Streetscape expected to be complete by mid-October
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on August 30, 2015 1:50 AM
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
Angel Hernandez with Valley Crest Companies uses a machine to mix mortar while placing bricks around the fountain as part of the Streetscape construction on Center Street.
Goldsboro's ongoing Streetscape project is scheduled to finish about one month ahead of schedule, putting the project's completion date some time in mid- October.
The downtown project began in August 2014, causing continually changing traffic patterns and headaches for pedestrians looking to shop in downtown businesses.
But now, as cobblestones are placed around near-complete roundabouts and the final stretches of pavement are laid, citizens of Goldsboro will be able to enjoy an entirely revamped downtown with plenty of new sights to see and businesses to shop in.
Assistant City Manager Randy Guthrie contributes the project finishing ahead of schedule to solid planning on the part of T.A. Loving, the company in charge of doing the work for Streetscape.
"What really helped with it is I think we had a good plan, versus some of our phasing and scheduling working with T.A. Loving to do that and come up with a good plan to keep things open as much as possible but still be able to do the construction work," Guthrie said. "I think we also gained a lot -- if you notice we started on the third block in front of the fire station while we were doing the first half of the work on the other two blocks, because there were not any businesses on that end."
A ribbon cutting has not yet been scheduled for the completion of the Streetscape project, as it was originally intended to line up with this year's "Downtown Lights Up!" event, but that will no longer be the case since construction is ahead of schedule.
"We don't want to set a date like Nov. 5, and then it be done three weeks ahead of that," Guthrie said. "We'll actually wait until later this month, or the first week of September, and get it scheduled within 30 to 45 days ahead of completion and then schedule it. Originally the plan was to do it with Downtown Lights Up!, but we feel like we're going to come in substantially ahead of that, so we'll have two separate events: One for the ribbon cutting and one for Lights Up."
Before the final two blocks of Streetscape work is completed, there is still some work left to be done. Recently, the overhead wiring for light poles was placed underground.
Curb work is being completed and a concrete base for pavement still needs to be laid, while the three new roundabouts are approximately two-thirds complete.
Businesses are switching to the new power sources that have been installed, then final grading will be done, pavement will be laid, two art pieces will be installed in the roundabouts, the restored F-86 will be placed behind the East Ash Street traffic circle and the project will be complete.
By the completion of Streetscape in October, more than 40 new business will have opened in the downtown area since the beginning of the project in 2012.
Of those, 12 have opened during the second phase of Streetscape began in August 2014. During the same time period, four businesses downtown closed, and one business relocated out of downtown.
With the new businesses opening during this timeframe -- including several scheduled to open in the coming months -- 111 employees have begun working downtown in the newly opened shops and restaurants.
"We only expect these numbers to increase once Streetscape is completed in October/November 2015," said Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation Business and Property Development Specialist Elizabeth Rutland. "The excitement of downtown is spreading and people are taking notice. The DGDC office has an average of five people calling our office or stopping by per week to discuss available properties for sale or looking for spaces to rent in order to open their start-up. People are wanting to make investments in downtown while they can and small businesses are flocking to us. Whether it's start-ups or relocations, like Carolina Pine Country Store, people want their business downtown, and we're so excited to see it."