Person Street Partnership Kick-off Meeting a Success!

turn-out with close to 50 people attending! This first meeting focused on inviting business and property owners on Person Street along with representatives from stakeholders in the area including Blount Street Commons, Peace College, Historic Oakwood, and Mordecai CAC. What a great start to building momentum on Person Street.

For a very imformative account of our efforts, please see the following News and Observer article that appeared Sunday March 20, 2011:

http://www.midtownraleighnews.com/2011/03/20/6472/we-hope-to-be-the-spark.html

Special thanks to Council members Russ Stephenson, Nancy McFarlane, and Eugene Weeks for stopping by to show their support and help us kick off the partnership. Major thanks to speakers Mitchell Silver, Ken Bowers, and Martin Stankus from Planning and Mike Kennon from Public Works who presented an excellent synopsis of planning and traffic initiatives in the Person Street vicinity and provided valuable insight into the growth challenges facing the business district and the Person/Blount Street corridor.

Our next meeting will be early June. Currently, the partnership's main focus will be to conduct quarterly meetings with an agenda that focuses on bringing in knowledgeable speakers, consultants, and City staff to discuss and debate the future of this important area of our shared community. Suggested potential themes for future meetings were:

Ask City staff to keep us informed on the status of traffic and planning projects associated with Person Street and suggest ways the partnership can help in their planning efforts.

David Diaz, President and CEO of Downtown Raleigh Alliance offered to explore ways their organization could evaluate and potentially offer some of their services and programs.

Engage the NCDOT in a discussion of their views on Person and Blount Streets which might include a debate on the conversion of these streets from one to two way and compliance with the statewide Complete Streets program.

Review future parking options for businesses.

Locate an R line stop on Peace Street at Krispy Kreme.

Mordecai CAC to organize several social events in the district and to tackle eyesores on the street such as the vacant barber shop.

Ask Hillsborough Street organizers to provide input and guidance for Person Street.

Research potential grants and funding outside City sources as a way to help pay for consultants to aid in planning initiatives and improve the priority status of CIP's (Capital Improvement Projects).

Let us know if we've missed any themes or if you would like to add to this list.

Work has already begun on addressing the facade of the vacant barber shop building on the corner of Person and Pace Streets. See the report at: http://www.mordecaicac.org/community-project-add-curb-appeal-to-the-old-barber-shop

At this point, we are asking for volunteers to form a work group to plan the agenda for future meetings and to follow up on some of the suggested action items mentioned above. Please contact Philip Bernard to help in this effort. The effectiveness of the partnership depends on keeping topics relevant, members engaged, and issues moving forward! Feedback is welcome and encouraged; call Philip 919-247-8794 or email jpbernard@earthlink.net.