‘Twas quite a St. Paddy’s day for Hillsborough Street: On Tuesday, March 17, the Raleigh City Council took two actions that will move the future of Hillsborough Street in the right direction!
First, the Council approved the request of the Hillsborough Street Partnership to provide $50,000 to fund the initial work of the organization that will seek approval as the Business Improvement District once it begins to generate revenue after July 1, 2009. The Partnership is moving to create the Hillsborough Street Community Service Corporation as a permanent, non-profit organization set up exclusively to carry out the goals of the Business Improvement District approved last July. The HSCSC will be made up of a Board of 7 members, 3 appointed by the Partnership, 2 by the City of Raleigh, and 2 by the North Carolina State University. The work program approved by the Partnership at its March quarterly meeting sets out to achieve 4 primary goals:
- I — Put in place the administrative framework to enable the members of the BID to achieve their objectives with efficiency and timeliness…….. this will include the legal and administrative tools necessary to carry out our business
- II– Begin a marketing program that will initially focus on the desirability of doing business on Hillsborough Street during the course of the physical disruptions to the street as the Street Improvement Project is carried out. This will stress the availability of easy parking to serve the customers of the street.
- III– Begin a “Clean and Safe” campaign to ensure that everyone’s experience on the street is “Clean and Safe”. This will include having roving ambassadors on the steet to identify where special trash pick up is needed, to help customers find the things they need and to feel comfortable on the street, and to help customers avoid such problems as predatory towing where it is practised on the street.
- IV– Enhance coordination of at least 8 events that take place each year that help establish Hillsborough Street as Raleigh’s Main Street connecting the college community and the downtown. These will include events such as the recent Hillsborough Street Renaissance Festival, the annual Back to School/Homecoming events, the Hillsborough Hikes, the Krispy Kreme Challenge, and the many run/walk events that support so many charitable causes in our community.
Second, the Council approve the selection of a contractor to build the first Street Improvement Project on the street which includes the roundabouts at Oberlin/Groveland and Hillsoborough/Pullen, the extension of Pullen to Oberlin, and the new streetscapes from Oberlin west to Gardner. This includes the undergrounding of utilities, upgrading water, sewer and drainage facilities, new sidewalks with landscaping and street furniture, medians and safe pedestrian crossings and many more features.
The work is expected to begin in the middle of May. News will soon be available about a meeting to share details of the construction project. Please contact us to be sure you are aware!
All in all, a great day for the Street.
Stay involved and keep informed. Change is on the way!