GREENSBORO, N.C. — The city wants to embrace the history along East Gate City Boulevard and pump in some upgrades. They asked for neighbors' help Thursday.
The city is focusing on an area of Gate City Boulevard between Business 85 and Freeman Mill Road.
Some of the proposals include street changes and increasing public transit. One attention-getting idea is a plan to combine the Windsor Recreation Center and the Chavis Library. Neighbors hope it'll bring new life to a historic part of the city.
"I love the Black history of the neighborhood," Kendra Attaway said.
She is moving back to the area of the city where she grew up. Attaway's childhood home was on Logan Street, just off of East Gate City Boulevard.
"It was important for me to move into that neighborhood," Attaway said.
The city is looking for ways to develop along the street.
"It's a really important road in our community," Russ Clegg said.
Clegg manages Long Range Planning in the City of Greensboro's Planning Department.
"It's the front door to Greensboro for a lot of folks and connects to a lot of really important places," Clegg said.
The city asked people like Attaway to give their opinions on what should change at a community open house.
"I think that's very important," Attaway said. "When people start to see changes, they're worried that they're being pushed out of the area. It's important to make sure that doesn't happen and listen to the people in the neighborhood."
The area is a food desert, unemployment is high here. It's just some of the issues neighbors hope to change.
"Housing, for one. Homelessness for another," Majik Pennix said.
Pennix is the Executive Director of the Warnersville Community Coalition.
"Our youth is very in danger. They are not living past the age of 12 or 15. We need special help from the community," Carrie Woods said.
Woods is the Vice President of the Southside Community.
Pennix, Woods and many others hope neighborhoods like theirs don't lose their character for the sake of progress.
"We are still trying to keep that neighborhood preserved," Pennix said. "As well as the Benbow Road and Ole Asheboro Street area as well. Those are our neighbors over here on the east side."
The city will hold other input sessions this summer and hope to have a final plan later this year.