Facts: Go Paks Bazaar and Sylvia’s Pizza closed at the end of December 2010. Hillsborough Street construction stopped in August 2010, but businesses have still not bounced back. A new business, Hotfox Pizza, is planned to fill the building where Sylvia’s Pizza was.
Opinion: City planners worked to make Hillsborough more aesthetically pleasing, but failed to truly serve the businesses. Most businesses close before 10 p.m. on weekdays, which forces students to seek out other areas, such as Glenwood South, to find entertainment.
It appears as if all the renovations on Hillsborough Street have been completed — at least for now. The renovation project and sluggish economy have taken its toll on once popular businesses, however, that extended services to the students of N.C. State and the Cameron Park community.
City planners carefully helped to construct and revitalize the area of Glenwood South. However, Raleigh city planners fell short in creating an advocacy campaign to hear opinions and ideas from the students of N.C. State pertaining to the Hillsborough Street area. This lack of planning failed businesses and students.
There is clearly a disconnect between the University and Raleigh city planners. After leaving hockey games, Wolfpack sporting events or concerts, students have few options on our iconic street. Bars and sports taverns have gained continued success around our University, however, Hillsborough Street is still falling short of student expectations despite the amount of money used to improve the area.
The Hillsborough Street business community does not seem focused on the student population over the age of 21. Instead, low cost food locations in hopes of attracting any students seem to be the focus of poor marketing. While some students welcome the affordability of a quick slice of pizza or simple consumable product, there seems to be the need for a location comparable or equal to the experience of Glenwood South accessible to students.
Business owners once complained about the lack of parking on or around Hillsborough Street. Today there are more parking options, but the street looks like a ghost town after dark. City planners, while making Hillsborough Street more accessible, failed to solve a deeper problem to assist businesses with short term parking options during the construction phase. This created the perception that there was no parking or that businesses were temporarily closed. Customers have shifted towards the trendy Glenwood South leaving many businesses in the dark, forcing them to close before 10 p.m.
N.C. State has grown significantly over the years. The alumni that once partied on Hillsborough Street and reminisce on tall-tale-threaded stories are slowly diminishing. If Hillsborough Street is to continue its success, it is up to Raleigh city planners, the University, students and our neighbors to advocate and work closely together in order to provide greater success for the long term.
