CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS
SOUTHSIDE REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE
WILMINGTON, NC
$30M Grant Opportunity
The SouthSide Map
What is a Neighborhood Revitalization?
 Economic Development
 Attract Business to the area by
showcasing area amenities
 Everyday businesses for local
amenities and job creation
 New & Improved housing
 Homes instead of vacant lots
 Mixed-Income instead of
concentrations of poverty
 An affordable housing
community
 Safer & Healthier Neighborhood
 Completed sidewalks,
 Nourishing Areas of Ability
crosswalks, bike lanes
 Treescapes that add beauty to the
neighborhood, safe lighting
 Connected streets / open grids
 Community Activities
 Parks, playgrounds
 Community Resource Center
 South Front Apartment Homes
 5th Avenue & Greenfield
 Castle Street Art District
 Green Building District
 New Use / Industrial Triangle
 Residents
 Lift them Up, not Out
 Placemaking
Choice Neighborhood Vision:
An Integrated Approach w/ 3 Core Goals:
Housing:
Transform distressed public housing /
Mixed Income
People:
Support positive
outcomes for children and
adults through education and services
Neighborhood:
Revitalize neighborhoods
of poverty into Communities
of Investment and
Opportunity
** Safety & Education & Employment
& Healthy Foods **
OUR WHA Choice Neighborhoods
Our Choice Neighborhood will encompass the Rebuilding of the Hillcrest
Public Housing Community & the revitalization of the SouthSide by
building on the City’s SouthSide Small-Area Plan.
Our main Revitalization goals for the SouthSide involve:
 Building a CORE Center for after school activities & youth engagement
(Community, Opportunity, Recreation, Resource, Employment, Education)
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Focusing on infill development
Focusing on infrastructure, including sidewalks and crosswalks
Maximizing economic development, job creation, income opportunity
Deconcentrating poverty / Ending our Urban Distress Zones
 Envisioning a safer, healthier, more vibrant community
Areas of Ability
Castle Street as
development
catalyst
Green
Business
Node
Bridge / ILM
gateway as
development
target
Concentration of
vacant lots
between Hillcrest
and Jervay
SouthSide
Business
Zone / Light
Industrial for
20th Century
Additional
neighborhood
node potential /
Creative Class
Pro: SouthSide Advantages
 Proximity to Downtown / walk, bike, car,
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public transportation
Proximity to MLK Park / Greenfield
Lake
Proximity to Hospital Corridor / Health
& Jobs
Good infrastructure (streets, MPO plans)
Strong housing rehab & infill potential /
Affordable Housing
Well served by Public Transportation /
stops within ¼ mile
Gateway to Wilmington from the East
Exitway from Wilmington from the West
 Gateway to Greenfield Lake / 5th
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Avenue
Area of Ability / Castle Street Art &
Antique District
Area of Ability / Green Business
Corridor @ 16th & Queen
Area of Ability / 3rd & Greenfield
Cape Fear Historic Byway / East
Coast Greenway
Area of Opportunity, Reuse /
Industrial Triangle
2 Local Theater Companies
Attractive Tree Canopy
Pro: Recent Economic Development
in the SouthSide
 South Front Apartments
 Music Medic … $1.5M business
 Satellite Bar
 Developer & Banking attention
 HARP Restaurant & Lounge
 Biltmark / Plantation Builders
 Century Mills Building sale
 Transforming areas
 New Businesses on Castle Street Art
 Seaview Crab Company on 16th
& Antique District
 Peacock Alley Hot Dogs on 17th
 Gravity Records
 Family Dollar to be built on Wooster
 RX Restaurant
 SouthSide Business Zone
 Coffee House / Brew Pub
 Freakers USA
 Expansion of Queensboro Shirt
Company … $3M / yr. business
 Cape Fear Community Land Trust
 New Business 13th & Marstellar
 Kids Making It on Castle Street
Pro: Anchor Institutions
Permanent Anchors
UNCW
CFCC
Port of Wilmington
Greenfield Lake
Medical Corridor
Schools
Historic Downtown
Developing Anchors
Industrial Triangle
Gateway into ILM
5th Avenue
Castle Street Art &
Antique District
Creative Class / 3rd &
5th & Greenfield
Green Biz District
CORE Center
CORE Center
Investment in our Community
CORE Center
Community, Opportunity, Recreation,
Resource, Employment & Education
Partners:
• UNCW
• CFCC
• YMCA
• Med North
• United Way
• City Parks & Rec
• WHA, HEO, Choice
Support Positive Outcomes for
children & adults with High Quality
Educational, Health & Learning
Opportunities
Small Investment Successes
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Attention on the SouthSide / started a
conversation
(Everyone)
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CDBG funding for Dawson Street Lofts
$200,000, Future Guarantee (City)
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Coming Soon … 40 Dawson Street Lofts @
Jervay / $5.6M (WHA, HUD)
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Gang Task Force @ Shaw Speak; Crime Down
53% (WPD / NHC)
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Coming Soon … 8 Supportive Housing units @  Catalyst Project – 5th Avenue & entrance to
Jervay / $1M (WHA, Elderhaus)
Greenfield Lake (FOCUS / COG)
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To be designated a Neighborhood Revitalization  MED North – Satellite office @ Hillcrest HRSA
Strategy Area (City of Wilmington)
$$ funds (Med North)
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Partnership with Habitat for Humanity for infill  Brownfield Grant $400,000 (City of Wilmington)
homes (Habitat)
 U.S. Congressional Representative Meetings
$510,000 in improvements for crosswalks /
 Assistant Secretary of HUD Meeting
sidewalks / Safe way to Schools (City / MPO)
 Infrastructure utility improvements $1.5M
YouthBuild Grant Application / $1.1M (WHA &
(CFPUA)
partners)
 Press (WHQR, Star News, WECT, GWBJ)
Kaboom Park @ Jervay (BC/BS, WRAR)
 Continued Non-Profit Partnerships
Railroad beautification (Port/CSX)
 CFLC expansion on 17th / $200,000+
Art Display at Jervay (Castle St.) / (Art Council)
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Byrne Safety Grant application / $790,000 (WHA
& WPD, LINC, UNCW)
Smaller Investment Successes
 Events on the SouthSide
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Jane Jacobs Walk through the SouthSide
A Case for Place @ MLK Center
Soaring Eagle Annual Cultural Event
Annual Castle Street Block Party
Castle Street Flea Market
 SouthSide CDC
 Cultural Arts & Training Center @ the old
WAVE building on Castle St. / The Castle
 Transportation Bond / $55M
 Crosswalk @ major intersections along
Wooster & Dawson Streets / SouthSide
 5th Avenue / Entrance to Greenfield Lake
 Resurfacing of several roads
 New Hanover County Schools
 Education Bond / $160M
 Improvement to SouthSide Schools
 Free Summer Lunch Program
 Code Enforcement
 Focus on the SouthSide
 Outreach of City Programs
 HOP program, Rehab program
 Summer Camp Flyer
 City of Wilmington Solid Waste
 Many large trash dumps in the area
 Fire Department
 Install free smoke alarms to homeowners
 Mary Howe Pre-K
 A nature trail / public private partnership
 Infill Incentive District
 Incentivize infill lots on the SouthSide
 Incentives for Investment
 City, County, CFPUA
 Feast Down East
 Fresh fruit & vegetables to
Hillcrest & the SouthSide
 After School / Summer Initiatives
 Brigade Boys & Girls / YMCA
 We Care Tutoring (UNCW/Ministry)
SouthSide Business Zone
Implementation Entities / Future Success
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Implementation Entities (Principal Partners)
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Housing – WHA / HEO
People – United Way
Neighborhood – City of Wilmington
Education – Communities in Schools
Safety – Police Task Force
Healthy Foods – Feast Down East
Employment – Workforce Consortium
Work in Progress
 Cape Fear Soccer League
 Cape Fear Community Land Trust
 SouthSide Focus, Placemaking
 Neighborhood Revitalization Grants /
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Promise Zones
Faith-based groups / Ministerial Alliance
Time Warner @ Dawson St. Lofts
YouthBuild Center
PTA meetings
County land on 16th Street
Designate UMX / Redevelopment
Transit Amenities / WAVE Transit
Transformation Plan Update
Business Leader Outreach / Hometown Hires
 New Hanover County Health Department
 Cape Fear Housing Coalition
 Affordable Housing & vacant lot incentives
 Historical Wilmington Architectural Salvage
 Community Enrichment Initiative
 Cape Fear Green Building Alliance
 Neighborhood Meetings / Grassroots
 Facebook Outreach
 Interns / Grants
 Funding Committee
 Program Coordinator @ CORE
 WAVE Free Trolley
 Duke Energy … Street Lighting, Rebates
 CDC Grants / up to $1.6M
 Film Museum location … SouthSide?
 Young Women Leading Charter School location …
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SouthSide?
NCDOT … Sidewalks on Wooster Street
Grocery Store conversation
Gateway discussions
HUDZone
Community Garden Leaders / ILM Green Project
What can YOU do for the SOUTHSIDE? This
MUST be a COMMUNITY EFFORT!
Other Plans in our Region
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City of Wilmington Comprehensive Plan
http://createwilmington.com/
Wilmington’s comprehensive plan will describe a vision for how we experience our community – how we get around,
where we live, the way buildings and streets look, and where we play.
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New Hanover County Comprehensive Plan
http://www.plannhc.com/
Six individual themes have been established and include; the Livable Built Environment, Harmony with Nature,
Resilient Economy, Interwoven Equity, Healthy Community, and Responsible Regionalism. Citizen-led committees
will review issues surrounding these themes, best management practices, and present policy recommendations.
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FOCUS SENC Regional Plan (New Hanover, Pender, Brunswick)
http://www.focussenc.org/
As growth continues in our region, let’s be ready for it. We need a regional vision, direction, and plan. Join us in
determining how we can preserve the assets that we all value, while making Southeastern North Carolina a great place
to live and do business.
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Other Plans & Reports … Cape Fear Commutes 2035 Transportation Plan, Future Land Use Plan, NC
Tomorrow, Walk Wilmington, Cape Fear Scenic ByWay, NorthSide Revitalization Plan, Dawson Wooster
Corridor Plan, Comprehensive Greenway Plan, FOCUS’s Health & Wellness Gap Analysis, FOCUS’s RAI
to Fair Housing, FOCUS’s Regional Equity Profile, Garner Economic Report, CFPUA
Where do these efforts lead?
Up to $30M towards Revitalization!
Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant
These cities are using their award to
leverage the funds for up to 4 times this
amount ($120M) to:
Recent Winners …
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Boston MA
Chicago IL
Cincinnati OH
New Orleans LA
San Antonio TX
San Francisco CA
Seattle WA
Tampa FL
Philadelphia PA
Pittsburgh PA
Norwalk CT
Columbus OH
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Construct 350 new units
Rehab 150 units
Create 600 construction jobs
Create 300 permanent jobs
Ease access to services & resources
Promote educational opportunities
Enhance healthy living & recreation
Offer job training & employment
Encourage economic development
Increase connectivity & mobility
Boost Investment & $$ Opportunity
Improve Safety
Truly revitalize a community!
Partners
Thank You for your Partnership!
Save the Date
Tuesday, August 19th, 6.30pm
Choice Neighborhoods
City Council Presentation
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Choice Neighborhoods
SouthSide Revitalization!