Wilson Downtown Development Solicits Community Input

Survey Will Provide Guidance for Strategic Plan 

Wilson Downtown Development has selected Downtown Strategies, a division of Retail Strategies, as its partner for downtown revitalization and strategic visioning. Beginning in early 2021, the group met with staff and hosted workshop sessions with business owners, merchants, community leaders, and elected officials to gain feedback and allow dialogue to prepare for a Strategic Visioning Workshop. A community survey has now been launched to solicit even broader community input. The 30-question survey allows participants to offer opinions anonymously through March 31, 2021. COMPLETE THE SURVEY HERE.

Downtown Strategies will also execute a market and real estate analysis and ultimately customize a Downtown Strategic Plan with specific strategies focused on policy, design, tourism, and economic catalyst opportunities for Historic Downtown Wilson.

Downtown Strategies specializes in downtown revitalization, placemaking, strategic visioning and planning, community engagement, and development for the purpose of enhanced economic vitality and social wellbeing for communities and their citizens.

New City-Wide Signage Will Soon Guide Visitors

While January and February saw new directional and parking signage springing up in Historic Downtown Wilson, new corridor and gateway signage is currently being installed and completed by this spring. When all is done, there will be 40 corridor signs, 14 downtown signs, and four signs at major city gateways guiding visitors and residents to cultural attractions, government facilities, shopping, dining and parking. To read more about the new wayfinding signage, visit the City of Wilson special projects page.

The new signs are the result of a multi-year process. This included coordinating with, and obtaining approval from, the North Carolina Department of Transportation  (NCDOT), determining destinations on signs, coordinating signage placement, signage branding and design, manufacturing signage, and sign installation. The signs adhere to all NCDOT rules for destination identification and placement and have been engineered to withstand years of exposure to the elements. Signage design was coordinated with city and partner organization logos. 

After an extensive request for proposal process and review, ACSM from Charlotte was chosen to manage the design, fabrication, coordination with NC DOT, and installation. Funding was provided through a USDA grant, a Wilson County Tourism grant, and the City of Wilson.

One to Two-Way Traffic Conversion to Begin

The much-anticipated resurfacing and two-way conversion of Pine and Tarboro streets is set to begin in April after more than a year long delay. 

Brie Handgraaf | Wilson Times

In mid-2019, the N.C. Department of Transportation announced plans to convert sections of Pine and Tarboro streets from one-way to two-way traffic and repave the roads before turning maintenance responsibilities over to the city.This project is based on a priority identified by downtown stakeholders and the City of Wilson during a community comprehensive planning process in 2009 to encourage downtown economic development. Signs informing motorists of the changes were posted in March 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic put the project on hold less than a week before crews were scheduled to start work. 

State officials said Tarboro Street’s intersections with Green and Vance streets and Pine Street’s intersections with Vance and Green streets will be converted to all-way stops April 6-7. At that time, Tarboro and Pine streets will be converted to two-way traffic between Green and Vance streets.

Kimberly Van Dyk, Planning and Community Revitalization Director for the City of Wilson, said the project will benefit the downtown area as well as the community as a whole.

"Two-way streets have significantly higher economic investment on them than one-way streets. So we believe these streets will have more investment as a result of this project,” she said, adding that two-way travel slows traffic and is safer for everyone. “In addition, this will provide the opportunity to add more on-street parking, increasing parking capacity in Historic Downtown Wilson. Overall, these improvements will help downtown businesses and nonprofits while creating a better environment for visitors.”

Read the full story at the Wilson Times.

Whirligig Park Museum & Gift Shop to Open in April

230 Goldsboro Street SW

The Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park non-profit organization is very happy to announce the opening of the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Museum!  The museum, located inside Whirligig Station adjacent to the Whirligig Park, will build on the story told in the park of Vollis Simpson, the local self-taught folk artist whose massive kinetic windmill are the focus and centerpiece of the park, and the conservation work necessary to build and maintain the 'gigs. Simpson's creations were named the official State Folk Art of North Carolina in 2013. Many of his smaller works are on display in the museum for viewing.

The space will also serve as a gift shop for Whirligig Park and Historic Downtown Wilson logo'd merchandise including t-shirts, tote bags, and prints. There will be product available at various price points for everyone from school children to collectors. The museum will also be home to new K – 6 field trip activities for schools which will launch this fall. 

Museum & Gift Shop Hours:  Tues-Sat | 10 am to 5 pm 

wilsonwhirligigpark.org

St. Paddy's Day Raffle Benefits WhirliDogs Job Training Cafe

The Wilson Chamber Executive Academy Class of 2021 is hosting a St. Paddy's Day Raffle benefitting Whirlidogs Training Center. Tickets are $50 each with the chance to win up to $5,000! Participants are welcome to purchase tickets as a group with their friends, family, and co-workers!

A live drawing will be held via Facebook Live on the Wilson Chamber of Commerce Facebook page at 6:00pm on Wednesday, March 17. Buy your chance to win HERE! TICKET SALES END AT MIDNIGHT ON SUNDAY, MARCH 14!

The WhirliDog Training Center, with plans to locate at 224 Tarboro W Street in the former P.L. Woodard site, will be a nonprofit downtown cafe in Historic Downtown Wilson that serves hot dogs, ice cream and opportunities for young adults with disabilities to get their first paid work experience.