March 19, 2003 -The Gazette-Virginian
The Halifax County Board of Supervisors and the Town of Halifax unanimously endorsed the application for a proposed Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for the improvement of Downtown Halifax.
The action came during a joint meeting Monday night at the Mary Bethune Complex in Halifax.
Carl Espy, chairman of the Halifax Planning Commission, said yesterday that Monday’s action could result in significant improvements to the downtown area of the town. “This approves the application of a $700,000 CDBG for the improvement of the core Main Street area in Halifax,” he said.
If the application is approved, improvements include curb and gutter improvements and pressed concrete pavers on sidewalks and pedestrian crosswalks.
“This is an attempt to eliminate physical, visual and economic blight in an effort to bolster existing buisness and attract new businesses to the historic downtown business district,” Espy said.
During the public hearing Gail Moody, senior planner for the Southside Planning District Commission, observed that the application deadline for the CDBG is March 26.
“There is $12 million available statewide and the competition will be considerable,” Moody said.
The application will be coordinated with the Southside Planning District. Grant awards are expected to be announced in July.
Once approved, the funds will allow intensive design and engineering studies to take place over the summer with a six-month construction window.
“The construction will be coordinated with the merchants to minimize the disruption to downtown businesses,” the planner observed.
Espy said that heavy tractor-trailer traffic was having a negative impact on some of the buildings in downtown Halifax.
“Some of the historic buildings in Halifax are losing their structural integrity due to the vibrations from heavy truck traffic,” he said. “The aim of these plans is to calm traffic and create greater pedestrian safety.”