WILMINGTON — The popular ‘Downtown Alive’ program will be extended through mid-October, and possibly further, but the city will have to look at the long-term feasibility of running the program if Covid-19-related restrictions remain in place beyond that.
The program was first proposed after Governor Roy Cooper’s executive orders curtailed restaurant seating capacity. Initial response was very positive, although some balked at the price tag for the initial rollout, over $100,000. In June, City Council approved the plan to run through Labor Day.
Related: Wilmington’s popular ‘Downtown Alive’ needs $125,000 to continue, more to expand
On Tuesday, Council approved an extension and with the option for some expansion, as well. The extension through October 18 will cost $73,737 (with roughly $5,000 for potential expansion) with funding coming from the city’s canceled Fourth of July fireworks displays (up to $40,000), the Municipal Service District fund ($20,000), $5,000 from the Downtown Business Alliance fund, and restaurants themselves ($13,750). Council also authorized City Manager Sterling Cheatham to extend the program through November 22 if additional funding can be located.
Businesses outside of the current street-closure area on Front, Princess, and Dock streets can also now apply for ‘parklets,’ booths that occupy parking-spot areas on the street. These allow restaurants to have additional seating without closing streets. The parklets would be protected by water-filled barriers (similar to those used on highways). Parklets would be operational around the week. According to staff, 17 businesses had committed to a parklet, with more potentially interested.
Councilman Charlie Rivenbark reiterated concerns that a small percentage of the roughly 800 downtown businesses directly benefited from the program. Councilman Kevin Spears said the current program seemed like an ‘exclusive club’ and, while he lauded it as a ‘good idea’ and a ‘success,’ noted there were many other businesses throughout the city that would like similar support.
In response, staff noted first that, according to the Downtown Business Alliance, which proposed the project, many downtown businesses are offices or other establishments that would benefit from increased foot-traffic generated by Downtown Alive. Staff also noted that businesses outside of the historic downtown area could procure temporary permits to expand in similar ways and that the city was actively disseminating that information.
Before the vote to approve the extension of Downtown Alive, Mayor Bill Saffo picked up Spears and Rivenbark’s comment, noting that the program — while successful — could not practically keep receiving extensions from the city.
Saffo said he didn’t think the impacts of Covid-19 would abate before a vaccine was produced — in other words, not soon enough to simply keep extending downtown alive. Saffo suggested a more thorough economic analysis of the city’s options, both in terms of longer-term viability and assisting businesses outside of the current scope.
The extension is good news for restaurants in the project area, many of which have reported doing strong business on par with previous pandemic-free years. However, the renewal of Downtown Alive comes on the same day as Governor Roy Cooper’s announcement that bars will remain closed by executive order. For those business owners, there appears to be no assistance at all.
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Wilmington's Downtown Alive extended but Mayor says long-term viability needs to be evaluated - Port City Daily
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