20-year plan could transform Salisbury; aims to attract new residents
It’s called Envision Salisbury. A road map to revamp the city’s downtown over the next 20 years, put together by Salisbury residents for Salisbury residents. “2,500 people in Salisbury participated in the process,” Day added, “This plan is designed to be implemented immediately,”
By 2035, if all goes as planned, seven districts (Old Town, North Prong, Newtown, University Corridor, North Camden, Marina, East Gate) would all be upgraded. The master plan is sectioned into phases, five years a piece, with the first phase targeting much of the large-scale construction. Day said, “We’re not talking about ramping up expenditures in the downtown, we’re talking about accurately articulating where certain things should happen, and in what order they should happen,”
In the North Prong District for example, a culinary community center and in Old Town, plans for a new library an art museum and community plaza along the RiverWalk plus a mixed use Towne Center where Parking Lot One currently is.
While all districts are slated for a face lift Old Town is the central draw designed to be friendlier to both foot and bike traffic with more pedestrian bridges and bike lanes. Day says the plan would cost taxpayers an average of $4-million dollars a year. That accounts for 13% of the total $640-million project. The rest would come from the state and private investments.
We’re told city council unanimously supported moving the plan to legislative session. Some proposals are already set in motion and were included in the budget. “The river-walk is under construction. It’s because we acknowledged, lets get this thing done right now. The main street master plan construction will begin this Spring,” said Day.
47 ABC spoke to a few business owners in the downtown area who tell us they’re believers in what might happen and that it’s a long time coming. “I feel like our downtown is definitely in need of some growth,” said Andrew Davis, the owner of Deadstock, “I think we’ll see more college based activity downtown. I also think we’ll see more families down here,” Joseph Hill, a co-owner at Main Roots Coffee Shop told 47 ABC, “With the 20 year plan I definitely feel like Salisbury, especially downtown will become a destination place again,”
Mayor Day and other city officials went to Annapolis Thursday to present the plan to state legislators. He says that if funding is granted, it would most likely take place over the next five years. We’re told if that funding is not granted it would not be a deal breaker.
