CORONAVIRUS

Survey: Most favor closing streets for Wilmington dining

Allison Ballard
aballard@gatehousemedia.com
Outdoor dining is available at a number of downtown Wilmington restaurants, such as The Reel Café along Front Street. A proposal called Downtown Alive would close certain downtown blocks to allow for more room for outdoor dining as coronavirus restrictions are lifted. [STARNEWS FILE PHOTO]

WILMINGTON -- The vast majority of respondents to a survey put forth by the Downtown Business Alliance of Wilmington are in favor of closing certain blocks to traffic to allow for more room for outdoor dining.

A proposal called Downtown Alive began as a response to the idea that when restaurants and other businesses can reopen, they would need to do so in a limited capacity, as outlined in N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper’s plan of COVID-19 recovery.

When the state enters Phase 2, which could happen as early as this weekend, businesses still need to follow safety protocols and allow for ample distance between customers.

Terry Espy, president of the DBA, said they received 964 responses and almost 97 percent of them were in favor of temporarily making the area pedestrian -- and dining --friendly. Almost all of the respondents also called themselves patrons of downtown businesses and some added comments that the move should be permanent.

A meeting is scheduled for Thursday with City of Wilmington staff to discuss the idea in more detail, she said.

“Everyone seems to be very enthusiastic,” she said.

Espy added that they are looking at downtown areas on a block-by-block basis to make sure emergency personnel could still access the area, for example. Insurance, logistics and other details about how businesses could increase their operating area also need to be determined.

“I think it’s a good idea,” said Ray Worrell, of Slice of Life Pizzeria. “I’m pretty sure this will move forward so we can at least try it.”

He doesn’t think the area in front of his downtown location at 125 Market St. will be closed to traffic, but believes the area would benefit from such a move. He is also expanding his dining area to the lot beside his restaurant, and hopes to add a tent and picnic tables.

Retail owners are also in the discussion. Provisions could be included to allow them to add sidewalk sales. Gwenyfar Rohler, of Old Books on Front Street at 249 North Front St., said that she supports the idea, and could bring her Volkswagen bus downtown to operate as an outdoor booth.

Downtown Alive wouldn’t begin until after the area has entered Phase 2, Espy said. The proposal said the street closure would be limited to Thursday and Friday nights and weekends.