It began with a simple vision—establish Downtown Greensboro as a bold city of the future, with strong roots in its past. 

Greensboro is North Carolina’s third largest city, with a core downtown that is treasured as a neotraditional-style neighborhood, with great walkability, compact blocks, and lots of local amenities and services. 

Its Vision Plan now outlines the goals, strategies, and “big moves” that will shape Downtown through 2030. The effort brought together the Downtown business community with the City, the County of Guilford, private groups, community organizations, and non-profit organizations. The Plan builds on the momentum, energy and assets of Downtown and creates a place-based program for continued growth, identifying high-priority and high-impact catalytic projects.

In-depth community and stakeholder engagement included individual interviews, community workshops and stakeholder meetings, as well as in-person pop-up events in each district. More than 1,200 people responded to an online survey about proposed plans and policies. And during the pandemic, an additional online survey re-assessed priorities and ensured the Plan responds to profound societal changes. 

Feedback from a cross-section of community members ensured key projects and programs were feasible, strategic and transformative.