Community residents are being invited to provide input regarding the “vision for the Future of Downtown Greensboro.”

Right off the bat, the Rhino Times suggests easier parking, doing something about the incomprehensible downtown traffic patterns, and perhaps finding a way not to have road construction going on on every downtown road at the exact same time.

Those are just a few suggestions off the top of the head of the Rhino Times, but others also have something to say about what should happen in downtown Greensboro. That’s why community residents are being invited to help shape the future of downtown at a “Thrive35” Community Meeting on Wednesday, April 30 at the Grand GSO at 117 S. Elm Street from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

This will be an open-house event at which city residents will have the chance to share their ideas and priorities as to how downtown should “look, feel and function in the next 10 years and beyond.”

 Meeting attendees will also get the opportunity to provide feedback on various emerging concepts and renderings for downtown that have been created from some initial community input.

“This is not DGI’s plan, this is the community’s plan,” said Zack Matheny, President of Downtown Greensboro Inc. “The more voices we have provide input, the more successful we will be in developing and realizing a collective vision for the future of our center city.”

According to Downtown Greensboro Inc., the city’s center “is experiencing great economic momentum with all-time-high visitation numbers of more than 8.6 million visits recorded over the last year.” Also, “Beyond downtown, the City of Greensboro and the larger region have welcomed record-breaking economic announcements, including Toyota’s investment of nearly $14 billion in the region, and major investments from Boom Supersonic and Marshall Aerospace at Piedmont Triad International Airport.”

The Thrive35 Vision Plan that’s now under discussion will take community suggestions into account as planmakers create “a blueprint for transformational growth opportunities, while staying true to the authenticity and history of our downtown.”

In the coming months, several community engagement events will take place to collect input from residents.  A series of community workshops and input sessions will also be held across Greensboro in May and June in order to continue the dialogue on the city’s growth.

In addition to the Thrive35 Community Meeting on April 30, the public can also offer input on downtown Greensboro’s future by taking part in the recently launched community survey.

Partners of Thrive35 include Downtown Greensboro, Inc., the City of Greensboro, the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, the Joseph M. Bryan Foundation, the Cemala Foundation and the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro.

The initiative is being led by a multidisciplinary steering committee made up of downtown stakeholders, business leaders and members of the larger Greensboro community.

Thrive35 is described by its originators as “a 10-year strategic vision designed to harness the strengths of downtown Greensboro while guiding thoughtful growth and investment.”

Led by Downtown Greensboro Inc., the plan is being drawn up in collaboration with the City of Greensboro, local foundations, the Chamber of Commerce and the 18-member steering committee.

About