Beaufort’s plan to bolster downtown business includes beer & wine 4 nights a week
The city of Beaufort is progressing with a plan to establish a “social district” where visitors can stroll with open containers of beer or wine during designated times while they shop and dine.
The goal is to inject vitality into the downtown, especially during the evening, while boosting sales for shop and restaurant owners hard hit by major infrastructure upgrades and failures over the past six months.
In November, the City Council gave City Manager Scott Marshall the power to create the temporary social district.
Linda Roper, the city’s Downtown Operations and Community Services director, explained the details to City Council members at a work session Tuesday.
The proposed hours are from 4-10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
The city is targeting April 1 as the start date, Marshall said.
What’s a social district?
In the social district, people will be allowed to walk around in the downtown area with plastic cups of alcohol sold by participating businesses.
Beer and wine will be served in branded cups. Clear signage will help visitors navigate the district and the participating businesses.
It’s a space for residents and visitors to gather, creating a sense of community, Roper said. The hope is the additional traffic will lead to more business for the shops and restaurants.
The social district will run for 90 days. That’s enough time for the city to gauge the success and gather community feedback and adjustments, Roper said.
Why is a social district needed in Beaufort?
Significant declines in foot traffic are threatening the economic vitality of the downtown, Roper said.
The purpose of a social district is to entice more people to go downtown and stay longer.
A number of factors are causing the decline, Roper said. Two involve major public infrastructure.
Six months ago, the city closed the promenade, a major downtown attraction, and fenced it off from the rest of Waterfront Park. The promenade’s closure does not prevent people from accessing the downtown or the park. But with its unrivaled views of the Beaufort River, it is a major visitor draw to the area. Concrete pilings that hold up a concrete slab underneath the promenade are failing. That’s why it was closed. A day dock on the promenade also was closed as a result, further reducing access. The city is working on restoring access to the dock.
Further complicating access to the area was the closure in November of the intersection of Charles and Bay street to install storm water drainage pipes along Charles and Craven streets. It was following this closure that the City Council voted to give Marshall the powers to create the social district on his own to address growing concerns of business owners.
Another factor affecting foot traffic at night is limited lighting, Roper said.
What are the social district borders?
Port Republic Street will be the border on the North. The walking path that runs directly behind businesses that front Bay Street will be the southern border. The district, Roper emphasized, will not include the grassy area or the pavilion in Waterfront Park, or the playground on the eastern edge of the park.
The western boundary is Charles Street. To the east, Carteret Street.
Reaction includes support, concerns
Mayor Phil Cromer said he’s heard from many residents about the social district. “I’ve got a lot of people opposed,” he said. He urged Marshall to take “baby steps.” “I don’t think people understand it,” Cromer said. “That’s the big problem.”
Councilman Josh Scallate can’t see the social district up and running soon enough.
He believes the district will “tremendously help” the businesses in the area and proposed expanding it to include more of the park and increasing the number of days to seven. The district won’t turn the historic district into the Las Vegas strip, as some have implied, he said. He sees the district as a balanced approach to increase business. He says he was surprised Marshall hadn’t started the district sooner. The City Council, he noted, gave him the power to do so in November to expedite the process because “they are struggling now.”
Even with the latitude he was given, Marshall said moving forward without getting input from the public and downtown businesses would have been irresponsible “and frankly, I’m surprised you would expect that.”
Councilman Mitch Mitchell also said he had heard some pushback from residents he’s spoken with about the idea. He urged the city to follow the parameters laid out by the city staff. “It’s kind of easing into the water verus one big splash,” Mitchell said.
If the city goes full bore, Mitchell added, it could “potentially work against us.”
The Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce supports the district, said Mark Cutler, chairman of the board. “There are many of our business owners struggling right now,” Cutler said.
Peggy Simmer, who lives on Port Republic, expects she’ll be cleaning up cups in her front yard. “We’re a homeowner,” she said. “Nobody asked us what we thought.” She’s OK with the district but urged the city to include homeowners in future discussions.
Roper says the city will monitor the success of the program including checking the impact on sales and foot traffic and addressing any concerns or problems. “We have to clean up,” Roper said. “We know there’s going to be cups out there.”
