Save the date: Saturday July 26, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Posted on Jun 23, 2014 by David Arneke

Flyer for PCOC's July Jubilee, 7/26/14, 11 am-3 pm

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College Hill Neighborhood Assn to Meet 7 pm, Monday, June 23

Posted on Jun 20, 2014 by Judy Horn

The June meeting of the College Hill Neighborhood Association will be  held at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 23, 2014 in the Fellowship Hall of the Church of the Covenant, 501 S. Mendenhall St.  The Community Watch meeting will precede the meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the same location. All College Hill residents are welcome to attend.

The June agenda is being prepared and will be available at the meeting. One of the items up for discussion is renewal of the contract with New Earth Designs. Board members are urged to become familiar with the NewEarthContractRenewal2014-15 to facilitate that discussion.

Draft minutes from theMay 2014 meeting: CHNA_May 22_2014_Minutes

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The politics of neighborhoods: Walkability is for liberals

Posted on Jun 16, 2014 by David Arneke

Springdale ParkThe Pew Research Center does the most interesting public-opinion work you can find these days. Last week, they unveiled a massive project on political polarization. It touched on a variety of topics, including what kind of neighborhoods people prefer.

Which would you prefer:

  • A neighborhood where the houses are smaller and closer to each other, but schools, stores and restaurants are within walking distance … or
  • A neighborhood of larger houses with more space between them, even if that means having to drive to shops, restaurants and other amenities.

People whose political values classify them as consistently liberal prefer walkable, in-town neighborhoods, 77% to 21%. Those whose values put them in the consistently conservative category prefer a McMansion-style or rural community by an almost identical margin, 75% to 22%. (Among the public overall, the split is essentially even: 49% prefer the big-house/drive-everywhere neighborhood, and 48% prefer the walkable/smaller-house neighborhood.)

If you live in College Hill, these figures may make intuitive sense. Our neighborhood is as consistently progressive in its voting patterns as any in the city or county. Neighborhoods out in the urban sprawl and rural areas of the county are demonstrably less welcoming of concepts like gay marriage, integrated schools, or zoning.

How did it come about that the liberal/progressive types are the people conserving traditional neighborhoods and traditional neighborhood values, like living close enough to your neighbors to actually get to know them, while “conservatives” have so little tolerance for the way of life that defined our community for generations?

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Reminder: Neighborhood Summit, Monday 6 p.m.

Posted on Jun 15, 2014 by David Arneke

The neighborhood association and the city Planning Department will hold the fourth and final neighborhood summit to wrap up the creation of a neighborhood plan. We hope you’ll join us in helping to chart a course for the future of our neighborhood. We’ll start at 6 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant, Fellowship Hall.

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912 Spring Garden Street: The owners didn’t exactly hold out to get their asking price (or anything near it)

Posted on Jun 14, 2014 by David Arneke

912 Spring Garden StreetThere must be a sad story behind the sale of 912 Spring Garden Street. Consider:

  • Last Sold: June 2010 for $170,000
  • Listed for sale: April 9, $195,000
  • Offer accepted: April 30, $135,000
  • Sale closed: May 30

Actually, those numbers are a pretty sad story themselves. The owners took a $35,000 loss on the property after listing it for three weeks. They accepted an offer 30% less than their asking price. Who knows why, but with figures like those, the answer probably is not, “Because life is so wonderful.”

The owners apparently were Robert K. and Heather Thatcher; property records showed a Browns Summit address. It appeared to be a rental, and it seems likely to remain such. The last occupants appeared to be moving out the day after the big ice storm in March. It seems like everyone concerned was in one hell of a hurry to get away from the place.

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Buzzfeed: 18 hidden gems around the world, and one is in College Hill (OK, across the street)

Posted on Jun 10, 2014 by David Arneke

The paragon of Internet listicles asked its readers for the best kept travel secrets in their hometowns. The result was a list of 18 pretty cool places around the world, some from such unexpected places as Jersey City, Detroit and … Greensboro. And not just Greensboro but Tate Street. Check out No. 3 on the list.

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Current draft of the neighborhood planning document is here and will be discussed at a final meeting next Monday evening

Posted on Jun 09, 2014 by David Arneke

Flyer for neighborhood summit, Monday June 16One week from tonight, the neighborhood and the city Planning Department will hold the fourth and presumably final neighborhood summit on the College Hill Neighborhood Plan.

  • Purpose

“The primary purpose of this neighborhood plan is to present practical strategies and policy recommendations for enhancing the desirable conditions and reducing the undesirable conditions currently found in College Hill.

“The College Hill Neighborhood Plan is a guide for making future decisions about how resources should be allocated, what kinds of development activity are appropriate, and what issues the residents and property owners are concerned about. It is a statement of what the College Hill neighborhood wants to achieve and become, as well as a roadmap for the City of Greensboro and the College Hill Neighborhood Association to use cooperatively in reaching that vision.”

  • Current draft

Click here to see the plan (PDF).

  • Meeting time and location

Monday, June 16, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Presbyterian Church of the Covenant, 501 South Mendenhall Street.

  • Contents and strategic action plan

The plan reviews the current state of the neighborhood, future land use issues, and specific infill and re-use opportunities. It includes a strategic plan addressing six areas:

  1. Housing and Historic Character
  2. Crime and Safety
  3. Communications and Governance
  4. Neighborhood Development
  5. Parking and Traffic
  6. Quality-of-Life

More than 40 neighborhood residents have taken part in the development of the plan. Whether you have attended previous meetings or not, the neighborhood association and city want your opinions, concerns and interests to help shape the outcome. Please join us on the 12th.

If you have questions or need further information, contact Jeff Sovich of the City Planning Department, 336 433-7264, click here for email.

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Reminder: June Jubilee is this Saturday!

Posted on Jun 06, 2014 by Judy Horn

JuneJubilee2014

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Historical Museum Accepting Nominations for 2014 Voices of a City Award

Posted on Jun 03, 2014 by Judy Horn
The Greensboro Historical Museum Inc. invites nominations of individuals or organizations for the 2014 Voices of a City Award, an honor recognizing significant and original contributions to local history. Nominations will be accepted through July 1.

Projects can be as varied as oral history projects, photography, film, student research, published articles, books, film, electronic media, etc. Collectors of historical documents or artifacts are also eligible, and self-nominations are welcome. Submissions by high school and college students will be judged in a separate category.

Nominations should include a letter and at least one example of work for consideration, provided in both hard copy and CD/DVD format. Submissions will be evaluated by the Historical Museum’s Community Advisory Board on these criteria: project originality and significance, innovation, quality of research within current academic scholarship, sources consulted, and accessibility to Greensboro community and beyond.

Send submissions to:
Linda Evans, Community Historian
Greensboro Historical Museum Inc.
130 Summit Avenue
Greensboro, NC 27401

For more information, please contact Evans at 336-373-2610.

The announcement and award presentation will be made at the museum’s membership dinner in the fall.

Previous honorees include historian Gayle Hicks Fripp and the J.C. Price School Project, a partnership with Greensboro College and the Peeler–Swann Family Association, historian Dr. Alex Stoesen, and college student Randy Dunbar.
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This Sunday: Music for a Sunday Evening

Posted on Jun 03, 2014 by Judy Horn

‘Looking for something to do this Sunday? How about an evening of music at nearby Blandwood!

Sunday, June 8
Blandwood Mansion
W. Washington St. & Edgeworth St.
6 pm – Martha Bassett Band (American, Folk)
7:15 pm – Wally West Little Big Band (Jazz)

Bring your family and friends, a picnic to share, and your four-legged friends (only on a leash) for wonderful music. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated.

Note: Alcohol and charcoal grills are not permitted in Greensboro Parks.

2014 MUSEP Schedule: http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=3004

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