Trustees support referendum for Greenville improvements

Published Sep 24, 2004 by
Filed under:

GREENVILLE, NC   (Sept. 24, 2004)   —   The East Carolina University Board of Trustees on Friday (Sept. 24) unanimously approved a resolution of support for a partnership between the City of Greenville and the university.

The board’s vote supported a referendum that will be considered by voters Nov 2.

The referendum addresses four items relevant to the growing campus and community populations: Street improvements, west Greenville revitalization, center city revitalization and storm water drainage improvements.

“The future of ECU and the future of Greenville are one and the same,” said Chancellor Steve Ballard, addressing the trustees at the meeting. The items addressed in $20.8 million referendum will have a direct or indirect effect on the university. Voters will consider:

* $5.7 million for street improvements. The projects to be funded include the Tenth Street Connector, which would extend Tenth Street from Dickinson Avenue to Stantonsburn Road at Memorial Drive. It would offer a link through the city and a direct connection between residential areas and the university and Pitt County Memorial Hospital. This roadway is a joint project with ECU, the state Department of Transportation and PCMH. Other roadways that would be funded are West Third Street and the Thomas Langston Road extension.

* $5 million for West Greenville revival. This project, aimed at a 45-block neighborhood over the next eight years, would remove unsafe and unsightly structures, provide street and utility improvements, increase affordable home ownership and promote redevelopment and new construction.

* $5 million for center city revitalization. This money would serve as a catalyst for reuse vacant buildings in the downtown area and promote new development. The university is a major land owner in downtown and houses many non-academic functions in the area.

* $5.1 million for storm water drainage. This project would replace storm drainage pipes and ditches and make stream improvements in several areas throughout the city that experience frequent flooding.