The plan for a new Downtown Streetscape (approved by City Council in October 2019) includes 22 foot wide sidewalks, reduced 11-foot travel lanes, 11 parking spaces remaining on Union Street including two new ADA accessible spaces, sharrow markings, new concrete sidewalks with brick paver accents, added street trees and landscaping, new smart light poles, updated utilities, space for public art and outdoor dining/cafes, designated loading/unloading zones, and pedestrian drop-off zones.

The following sequence is subject to change as the downtown streetscape construction gets underway.

Construction has begun on Market Street and is working its way towards Barbrick Avenue. On Barbrick Avenue from Market Street construction will continue towards Union Street S. Once work reaches Union Street it will turn the corner and work north towards Killarney Avenue before coming back down towards the existing County Courthouse and Corban Avenue. Utility work will proceed the major Streetscape work so some phases will be under construction concurrently.

It should be noted that the timeline for work in areas #6, #7, and #9 are subject to coordination with the Novi Apartment and County Courthouse Projects. Work in area #10 will be completed last in coordination with the County Courthouse completion of their renovations.

The project is anticipated to last eighteen months with estimated completion in Fall 2024.

Project Timeline

September 2022 – Construction Begins on Market Street

December 2021 – Sealand Contractors awarded Construction

Summer/Fall 2021 – Construction Bidding Process 

March 2019 – McGill Associates awarded Engineering Contract

October 8, 2019 – Options for Approval – City Council Work Session

July 9, 2019 – Demonstration & Survey Results – City Council Work Session

May 31-June 10, 2019 – Downtown Streetscape Survey

May 31-June 1, 2019 – Downtown Streetscape Demonstration

August 11, 2016 – City Council Presentation & Adoption of 2016 Downtown Master Plan

For more information and answers to FAQs about the New Union Streetscape, please visit see the video on YouTube (Recorded August 2019).

Project History

The Downtown Master Plan, adopted by City Council in August 2016, identified the completion of a new Downtown Streetscape as a catalytic project for downtown Concord. According to the plan, a new Downtown Streetscape will send a positive signal to the private market. It will incentivize the creation of outdoor cafes, adding life to the street and changing its perception, especially at night. The increased foot traffic and street life will attract new restaurants/nightlife and retailers, and make reuse of now-vacant upper stories more attractive to office and residential uses. The new streetscape will also increase property values and redevelopment opportunities downtown.

Interactive Demonstration

On Friday, May 31st and Saturday, June 1st of 2019, an interactive demonstration temporarily transformed a section of Union Street S near Gianni’s Trattoria and Cabarrus Creamery (16 and 21 Union Street S) to demonstrate new streetscape design ideas. The design options illustrated the look and feel of enhancements to sidewalk widths, outdoor dining and seating, street trees, and street parking travel lane widths. Citizens were invited to test drive streetscape improvements on Union Street and provide feedback.

From May 31st and June 10th of 2019, the City conducted a public input survey to gain feedback and project design input. Many of the responses received from the Survey aligned with those stated in the 2016 Downtown Master Plan.

Reoccurring themes based on public feedback were:

• More outdoor dining & entertainment options
• Trees/landscaping
• Incorporate connectivity (bike & pedestrian)
• Public gathering/event space
• Parking perceptions (enough vs. not enough)
• More residential living & small-scale grocery
• Public art + amenities
• Better accessibility