Growing pains: Newton embraces revitalization but construction a challenge for businesses (2024)

Newton is in the middle of a transition period. In the midst of construction downtown, community members and business owners are grappling with the side effects of development.

The Streetscape Master Plan was adopted by the Newton City Council in 2016. Since then, the project has been constructed in multiple phases.

According to the city of Newton’s website, the project includes replacement of outdated underground utilities, adding wider sidewalks, additional parking and aesthetic improvements like trees and benches.

The project also included the construction of the Frank and Sue Jones Amphitheater and improvements to Yount Park.

Newton’s Public Information Officer Alex Frick said that the project is the city's largest ever downtown investment in infrastructure.

“Staff thought that by investing in the downtown, we could most efficiently encourage growth, encourage development throughout the city. And by investing in ourselves, we would naturally encourage private investment to follow, and we're seeing that happen,” Frick said.

Main Street Director Mary Yount said that the Downtown Development Association works with the city of Newton and multiple businesses downtown to create advertising opportunities.

“Our goal for downtown is to create opportunities for foot traffic. The businesses then have to maximize on that foot traffic,” Yount said.

Yount also said that the association thinks critically about what brings people to downtown Newton to increase foot traffic.

Looking forward, Kelli Carver, the owner of Carpe Crustum, said that she sees downtown becoming a popular destination.

“When they get all the streets done, I see Newton becoming a popular hub,” Carver said.

Growing Pains

Mayor Jerry Hodge said that back in 2015, the Newton City Council realized that the then current infrastructure was not going to be able to sustain itself forever.

Hodge said that the council saw the opportunity to improve infrastructure and aesthetics of the downtown area, thus beginning the Streetscape Project.

Hodge said that the big picture focus of the revitalization effort is to make Newton more attractive to people of all generations. "You want to attract people to your community, and therefore you have to have something that will attract them," Hodge said.

But there's a gap between the vision for the future and the present reality.

The ongoing construction leaves downtown in a state of disarray. Roads are frequently closed while large construction equipment rumbles through the streets.

Kelli Carver’s bakery, Carpe Crustum, is located on College Avenue and has been open for about a year. College Avenue is part of the Streetscape project.

Carver said she tracked a nearly 30% decrease in sales from walk-ins since the beginning of the construction on College Avenue in April.Carver said that there aren’t a lot of parking options near her storefront, which she said has been a challenge for her base customers, many of which are older.

Assistant Store Manager at Rescue Retail Diedre Henry said that a lack of foot traffic in downtown Newton is a problem for businesses. Rescue Retail is a non-profit thrift store that supports the Humane Society of Catawba County.

Henry also said that there has been a decline in sales this past year and that it is difficult to pinpoint an exact cause. she added said that even before the streetscape project was under construction, parking in downtown Newton was a huge barrier for customers.

Henry said that when customers aren’t able to find parking that’s a reasonable distance from the store, they either buy significantly less to lessen the load or don’t come in at all.

According to Frick, the construction schedule is designed for streets open when sidewalks are closed, and vice versa, in an effort to keep traffic moving through downtown.

Frick also said that there are over 700 public parking spaces that are mostly within a block or two of the main square.

"It's always inconvenient when you're trying to do remodeling or revitalization," Hodge said. "But now our Main Street infrastructure is modern."

Moving Forward

Newton has a wide variety of businesses aimed at all different ages, Hodge said. There is a pizza shop, two performance spaces, a movie theater, two jewelers, and a variety of retail spaces and restaurants. Hodge said that people are going to find doing business in Newton very attractive.

"It's a smaller environment. It's a walkable community. People are friendly. It's well-lit, safe, and people are attracted to Newton from other areas," Hodge said.

Carver said that one of the great things about owning a business in downtown Newton is the close-knit community of business owners.

Carver said that many businesses downtown promote each other by offering 10% discounts with valid receipts from participating businesses. “People have to eat. They don't have to eat a cupcake,” Carver said. “So when they come here, I'm grateful that they may have taken a little bit of extra where they could have spent it somewhere else, and they're coming here to get a sweet.”

As Newton develops, Hodge said that Newton is in a unique position to be a destination spot, while maintaining a small-town feel.

Particularly as Charlotte continues to grow, Hodge said that Newton is in a unique position to benefit from Charlotte's development. N.C. Highway 16 is a four-lane direct corridor between Newton and Charlotte. Hodge said that the direct access between the two cities gives people a lot of opportunity to live in Newton and work in a metro area.

"There are people who will find Newton to meet a lot of their needs, whether it's a safer community, or whether it's a little slower-paced community with all the amenities that they would have in another area," Hodge said.

Furthermore, Hodge said that Newton is working to increase capacity in all aspects, not just for downtown businesses.

In an effort to address a housing shortage, Hodge said that housing is being built and developed all around Newton.

Hodge said he recognizes that there are short-term issues from the construction and revitalization, Hodge said that he is glad to see that people care about and appreciate Newton.

"You want people to have a hopeful spirit, that things will be better, that people care and that they want to understand," Hodge said.