Every day at a busy Greenwood ice cream shop, nearby parking spots fill up and pedestrians dart across the street to get in the line already wrapped around the building.
But with the purchase of two homes, new crosswalks, wider sidewalks and a new trail connection will provide better access to Mrs. Curl Ice Cream Shop, at 259 S. Meridian St.
The Greenwood Redevelopment Commission approved offering $178,000 to purchase the two homes and would have them demolished to create more parking and make the area more accessible for pedestrians headed to the popular summer time hang out.
As plans for a revitalized downtown Greenwood move forward, connectivity of trails and sidewalks to create a more walkability continues to be a primary goal, city officials have said.
Buying both homes, which were being used as rental properties, will give the city the land needed to add a wider sidewalk along Meridian Street, connect a system of trails and sidewalks between the amphitheater and Craig Park and add a new parking lot.
The new parking lot will allow more public parking not only for visitors to Mrs. Curl, but also Archer’s, a local butcher located behind the ice cream shop, Greenwood special project assistant Kevin Steinmetz said.
Earlier this year, the city also purchased the house at 1 E. Main St., at the southeast corner Main and Meridian streets. The redevelopment commission approved spending $65,000 on the home, which was torn down to make room for improvements to the intersection.
One house is located just south of the ice cream shop at 301 S. Meridian St. and has been appraised for $86,500, officials said. The other home is located to the north at 21 E. Main St. and has been appraised for $91,500, officials said. Each price is an average of two appraisal prices.
