Proposal for progress, downtown Rocky Mount

              FE JURES 0 E
DO
RAILROAD RELOCAT ION
IS
The most dromotlc cho nge proposed In the plan
the removol of the Seoboord Coast L ine Ra d road
along Main Street from Thomas Street to Hammond
Street. The main railroad t racks would be re-routed
around the C ity. The connection to the Spring Hope
Branch wou ld rema in on the sou th. A new spur con­nection
would maintain present roil access to all
property north of Th omas Str eet. Officials of the
Seaboard Coast Line Radroad have reviewed the
proposal and g iven tenta t ive approval of th e relo-ca
t ion route.
The removal of the tra c ks would be on enormous
benef i t to the entire City as well as th e downt own.
T raffi c problems of Main Street would be greatly re·
I,eved. The reluvenatlon of th e commercial area eas t
of Main Street becomes a real possibility. The right.
of-way of the railroad would greatly Increase park­Ing
on Main Street, making possible landscaped park­Ing
lot s In the very heart of the retad area. The roil·
rood tracks are presently a blight ing element In the
appearance of the downtown and their removal will
grea tly enhance the area.
COMMERCIAL EXPANSION
Growth of commercial activity will s ti mulate a
need for new commercial space and also for o ther
types of uses In the downtown - office , cultural, re­crea
t ion, and services. Se veral malar commercial
s tru c tures are proposed that will front on MO ln Street.
Suggested locotlons o t Thoma s and Hammond will
serve to anchor the north and south boundaries of the
downtown. New locations on the eo st s Ide of Ma In
Street wdl reinforce a compact primary retad center.
PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS
T he pedestrian Will find spacIous and attractive
walkway sys tems connec t ing parking facd,t,es With
the shops, offices and other faCilities of the down­t
own. Howard Stre et and the alleyways In the block
Immediately west of Ma in Street are proposed to be
developed In t o a pedestrian moll extending from Ham­mond
Street northward to the parking lot of Planters
Not iona l Bon k. These walkway s will connect parking
facilities directly t o s t ore entrances. Pede strian
crosswalks offord safe access from one Side of Main
Street to the other. A centrally located plaza pro­Vides
space for outdoor exhibi ts and shows, and als o
serveS as a pleasant res t area for shoppers and VISI ­tors
. A moll or arcade connects th e plaza With the
park ing facil i ties on Washington Street.
MUNICIPAL BUILDING
A site bounded by Washington, Hdl and Arl ing­ton
St reets ond the new Ea stern Avenue extension IS
proposed as th e location for a future Municipal Budd­In
g . Parking facilities to serve both the offices and
other downtown parking needs would be located be­tween
the new structure and Washington Street.
CITY AUDITORIUM·CONVENTION CENTER
T he proposed City Aud i t Orium- C onven t ion Cen­ter
wdl provide facilities for community programs
and a I so enab Ie Rocky Mount to accommodate large
conven t ions. T he proposed site would be convenien t
to the downtown area ' s shops, restaurants and mo­tels
, and the new street alignmen ts wdl provide ade­quate
vehicular access. Parking facili t ies for the
center would be located north of the proposed si te
be ween Ea stern Avenue and Thomas Street.
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