Economy & Downtown
Chapel Hill's downtown has long benefited from its proximity to a captive audience of University students without cars. While downtowns around the country have been failing, ours has survived fairly well. However, we have seen an increase in the number of chain stores locating downtown, and instability in the Downtown Economic Development Corporation. In the near future, we will see new Town-directed development on two major parking lots have a big impact.
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Carrboro's downtown has also done better than many towns of comparable size, thanks largely to the presence of Weaver Street Market and progressive shoppers from the rest of the county. The Board of Aldermen has been addressing the evolution of the downtown, and have established a number of community resources in the downtown area including free wireless Internet access, and a low-power radio station.
These events are always very fun, with friendly neighbors and good music. Wear a hat and bring a fan!
Neighborhood Night Out
Tuesday, Aug. 8, is "Neighborhood Night Out: Unity, Street by Street." The Chapel Hill Police Department, Carrboro Police Department and Empowerment Inc. are jointly sponsoring the event.
Registration will be held at 6 p.m. at the Carolina Carwash, 414 E. Main St., and the walk will begin at 6:30 p.m. There will be community speakers, entertainment, refreshments and gifts for those who participate. The walk will end at Hargraves Community Center, 216 N. Roberson St.
Event sponsors include AT&T, Carolina Carwash, Myoshin, Carrburritos, Carolina Brewery, Pro Fresh D.J., Top of the Hill, UNC-Chapel Hill, and the Northside, Pine Knolls Carr Court and Lloyd Street neighborhood associations.
Residents are encouraged to turn on their porch lights to show support.
At a recent council meeting the Chapel Hill IT Director presented information about a WiFi pilot project. One council member asked How will citizens know where it is? How will we know when its up? The Mayor asked the IT Director to work with the Town Information Officer. A good first step. I subscribe to the Chapel Hill eNews. (A email list.) I wonder what percentage of Chapel Hillians do?
For this pilot project to work not only do the WiFi hot spots need to be where people will be but the Town needs to tell people where they are. A press release will help but it won't be enough to encourage full participation.
Here are a few ideas for getting the word out. I hope that if the Town is really interested in the success of this pilot that they'll consider these options. What ideas do you have? Please leave them in the comments.
WCHL reports that mall manager Nathan Millian attempted to throw Cindy Sheehan off Carr Mill property when she was meeting with Mark Chilton and impeachment activists yesterday. Eventually Shehan was allowed to stay at Panzanella. Here is the MP3.
Regardless how you feel about Ms. Sheehan's politics, is this any way to treat a nationally-known guest? It's certainly no way to treat anyone else.
What motivates Nathan Millian to butt heads with a Mayor's lunch guest? I don't buy the disruption of business argument. Ms. Sheehan brought a lot of free publicity to Carr Mill and the Town of Carrboro. Why did Mr. Millian squander it by being so rude?
Am I the only one who was shocked to read that Chapel Hill's newly hired Economic Development Officer is suggesting we should build more big box chain stores?
While he and the committee agreed that several areas of the town could be better developed to maximize business and slow "leakage" of retail traffic to other municipalities, Kleinschmidt's face crinkled into an involuntary scowl when Bassett introduced the concept of a "lifestyle center" such as a mall or big box outlet that could single-handedly draw business to an area.
The committee also discussed potential targets for a retail makeover, including University Mall, Eastgate Shopping Center, downtown's West End and the interchange of I-40 and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Kleinschmidt agreed that leakage must be stopped, but added, "KFCs and Wachovias ... that can't be it. That can't be right."
- heraldsun.com: New economic director takes look at growth, 7/17/07
Breaking news via the Carrboro Citizen: tonight employees of Weaver Street Market are presenting a petition to the WSM Board of Directors against the proposed relocation to Hillsborough!
Just got a fax saying that a group of Weaver Street Market employees will call for a moratorium against the coop's proposal to move its food prep operations to Hillsborough.
According to the fax, more than 100 employees have signed a petition calling for the moratorium. It will be presented to the coop's board of directors at a meeting tonight at Carrboro Elementary School at 6:30 p.m.
- The Carrboro Citizen: WSM employees call for moratorium, 6/19/07
Kirk's got the text of the workers' faxed announcement here. (Fax?)
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