Lichtin Plaza, or the space in front of the performing arts center, will soon get a remake. Aimed at making the space more accessible, the plaza will make way for a drop-off lane and you can see what that might look like in the rendering below. This seems to make sense as South Street is jammed before large events at the performing arts center and an improved drop-off process helps groups access the area more easily.

In addition to the drop-off lane, the associated press release mentions more greenspace and “a dramatic seating wall looking out to the Fayetteville Street cityscape and will be an appealing destination along the future Chavis-Dix Strollway.”

I hope that wall within the green island is not being called “dramatic” here. A bit of a stretch, no? Also current momentum has the Chavis-Dix Strollway a block to the south along Lenoir. It almost has to be as South Street is closing nearby due to the new Red Hat Amphitheater.

Anyway, I’m being snarky here (that’s what you come here for, right?) and at the end of the day, this drop-off lane makes sense and improves the visitor experience. The area should be changing over the next few years with an Omni Hotel across the street and a new block of Fayetteville Street leading right up to Lichtin Plaza.

Maybe we can get a fountain back again? Now that would be newsworthy. Here’s a rendering I made of it back in 2016. 😉

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None right now. Must be a new project.

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