Urban sprawl is a scenario from the past.  While nearly every American metropolitan area in the United States witnessed declining central-city populations and expanding suburban ones between the 1950s and through the 1980s, the focus has shifted to uptown development and blooming from the inside out.

Downtowns across the U.S. are undergoing a major renaissance with this shifting paradigm, with cities of all sizes implementing plans to revitalize, re-grow, and reinvent their downtowns.

Why are downtowns important and why the need for all of these revitalization strategies? Because downtowns are the heart of a city and region — and having a healthy heart is essential to having a strong city and region.  As Ed McMahon is quoted as saying, “It’s really kind of hard to be a suburb of nothing. If you don’t have a downtown, you really don’t have anything. It’s hard to build a community around parking lots and subdivisions.”

Salisbury, North Carolina is no exception

Strategically located just 1 mile from the major Interstate connection, and less than that from its historic Amtrak Depot, Salisbury could not be better positioned for internal growth.  The plethora of new businesses burgeoning in the downtown is proof positive.  This, coupled with the businesses here that have long been entrenched in the commerce of Salisbury, provides the strong base for a vibrant downtown for commercial entities and residents alike.

New residential units are popping up like spring blooms:  The Bernhardt Luxury Lofts in the circa 1898 former Bernhardt Hardware Building on N. Main Street were filled before they were framed!  The new and upcoming residential spaces overlooking Main Street from the Washington Building are also filled.

New restaurants such as Palermo’s Italian Cuisine, The Smoke Pit, Thelma’s Downhome Cooking, and more offer wonderful places to eat, and join the long-term dining venues such as the elegant La Cava housed in a vintage church, the bistro atmosphere of Sweet Meadow Café, Asian cuisine at Wong’s and Tokyo Express, Tex-Mex at Go-Burrito, authentic Cuban fare at Mambo Grill, and fine Italian fare at Goodfellas by Chef Santos make for a vibrant dining scene for residents and visitors.

While many local retailers, including a locally owned independent bookstore and a bicycle repair center, thrive in the center of Salisbury, a variety of service businesses additionally keep the economy bustling:  repair your electronic devices at Rowan Cellular Repair, get your IT solutions at Walser Technology, find real estate with Wallace Realty, and avail you or your business of a wide selection of legal services and firms within the downtown blocks.  Many of these are long-established businesses in the Salisbury downtown, and some are newly welcomed to the area, and all are housed within a 3-block radius of center-city.

Why the blossoming?

The lure of the suburbia is diminishing.  The commute is less attractive.  And here in Salisbury, the potential for growing your downtown business is impressive. Spaces are available, business is on the upswing, and property costs and leases are less expensive per square foot than many surrounding communities. Thinking of establishing your business in Salisbury?  There are lots of options for both leased and purchased spaces.   Established buildings along the high-visibility main corridors of Main Street, Innes Street, and Jake Alexander Boulevard are readily available for sale or lease.  The Salisbury Business Center offers wonderful opportunities to create an office space for your company, right in the center of downtown Salisbury!  Not ready for a full-time lease of a brick-and-mortar space?  10thread in one of the downtown historic districts offered shared office space and co-work space solutions that are being scooped up by many start-ups and established firms alike who wish to offer flexible work spaces to their employees.

Want to know more?

The time is now to join the uptown trend! Contact the Salisbury Business Center at 704.209.4589 to find out about office spaces in this centrally located building just one mile from the Interstate, or contact Downtown Salisbury Inc., a great resource for finding a downtown business location.

Written by Sue McHugh,  Front Desk Associate at Salisbury Business Center, Singer-songwriter at Musician and Outreach & Events Coordinator at The Community Picnic