Growth, Momentum and Robust Pipeline Take Center Stage at
Downtown Greensboro Inc. Annual Celebration of Downtown
 
Greensboro, N.C. – Friends of Downtown Greensboro, including community, business, education and elected leaders gathered on Thursday to celebrate the significant economic momentum and growth of Downtown Greensboro, as well as the bright future ahead.
 
“We have a lot to celebrate this year, including a staggering number of visits to downtown, new business openings and tremendous progress on several large transformational projects for the future,” said Zack Matheny, President & CEO of Downtown Greensboro, Inc. “More than anything, this event is an opportunity to celebrate the community and partnerships that make this momentum and progress possible.”
 
The networking event included an update on downtown’s growth, robust development pipeline and impact on the larger community.
 
Momentum is building in the city center, driven by 8.4 million visits to downtown and 23 new business openings in the last year alone. New businesses downtown include 13 restaurants and bars and 10 service and retail businesses.
 
In addition to business openings, Matheny highlighted the tremendous success of the Downtown Greensboro Ambassador Program. The Ambassadors are a dedicated team of individuals who patrol downtown providing a variety of services to the city center, from giving directions to offering a helping hand to those in need. Over the last year, the ambassadors have assisted more than 93,000 people in downtown Greensboro. In recognition of their contributions to the community, the Greensboro Ambassadors were recently awarded the Chief’s Award, the highest civilian honor the police chief can bestow.
 
Another successful initiative highlighted was the innovative partnership with NC A&T State University to launch autonomous shuttles connecting the campus to downtown. One of the shuttles was on display outside the event for the community to view. 
 
With all the progress and momentum downtown, Matheny signaled an even brighter future with $800 million of development in the pipeline. He previewed several of the projects in the pipeline, including two planned residential developments, the AC Hotel, several new restaurants, a brewery expansion and the planned revitalization of the 1889 Train Depot.
 
Also in the pipeline, Matheny unveiled for the first time the plans for the Marilyn and Dean Green Rehearsal Hall for the Greensboro Symphony to be located on the corner of Elm Street and Friendly Avenue. The Rehearsal Hall will serve as the location for Symphony orchestra, youth orchestra and Master Chorale rehearsals, as well as the hub for numerous community education programs.
 
“This is an exciting time for our city center and our time is now,” said Matheny. “Beyond just our borders, a thriving downtown is critical to the success of our community. This is everyone’s downtown and together we can continue to activate and grow in a way that supports the social and economic development of our city center and improves the quality of life for all Greensboro residents.”
 
Tonight’s presentation was just a preview of the in-depth future plans, strategies and goals for downtown that will be unveiled at Downtown Greensboro Inc. Annual State of Downtown event in the spring.