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GREENSBORO — When Elsie Nall moved to Ellington Street 50 years ago, the nearby High Point Road didn’t have nearly as many lanes.

“People used to live in houses on this street,” Nall said.

Today, High Point Road and West Lee Street are a congested mix of industrial, commercial and other uses.

Now, city planners, area business leaders and residents want to usher the busy corridor into another era, where the roads are more pedestrian-friendly and empty buildings are refurbished for new uses like apartments, offices or businesses.

City planners will unveil the High Point Road-West Lee Street corridor plan from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Doubletree Hotel, 3030 High Point Road.

The plan will help guide future redevelopment for the area and will need to be approved by the City Council.

“The plan is a good plan,” said Charles Coffey, president of the Lee Street Merchants Association. “We’ve got a long ways to go in terms of getting it implemented. That is going to be the key.”

Nearly two years ago, city planners started working on a revitalization plan for the area, which has seen businesses close up shop.

That’s not what residents or city leaders want — especially for a part of town that acts as an artery for Interstate 40 traffic to the Coliseum or to downtown.

“It’s a gateway to Greensboro,” said city planner Michael Kirkman. “There are a lot of out-of-town folks where this is their view of Greensboro.”

The city’s 124-page corridor study includes plans for new investment and updates the zoning for the district, as well as aesthetic changes such as intersection improvements.

Planners, who worked with residents and business leaders, would like to see high-density projects go into the area to make the best use of the space. The plan recommends reusing existing distinct buildings.

The market research conducted as part of the study identified opportunities for more university student housing, sports-orientated retail and entertainment venues, lodging and upgraded offices.

“Everybody has done their own things for a while. We are trying to just give a common game plan for the future,” Kirkman said.

The plan also calls for upgrades to the roads, to make them easier for pedestrians and bike traffic.

Aesthetic upgrades could include removing the lighted lane-change system on High Point Road.

“We need something to beautify this place,” Nall said.

The revitalization also encourages the expansion of UNCG into the area — something the university has considered.

The university plans to expand to 24,000 students in the next decade, and it will need additional office space, student housing and sports facilities.

“There is no room for that on our campus,” said Michael Byers, UNCG assistant vice chancellor for auxiliary services.

“There is not a place to carve out several acres of recreation fields or large facilities like swimming facilities.”

Much of the plan calls for private redevelopment money, but the city will kick in for some items.

The transportation bond on the ballot this fall includes $7 million for streetscape improvements to High Point Road.

The City Council will also soon decide whether to purchase the former Canada Dry bottling company and the Coliseum Inn, which will be demolished as a nuisance abatement.

Coffey, a former City Council candidate, is asking the city to put a police substation in the area to expand police presence.

“If everybody works together, we can turn things around,” Coffey said.

Contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com