Plan emerging for Downtown Lumberton

LUMBERTON — A new vision for downtown Lumberton is on the drawing board with some major checklist items either already complete or nearing completion.

A workshop summary was recently released that provides a glimpse of what Downtown Lumberton could become, based on a number requirements coming together in the next months and further out

The planning process began during workshops in July, August and September.

Each workshop included a list of possible opportunities for Lumberton’s downtown area sorted by “Community Priorities,” a “Vision for Downtown” and an “Action Plan to Move Forward.”

Downtown Lumberton is defined as the area bounded by the Lumber River East 10th Street, North Sycamore Street and East 1st Street.

Workshop results included a survey provided by 403 people — most of whom were Lumberton or Robeson County residents or people who worked in Lumberton.

Of the 403 people who took the survey, 52% said they visited downtown looking for dining or entertainment options. Festival and events drew 47% and 33% of respondents said they came downtown for government or legal services. Other reasons included shopping, recreation, or for work or living downtown.

More dining options topped the list of things that respondents said would bring them downtown more. Other top things that would draw people downtown included more retail and more entertainment options. Just under 50% of survey respondents said they’d come downtown for a microbrewery or a bar.

When asked what their general perception of downtown was, the top answer was, “It’s OK,” followed by “It’s unsafe.” Just 5.4% of respondents said, “It’s great”

After gathering these responses as well as a handful of deeper dive survey results, the presentation was sorted into four categories or ingredients to make a great place, including “Sociability, Uses & Activities, Access & Linkages and Comfort & Image.

In Downtown Lumberton, some of these “Placemaking” assets that exist now include the Dick Taylor Plaza & Splash Pad, the Riverwalk, the Pocket Park and the Alleyway Project.

Top future placemaking projects include the following:

The planned Memorial Park to be located adjacent to the to the traffic circle;

The Lumberton Loop, a citywide trail network that “would connect more than 800 acres, over 99 percent of which are in the 100-year floodplain;”

The Highway 72 / 2nd Street bridge and NCDOT Complete Street Design

The revitalization of the water treatment plant into an entertainment destination such as a restaurant, microbrewery and event venue.

According to the results summary, recent placemaking initiatives include the following:

Farmers Market and Commercial Kitchen Grant;

The Courthouse rebuild, which has yet to be completed;

Development of the old municipal building/fire station, which has recently changed hands and is expected to be developed into retail and residential space;

The Carolina Civic Center expansion, which is moving forward;

Environmental evaluations progressing at the Water Treatment Plant

Comfort and image improvements that include a new foot patrol police officer assigned to downtown and a prohibition against trespassing after dark in the Dick Taylor Plaza.

Workshop Focus Areas Within the defined Downtown Lumberton area, three Workshop Focus Areas have been identified: The Riverfront, Courthouse Square and Downtown Plaza. The Riverfront has been identified for its opportunities to expand Riverwalk and River Access, the Water Treatment Plant redevelopment, residential opportunities, destinations and entertainment uses, the bridge replacement that will include a multi-use/pedestrian path) as well as a number of unused sites in the focus area.

Courthouse Square includes completion of the Courthouse rebuild, residential opportunities, more public space, and a new streetscape on Elm and Chestnut streets.

Finally, the Dick Taylor Downtown Plaza focus area has been identified to leverage the Dick Taylor Downtown Plaza public space and existing public investment/destinations such as the Carolina Civic Center Historic Theater, the Robeson County Library and Exploration Station.

This focus area also capitalizes on the expected 2nd Street pedestrian improvements, the Lumberton Loop (bicycle and pedestrian path) as well as existing and planned private investment in the area.

According to the Workshop Summary, a Downtown Master Plan with target dates would be assigned to specific projects. As a plan begins to roll out, other opportunities (Big Ideas) would be considered based on how investments would have the greatest impact?