Jonesboro Rotary and city partner to build downtown plaza

Nearly 100 years ago World War I had ended, and a group of Jonesboro citizens decided to open a Rotary chapter in the city. The new group met at the Hotel Noble at the confluence of Jackson and Union streets near downtown. These meetings were held at the hotel for more than 30 years.

Hotel Noble is long gone, but the Rotary Club is about to turn 100. To celebrate, the club has partnered with the city of Jonesboro to build the Rotary Club of Jonesboro Centennial Plaza, project Chairwoman Beverly Parker told Talk Business & Politics. When a club reaches 100 years it’s common for that club to do a community gift, she said.

The plaza will cost about $750,000 to build. Construction workers planned to begin work on the site today, but were met with a surprise. A ceremonial groundbreaking was about to be underway, Parker said. About 75 people attended the ceremony on Tuesday (May 8).

“We wanted to do something inclusive … we wanted to do something downtown,” she said.

The plaza will be located on the corner of Church Street and Monroe Avenue adjacent to The Forum. The stretch of Monroe Avenue that connects Church and Union streets in front of the Forum Theatre will be closed, according to the city. The closure will give greater space for events, and will make the area safer at night, especially for actors who cross the road at night to change costumes at the theatre, Parker said.

The city of Jonesboro will give $255,000 worth of in-kind labor to help build the infrastructure. The club has raised about $50,000 of the estimated $300,000 it will need to finish the project. The rest of the cost will be covered through in-kind labor and service contributions, she said.

Workers will have to remove the surface at the location and then resurface it, she said. This could take several months. Underground infrastructure will also have to dealt with, but officials are hopeful construction will be completed by August 2019.

About two years ago Rotary officials talked with different organizations, including the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce, to determine what type of project would be beneficial to the city, Parker said. Downtown development has been a priority for several years, and a plaza seemed like a logical fit, she said.

The plaza when completed will be multi-functional. During the day it can serve as a farmer’s market and at night it will be able to serve as a venue for musical entertainment, and outdoor plays could be held there, Parker said. Arts and crafts events, movies in the park, “Alive After Five,” Cinco de Mayo celebrations, and other events could be held at the plaza, she said.

A section of the plaza will be called Harmony Park, and it will have several interactive art sculptures. These sculptures will serve as educational tools, and teach participants how to play and create music. Large awnings will be erected, and there will be a section that pays homage to the city’s and the club’s past. A replica of the entrance to The Noble Hotel will be re-created.

“We want this to be a community facility,” Parker said.