / t k h ld define/create a community space
t it
(garden, playground, chess tables, gazebo) that reflects
unique character and is highly visible.

23. Place making 101
Create human-scale experiences.
• Ideas:
• Public Art - historical
markers, murals, sculptures, mosaics, may build
image, community interest or tourism
• Facades and signage - Promote revolving loan
funds & access city programs to encourage facade
upgrades, including new signage or awnings.
• Unique Architecture: Alternative building structures
such as shipping containers or railroad cars make
distinctive places.

24. Elements of
a great
public space
1. Protection from traffic, crime
,
and the elements
2. Place to walk, stop, stand &
s
sit
3. Things to see
4. Opportunities for
conversations, to play, to enjoy
good weather
5. Human-scale
6.
6 Aesthetic quality

25. Strategic
Challenge
How do we build stronger
community?

26. Strategy #3
Tactic #1:
Strengthen communications
Tactic #2:
Hold events, utilize social media
Tactic #3:
Market EMST to immigrants

27. Building Capacity
• Leverage momentum of EMDC’s success in housing
redevelopment t t to stimulate individual i t
d l t to try t ti l t i di id l interest i t in
advocacy. Use small events, mural painting, clean up or
walking tours to bring people together in an activity.
• Enhance partnerships with i tit ti
E h t hi ith institutions, neighbors
i hb
• Move EMDC office to make it accessible, visible and a core
of energy.
• Create a civic space

28. Hold Events Use Social Media
Events,
• Engage neighborhood groups and merchants to
plan and participate in small events. Use local
media and social media to promote sales & events.
• Create current, authoritative & inviting web site
presence

29. Community Building
Market EMST to the ‘new’ North Carolinians:
• Affordable housing, sidewalks, proximity to schools,
transit and downtown, numerous vacant business
lots
• Work with realtors and commercial lenders.
• Strengthen workshops for new businesses
• Visioning workshops for all stakeholders
• Work with City to explore zoning changes, better
sign code enforcement, shared parking t reduce
i d f t h d ki to d
unused pavement surfaces

30. Expanding Resource Pool
• New trend in academia:
• Sustainability and community engagement
• Leverage university resources for community
benefit
• Business & marketing students for business support
• Sociology & political science students for surveys
• Architecture design students for corridor imaging

31. Make Friends, Grow Ad
M k Fi d G Advocates
t
College students staff and faculty school teachers elected
students, faculty, teachers,
officials, city staff, public safety officers, neighborhood
association
members, oldsters, t
b ld t teens, youngsters, bi
t bicyclists, walkers, b
li t lk
us riders, chess players, church goers, church staff, church
leaders, homemakers, merchants, property owners, home
p p y
owners, gardeners, contractors, renters, nurses, investors,
entrepreneurs, realtors, nonprofit
groups, immigrants, volunteers, artists, newcomers,
groups immigrants volunteers artists newcomers long-
timers, musicians, historians. Who else?
Advocates may come from anywhere.

32. Handout and Questions?

33. Have a H t
H Heart
Project for Public Spaces www.pps.org

34. Create Ped
Cred