Urban Living, Development has Greensboro Excited About its Downtown
bob isner, christy millican, develpment, greensboro, niki mann, real estate, robert millican, southside,
Christy Millican and her husband fell in love with downtown Greensboro – so much so that the couple bought a house in Southside to better enjoy the renaissance of the city where Robert Millican grew up.
“We wanted to feel the vibe of downtown‚” Christy Millican says. “We wanted to make a commitment to the downtown‚ not just drive in on the weekends.”
The couple found that taking part in the advantages of an urban lifestyle did not mean giving up a strong sense of community. Just the opposite‚ in fact.
“We know our neighbors and do things as a neighborhood‚” Christy says.
For example‚ when one Southside resident had a new baby‚ the neighbors cooked meals for the parents.
Millican‚ an account executive at MDC Graphics‚ says her husband remembers what Greensboro was like when he was a child‚ and that helped fuel his desire to be part of the city’s downtown revival movement.
“We’re really trying to pull together and say we’re doing something new and different here‚” she says of the city’s urban residents.
And 2005 promises to be a banner year. First comes the planned opening of the International Civil Rights Center & Museum in the former F. W. Woolworth’s building where‚ on Feb. 1‚ 1960‚ four North Carolina A&T students staged a historic civil rights action. The four black college students sat down at the white section of the lunch counter‚ igniting the sit-in movement that spread across the country.
A new $20 million ballpark‚ home of the Greensboro Bats‚ the Class A affiliate of the Florida Marlins‚ also is scheduled to open in 2005.
And the $12 million City Center Park‚ planned as a centerpiece for downtown‚ will be completed that same year. April Hutchinson‚ vice president of Downtown Greensboro Inc.‚ says community workshops are already under way to allow residents to voice their opinions on what amenities the park will offer.
Hutchinson‚ whose nonprofit organization works to stimulate new investment and interest in the city’s downtown‚ says she can’t point to any one thing that sparked the urban revival of the past decade.
“It’s a puzzle with many pieces; there’s no one answer‚” she says. “A vibrant downtown is a mix of small businesses‚ big business‚ small projects‚ large projects.”
Downtown Greensboro Inc.‚ formed in 1997‚ works with business owners and developers‚ encouraging them to locate downtown and supplying information about demographics‚ building codes and support organizations.
Those numbers spell success. Twelve construction or renovation projects now under way represent a $50.2 million investment‚ while the park‚ the baseball stadium and two other developments in the planning and design stage account for another $36 million in construction.
Bob Isner‚ owner of O. Henry Builders and developer of the Southside residential project where Millican lives‚ says he believes the diversity of restaurants‚ nightclubs and shops is attracting young couples to downtown. His project includes new homes‚ home renovations and townhouses on about 10 acres.
“I’m just coming out with 18 townhomes‚ and about half are already pre-sold‚” he says.
“Ten years ago this was a rough neighborhood‚ a high crime area. All that’s changed now. Downtown Greensboro is becoming a neat place.”
Niki Mann‚ sales and marketing manager for Governor’s Court condominiums‚ agrees.
While Governor’s Court is a beautiful development‚ she believes the main appeal to buyers is its downtown location.
“We have three floors of 12 condos each‚” Mann says. “The condos have very open floors with crown molding and maple cabinetry.”
Governor’s Court was completed June 1‚ and by late December half the units were sold.
“Quite a few residents of Governor’s Court are from Greensboro‚ born and raised here‚” Mann says. “They remember going downtown with their parents to shop amid the typical hustle and bustle of a downtown city. They are thrilled that it has come back to life and want to be a part of it.”
Story by Vicki Brown
Photo by Antony Boshier
