LUMBERTON — After two hurricanes and long periods of rain that have slowed construction, renovation of the Downtown Plaza is almost done — and just in time for thousands to enjoy next weekend.
The plaza project has been part of the city downtown renovation scheme for decades, said Brandon Love, deputy city manager. But the work didn’t start until the spring of 2018, because of a lack of money and bad weather.
Now the end is in sight, and the city had planned to unveil the new and improved plaza on Wednesday. But the weather washed away that idea.
“It’s hard to pour concrete when it’s raining,” Love said.
Then city leaders took into consideration the annual Rumba on the Lumber, which starts Friday. No unveiling ceremony is planned because city leaders don’t want to steal any thunder from the Rumba. But, the plan is to have it ready for the festival, which attracts thousands to the downtown area.
“We’re hoping to make a really big statement come the Rumba,” Love said.
And while the plaza is intended to be a welcoming place at which people can enjoy a variety of entertainment, it has a bigger purpose, said Sherwood Southerland, Rediscover Downtown Lumberton president.
The idea behind renovating the plaza was to create a downtown area that is inviting and invigorating, he said. The city and Rediscover Downtown Lumberton want to have a plaza and business environment that draws people and businesses to downtown Lumberton, thus helping the area thrive.
“What we have done is provide input on behalf of the downtown area,” Southerland said.
Rediscover Downtown Lumberton has worked with the city on what is important to downtown residents and businesses, he said, including getting a sculpture placed at the plaza.
The artwork is being created by local artist Melvin Morris, Southerland said. It was made possible in large part by a donation from and the efforts of Lucy Simmons, a retired teacher and a supporter of the local arts community.
The footer already has been placed at the plaza by city Electrical Utilities Department workers.
“The works going very well,” Southerland said. “It’s on track to be ready for the Rumba on the Lumber.”
Some concrete, landscaping and painting work are all that remain to be done.
The city dedicated about $400,000, allocated over three budget cycles, to the project, Love said.
“Not all of it was cash in hand,” he said. “Some of it was in-kind services.”
The plan was to start work in the fall of 2016, after state Sen. Jane Smith helped the city procure $100,000 in government money in September of that year. Then Hurricane Matthew struck in October 2016, and the work was put on hold as the city focused on storm recovery.
More funding for a project that carried a $750,000 price tag was found in 2018, Love said. Sen. Danny Britt Jr. helped the city get $250,000 more in government money. The city steered $100,000 of that money to the Riverwalk project.
The money being spent isn’t all going to the plaza and the Riverwalk along the Lumber River. Some of it was spent upgrading the alley between Fourth and Third streets. That alley now sports brick paving and two low points to which water can flow and be directed into a reworked wastewater system. All the overhead power lines and transformers have been removed.
“It looked like spaghetti back here,” Love said.
The power lines now run underground and beneath the alley’s new surface. The overhead transformers have been replaced by a large transformer that stands where the parking lot at Third and Chestnut streets meets the alley. All waterspouts now direct rainwater off the neighboring buildings to the wastewater system beneath the alley’s pavement.
A contractor has poured concrete bands along the edges of the parking lot at Third and Chestnut streets and will pave the parking lot. The same contractor built an enclosure to conceal the Dumpster in the lot.
The plaza and alleyway renovation projects have inspired owners of neighboring buildings to undertake their own improvement projects.
“We hope that will continue,” Love said.
Actual physical work has been going on for a year, and it all was done with public money, he said. A lot of that work has been undertaken by personnel from the city’s Electric Utilities, Public Works and Recreation departments, Love said. Recreation personnel have begun some of the landscaping work.
“They will will be doing some pruning and be really sprucing up,” Love said.
The city will install park benches, five lamp posts with acorn-shaped fixtures, and rectangular planters along the alley.
“Those will be emplaced and the benches will be bolted down,” Love said.
