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By JOEL GROVES Gazette Staff Reporter By 14M, the City of Gastonia will have spent $20 million in city, state and federal funds to develop an area worth only $7.3 million. The area is downtown, and the project is called Ur ban Renewal. And despite its high cost, officials say it's a bargain to the city. Gastonia merchants first got together back in 1986 and decided that something had to be done about the deteriorating appearance and business of the downtown area. The city responded by forming a Redevelopment Commission for Studying ways of pumping up the economy in the sagging central business district. ‘The idea was to get money to improve the city's sterets and utilities in hopes that ew businesses would be attracted to the downtown. In 1965, according to tax records, the total downonn area nn Main Avenue bounded by North York Street and Oakland Street was valued at $10.6 million.That value peaked in 203 at $14.7 million. There were only $2 million worth of shopping centers back in 1965, but that figure rose to $26.4 million in 1973. Today Wasteidge Mall aime is valued at Justnyver Fy nilion.. The downtown area has steadily decline until Lax oaks list the approximately 65 buildings in the central business district at only $7.4 million. At first, city planners wanted covered mail spann ing the entire downtown area. A parking garage was to provide parking for the Influx of shoppers expected with the redevelopment. Hadevelopment became bogged down. Eventually the mall and parking garage idea was scrapped. In stead, city fathers wanted to move the railroad tracks splitting the city like a dlitched-up wound and lower them into a trench crossed by bridges to eliminate grade crossings. ‘This plan has pushroomed Into $ 520 million prajwet that is expected to take until 1983 for completion. That's about 17 years after merchants first got together to help the downtown ores. “Over a long period of time the project will pay for ‘Uself,” said Ed Minn, city planner. “There're no figures available to economically justify the project. But there's a lot of sentiment to Please see Renewal PSA, Col +4
Newspaper Details
The Gastonia Gazette
Gastonia, North Carolina, US
Sun, Jul 10, 1977
Page 29
Full Page
Clipped by
Ingrid E.
USA 22 Jun 2026
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