Downtown: Streetscape brings infusion of activity

Renovating downtown Goldsboro was a lengthy and expensive process.

For months, business owners suffered as construction on Center Street tied up traffic and kept many people from patronizing the shops and stores there.

But a recently released report indicates it was worth it.

Since its completion, Streetscape has led to increased private investment downtown. In fact, during the past six months there has been far more investment in downtown than there was in the entire previous year.

Streetscape had its critics. Many people saw the project as a boondoggle, something the city council shoved down the throats of property owners. But in the long run it has proven to be a boost for the downtown economy.

Change always has its critics. But now that the work is done, city officials and most business owners agree that Streetscape has led to a new burst of economic energy downtown.

Council members deserve credit for having the foresight to see the project through.

Published in Editorials on February 23, 2016 12:11 PM