"2016 will be remembered as the year the city remade itself," said mayor and Elon University alumnus Ian Baltutis.
Tuesday night, set on the backdrop of the historic Paramount Theater, The Burlington Downtown Corporation Board of Directors and Brand Development Team at Greensboro-based Bouvier Kelly announced their plans to both rebrand and revitalize downtown Burlington. The plans were two years in the making.
Along with these announcements came a redesigned logo and slogan for the city: "Get in the Mix!"
The City of Burlington has undergone a virtual metamorphosis over the past five years. "It has been dusted off, restored, and reimagined," said Jan Davis, Burlington Downtown president.
Within that timeframe, 20 percent of the businesses downtown have been renovated, new businesses have moved in, the events calendar has been greatly expanded, and community gatherings like Fourth Fridays have become part of the social patchwork Burlington is built upon.
Town signage, products, and marketing materials will be soon be redesigned to reflect the city's new branding.
"A brand is more than marketing. It's our reputation," said one member of the Brand Development Team.
Additional long-term developments for the town will include a reimagined entertainment district centered upon the Paramount Theater and Front Street. The intention is to make Burlington the go-to destination for arts, entertainment and food.
Following in the footsteps of other large-scale Southeastern urban redevelopments such as Columbus, Georgia and Greenville, South Carolina, developers hope to bring residents downtown. Restoration projects are already underway, adding prime real estate in the forms of lofts, townhomes and multiuse buildings, and further expanding the city's tax base.
Across the street from the Paramount Theater, one such restoration project was just completed as of this week by Core Properties.
The building, located in the 100-block of Front Street, will now feature four new businesses: Steam Junction (a makerspace), Be in Your Center Holistic Healing, Game Over Comics and Strathmore Capital. Three residential lofts are also a part of the building.
Further long-term plans include the eventual development of a central downtown plaza for events and community gathering, the reconnection of North and South Main Streets, high speed internet, streetscapes, green spaces and an expansion of current water and sewer systems.
The goal behind all of these plans is to get both residents and tourists alike to, as the city's new slogan says, "Get into the Mix"