Jason Thiel, the longtime president of the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership, has spent more than 20 years trying to guide the city center through waves of change. And like anyone who’s worked downtown that long, he knows the challenges all too well. And he’s searching for real, workable solutions.
These aren’t just Winston-Salem issues. Downtowns everywhere in North Carolina are going through the same thing. Walk around Asheville, Greenville, Durham or Fayetteville and you’ll notice it right away — people don’t always feel safe, parking is frustrating and a lot of office space is sitting empty. With fewer workers coming in daily, the steady foot traffic that once kept restaurants and shops alive just isn’t present the way it was prior to the pandemic.
People want the basics covered first. They want to park their car, grab dinner or ride the bus home at night without feeling uneasy. If downtown can’t offer that kind of comfort, it’s hard to get folks to show up — no matter what new restaurant or venue opens…