The City of Concord Celebrates its New Streetscape
The first weekend of May brought several big reopening celebrations. In Western North Carolina, the Towns of Marshall and Hot Springs had festivals that signaled the reopening of downtown restaurants, bars, and shops. About 30 minutes outside Charlotte, the City of Concord hosted a ribbon cutting block party in celebration of the Union Street Streetscape being completed.
Creating a Desirable Downtown
When planning for streetscape improvements, residents and business owners wanted to create a downtown area where people can spend hours hanging out—a place where people can walk around different shops, try new restaurants, and enjoy a drink. The City of Concord broke ground on the streetscape project in January of 2022; the project took longer than expected to complete, which was partially due to not knowing what would be found when the road was torn up.
Maintaining Historical Elements
While this project improves Concord’s downtown area, the City has been intentional about preserving the area’s history. Union Street is a key fixture in the City, and its presence dates back to the late 1700’s. There was some conflict about where the County seat should be located, and when a location was selected, it was named Concord, which means “harmony.” Union Street got its name to match, as “union” and “harmony” both embody peace.
Another historic element of Concord is the horseshoes, which were maintained during streetscape construction, as was the stone that sits at the intersection of Corban Avenue and Union Street. The horseshoes symbolize the carriage hooks that used to be all over the city streets when they were frequented by horse drawn carriages. The City thought it was important to draw attention to this easily overlooked element.
The stone that sits at Corban Avenue and Union Street is the original surveyor’s stone; it was placed in 1976 to mark the four corners of Concord. When the streetscape was under construction, the City moved the stone for preservation purposes. It was recently moved back to its original spot to remind the City of its roots.
Creating New Opportunities for the City of Concord
The streetscape improvements are a necessary piece of the City’s downtown master plan because they provide open space and, therefore, more opportunities for the public to gather. The improvements include new sidewalks, tree planters, streetlights, public art, curb lines, and ADA compliant crosswalks. The project also includes engineering design for the road, a water main replacement, stormwater system upgrades, and electric system improvements.
Ribbon Cutting Celebration
A few members of our team visited the City of Concord on May 3 to experience the ribbon cutting ceremony. The mayor, Bill Dusch, thanked the contractor, his staff, the City council, and the engineering team for turning the vision into reality. The grand opening block party took place from 12:00 to 8:00 PM on May 3rd and had activities like yard games, rock climbing, face painting, a photo booth, and a DJ, among other things. There was also live music and door prizes. This event was a great way to show how the new area can be used to host events and support local businesses.
Learn More About Our Land Planning and Recreation Team
Our land planning and recreation team improves downtown streetscapes, parks, and trails throughout the Southeast. To learn more about our land planning recreation team and see how we could work with your community, check out some of our other projects here. Reach out to Mike Norris, Land Planning and Recreation Practice Area Leader, at mike.norris@mcgillassociates.com if you have specific questions or a project in mind.
