Starting in August, Greensboro will block vehicles on parts of South Elm Street to make way for a pedestrian plaza.
The goal is to invigorate the downtown scene. February One Place to Washington Street will be closed to traffic for about three months. Officials will also close several other sections of South Elm on the weekends. For many businesses, it’s causing concerns about deliveries, parking accessibility and loss of revenue.
Ahead of the pilot program, the city held a drop-in information session on Tuesday. Visitors covered a posterboard with more than 50 sticky notes with feedback. Some mentioned lack of public restrooms and several others listed safety concerns.
City officials say they’ll take this feedback and figure out how to best support businesses, customers and residents.
While most of the feedback expressed hesitancy, Johnathan Enoch says he’s feeling positive.
"It's very exciting to see new energy coming downtown, Enoch says. "New ways for people to know more about the businesses and different cultural opportunities there are downtown, to get more involved and to know more about the city they live in.”
The pedestrian plaza project kicks off August 3.