news-record.com

The fatal shooting last week near a troubled center-city nightclub has forced a difficult conversation about the future of downtown Greensboro.

A 31-year-old man was shot early on the morning of July 20 outside of Club Rain on West Lewis Street.

Police had been called to the club 94 times since June 2008. Nine calls involved the firing of guns. There previously had been a stabbing at Club Rain. Then a nonfatal shooting. Now this.

The latest shooting, among other violations, cost the club its liquor license. And it raises concerns for all of downtown: how to improve security; how to discourage loitering; how to ensure that residents and visitors find it lively but not rowdy. And certainly not dangerous.

For clubs that become chronic headaches, the city could use the state's nuisance-abatement law to shut them down. City Attorney Terry Wood says that option involves "a very high standard" but is being considered in some cases.

Another solution might be an entertainment district that concentrates most nightlife and dining in one area and might make it easier for understaffed police to patrol the area. But such a concept isn't likely to be popular with developers and business owners.

The city could impose tougher standards for nightclub security. It also could deploy more police officers downtown. But the center city is hardly the only place that needs more protection. Or needs it the most.

That's part of the downtown dilemma; every solution has a price.

For instance, loitering congests sidewalks and can invite trouble. But Wood warns that there are civil liberties concerns; the law prohibits loitering on public property only when it involves an illegal activity such as prostitution or drug sales. Plus, how inviting is a place that hassles you for simply standing in one spot?

City Councilman Zack Matheny suggests a curfew downtown for those under 18. Teenagers may hate it, but they'll find it hard to justify being downtown at, say, 2 a.m., on any day of the week.

As for panhandling, "You can't prevent it on a city street," Wood says, "but you can wrap it in a pretty tight package." That means the city could legally outlaw the practice near ATMs and in parking lots.

Again, there's a delicate balance between being hard-nosed and hard-hearted.

The more collaborative the process, the better. Toward that end, Matheny, whose district includes downtown, plans a meeting with business owners next week. Also, interim City Manager Bob Morgan has asked "an in-house work group" to create a comprehensive plan that addresses downtown's growing pains by early September.

It won't be easy. But better to address these issues now. The longer the city waits, the tougher they'll be to manage.

And downtown's resurgence could become a precious opportunity missed.