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DSDC EARNS
NATIONAL
MAIN STREET
ACCREDITATION
The Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation has been designated as an accredited National Main Street Program for meeting the commercial district revitalization performance standards set by the National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
“We congratulate this year’s nationally accredited Main Street programs for meeting our established performance standards,” says Valecia Crisafulli, acting director of the National Main Street Center. “Accredited Main Street programs are meeting the challenges of the downtown in the economy head on and are successfully using a focused, comprehensive revitalization strategy to keep their communities vibrant and sustainable.”
The organization’s performance is annually evaluated by the North Carolina Main Street Center in partnership with the National Main Street Center to identify the local programs that meet 10 performance standards. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as developing a mission, fostering strong public-private partnerships, securing an operating budget, tracking economic progress and preserving historic buildings.
Downtown Smithfield became a North Carolina state-certified Main Street Program in 1986. Over the past 27 years Downtown Smithfield has been seen as a leader across the state with innovative business development incentives, assisting entrepreneurs with new construction and redevelopment projects, streetscape projects and improvements, and hosting community festivals and events.
"Obtaining the national accreditation is a tremendous achievement for Downtown Smithfield," says Chris Johnson, Executive Director of the Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation. "This accomplishment proves the hard work, commitment, and dedication of our town, local small businesses, and the DSDC organization. Downtown Smithfield will always be a work in progress as it maintains its vitality, sustainability, and market share. The national recognition received speaks volumes for the hard work and effort of so many Smithfield leaders and citizens."
Recent DSDC work includes projects like the Neuse Riverwalk and Buffalo Creek Greenway, downtown signage and streetscaping, walking tours, SHARP tax-grant incentives, grant applications for vacant buildings and blighted lots and areas in residential neighborhoods, renovation and preservation of the Historic Hastings House, and much more.
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THE NEW BRIDGE IS OPEN!
We are excited to announce that the new Market Street (U.S. 70 Business) bridge over the Neuse River was opened to traffic April 24.
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At the end of Wednesday's ceremony, DSDC Director Chris Johnson (right) prepares to drive Smithfield's Mayor Daniel Evans (center) and Clerk of Court Will Crocker across the newly opened bridge in his 1955 Chevrolet Belair.
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The Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation hosted a gala ceremony to mark the occasion, complete with speeches, blessings by local ministers representing various faiths, and the Smithfield-Selma High School marching band.
Meanwhile, several items need to be done before the entire bridge replacement project is finished, including:
• Replanting vegetation;
• Repaving a section of the Smithfield Neuse Riverwalk under the bridge later this spring that was taken out during construction; and
• Completing the outside rails of the bridge later this spring, which will enable bicycle and pedestrian traffic to then use the six-foot wide pedestrian walkway on the north side of the bridge and 10-foot wide multi-use path on the south side.
Some lane closures will be in place as this work is completed; however, the bridge will not close at any time for this work.
The N.C. Department of Transportation awarded a $5.3 million contract to D.H. Griffin Construction Co. of Raleigh in March 2012 for the replacement of the 89-year-old bridge. Crews closed the original bridge to traffic on Sept. 25 – seven months ago. That's a month ahead of schedule, qualifying the contractor for an extra incentive payment.
For more information, including photographs taken throughout the project, visit www.ncdot.gov/projects/ smithfieldneuseriverbridge.
Want to stay up to date on what's going on in Downtown Smithfield? Click here to get on our e-mail list.
To learn more about Downtown Smithfield, e-mail DSDC Director Chris Johnson, or call him at (919) 934-0887.
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