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Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corporation 2012 Officers and Directors - News Release December 22, 2011 click here
Elks Building draws interest - Sun Journal December 20, 2011
There is a renewed interest in the old Elks Building that has stood un-used for decades on Middle Street and was once the hub of downtown. click here for story
A symbol restored. Ceremony at Lawson Creek Park Sunday recognizes importance of F-11 Navy Jet - Sun Journal October 31, 2011
A theme ran through the dedication Sunday at Lawson Creek Park of the mighty, restored Grumman F-11 Tiger Jet. The theme was the close and enduring relationship New Bern has with the military. click here for story
F-11 jet dedication at Lawson Creek Park - Sun Journal October 23, 2011
New Bern's newest free tourist attraction - the F-11A Blue Angels jet - has been in place at Lawson Creek Park since mid-summer, but the official dedication is Sunday. click here for story
Opposition to post office move grows - Sun Journal July 17, 2011
Opposition to a possible consolidation of the downtown post office with the Neuse Forest Station Post Office branch continues to grow. click here for story
Downtown rally - Sun Journal July 16, 2011
The downtown New Bern post office has long served both the residential and business community as a convenient location for postal retail transactions and mailings. More importantly it has served as the hub of our downtown community, stimulating visits to downtown businesses, providing opportunities to greet friends and exchange information and creating a lively sense of community identity. click here for story
Aldermen opposed to losing downtown post office - Sun Journal July 13, 2011
New Bern aldermen passed a resolution Tuesday night opposing the possible move of the downtown post office. The postal service is doing a study to see if it is more feasible to consolidate the downtown post office with the Neuse Forest Post Office in the James city area. click here for story
Final flight - New Bern jet lands after turbulent journey - Sun Journal June 30,2011
New Bern's F-11 Blue Angels jet arrived home Wednesday after a turbulent final flight that included rain, threats of lightning and some precarious hours doing a balancing act. click here for story
New Bern F-11 Jet slated to be set on pedestal today - Sun Journal June 29, 2011
New Bern's F-11 Blue Angels jet goes for its last ride early this morning, when it is scheduled to be hoisted atop a pedestal in Lawson Creek Park. click here for story
New Bern jet set to go - Fundraising efforts continue to complete site work - Sun Journal June 9, 2011
New Bern's F-11A Tiger jet has a flight plan for landing atop a pedestal in Lawson Creek Park. The jet, which has been a fixture on the city landscape since the 1970's, has been refurbished and returned to its Blue Angels colors. It is tentatively scheduled to be hoisted by a crane on June 29 and secured to a 15-foot concrete pedestal, which sits atop a 10-foot earthen mound. click here for story
New Bern's Angel No. 5 - Former pilot happy with F-11 overhaul - Sun Journal May 30, 2011
When retired Navy Capt. Norman Gandia was passing through New Bern on his way to Florida about 15 years ago, something caught his eye off of U.S. 17 and made him turn around and stop. click here for story
New Bern's F-11 jet to return - Sun Journal May 13, 2011
New Bern's Grumman F-11A Tiger jet is coming home - to stay. The jet, which has been a city fixture since 1973, has been refurbished and returned to its Blue Angels colors at Fleet Readiness Center-East at Cherry Point air station. click here for story
New Bern's newest outdoor sculpture, a 28-foot Spider Lily, reached full bloom Friday morning. Sun Journal-April 15, 2011
New Bern's newest outdoor sculpture, a 28-foot Spider Lily, reached full bloom Friday morning. Not only is the spider lily a beautiful flower, but it also is historically significant to New Bern. click here for story and photos
New Bern's Spider Lily sculpture nearing bloom - Sun Journal April 13, 2011
New Bern's newest outdoor sculpture - a 28-foot Spider Lily - is nearing full bloom. California kinetic sculpture artist Susan Pascal Beran has been assembling the crown to the outdoor art since last week. click here for story
Work progresses toward return of city's F-11 Tiger jet - Sun Journal March 29, 2011
Site work is progressing at Lawson Creek Park for New Bern's refurbished Grumman F-11A Tiger display jet, which could be officially dedicated this summer. click here for story
Completion of flower sculpture now expected in spring - Sun Journal November 12, 2010
Construction is under way on the more than 28-foot spider lily sculpture at a site behind the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center by the Neuse River, but the metal flower sculpture won't be in full bloom until spring. Click here for story
Refurb complete, jet awaits new home - Sun Journal November 7, 2010
New Bern's Grumman F-11A Tiger display jet has returned to its Blue Angels glory. That is in spirit, anyway. Click here for story
MumFest totals 76,000 people, $2.8M, F-11A Tiger, spider lily sculpture projects nearly ready - Sun Journal October 13, 2010
When an estimated economic impact of $2.8 million,not including tax revenue to the city, organizers are calling last weekend's festival the most successful of all MumFest celebrations over the past 30 years. click here for story
Sculpture project may move behind convention center after first location becomes 'problematic'. Plan B -
Sun Journal Spetember 4, 2010.
A gift from a private individual to the city for its 300th anniversary may have a location to display its artistic merit.Swiss Bear Downtown Revitalization Corp. representatives are working on details ... click here for story
Aldermen give informal nod for park, marina - Sun Journal August 18, 2010
By all indications, a Swiss Bear Downtown Revitalization Corp. public park and marina project will receive city support but not city cash. click here for story
Teamwork revives cemetery. Groups hope to complete restoration for fall dedication - Sun Journal
August 1, 2010.
Restoration work continues on the 1753 Bryan-Fordham Cemetery on Queen Street, a 300th anniversary project that looks toward a fall dedication click here for story
Jet 'cruises' safely to FRC-East - Sun Journal July 19, 2010
Alva Windham displayed a large grin as he pumped his right first into the air. Then he greeted Tom Braaten with the same big smile and a pat on the back. click here for story
Jet ready for trip to Cherry Point - Sun Journal July 16, 2010
In contrast to the days when it roared through the skies as a U.S. Navy Blue Angel, the city's F-11 Tiger display jet will inch down U.S. 70 early Sunday toward the place where it will be restored - at least cosmetically - to its former team condition. click here for story
Plans being made to move, refurbish F-11 jet - Sun Journal June 30, 2010
Tentative plans are under way to move the F-11 Tiger display jet on July 18 to Cherry Point air station, where Fleet Readines Center-East workers will restore it to its historic Blue Angels trim.click here for story
Program to make historical information about city buildings accessible - Sun Journal June 17, 2010
Robert Allen believes each one of the historic buildings in downtown New Bern has a story, and he wants to make them talk.Allen is a professor of American studies, history and communications at UNC who is leading a digital history mapping progect that will, eventually, allow city residents to see the evolution of the city's downtown online. Click here for story
F11 makeover project gaining momentum - Sun Journal June 3, 2010
City officials and civic groups have completed the first steps toward the restoration and relocation of the F-11Tiger display jet by embarking on a dialogue with the Department of the Navy and each oher. click here for story
Swiss Bear feted at anniversary dinner - Sun Journal April 24, 2010
New Bern's downtown area isn't what it used to be, and that's a good thing. That was the sentiment Thursday night among guests and speakers at the Riverfront Convention Center, where city and state officials joined with community members to celebrate Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corp.'s 30th anniversary.click here for story
Downtown Development's 30th Anniversary Celebrating the Transformation of Downtown New Bern 1980-2010 - Press Release, April 2010.
On April 22nd, Swiss Bear's 30th Anniversary banquet will be a very special evening...a time to celebrate measurable accomplishments, a time to celebrate the unlimited number of working partnerships among the private and public sector, a time to thank the many businesses, goverment officials, organizations and citizens at large who have worked and proven downtown revitalization is not only viable and achievable, but more importantly, it is the right thing to do.
Click here for Press Release
Swiss Bear celebrating its 30th anniversary. 'Heart and soul of the downtown' - Sun Journal April 4, 2010
Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corp., a nonprofit that played a central role in resurrecting New Bern's downtown from its "very sad shape" to turn it into the heart of the community, is celebrating the 30-year anniversary of when its work began. Click here for story
Location for city's historic F-11A jet in holding pattern - Sun Journal March 31, 2010
Non-profit Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corp. got New Bern aldermen's blessings Tuesday night on proposed new city park on the waterfront and new downtown signage, but ran into a delay on the location of the city's historic Gruman F-11A aircraft after its planned restoration.Click here for story.
Swiss Bear sorting through new directive from city hall - Sun Journal: March 19, 2010
A concentrated effort to revitalize the Five Points and Duffyfield areas of New Bern will require cooperation between the city, business leaders and Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corporation. Click here for story
City Leaders want Swiss Bear to revamp its mission - Sun Journal: March 16, 2010
New Bern’s elected leaders told Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corporation officials Tuesday night that the organization’s original mission is outdated and that the group should focus its future efforts on improving Five Points and Duffyfield, two of the city’s poorest neighborhoods.Click here for story
Giant flower likeness to be center of proposed park - Sun Journal March 14, 2010
A nature-made layer of New Bern's histoy is getting a bit of a modern twist: The spider lily, which made its U.S. debut in this city, may soon have a place of honor downtown, as the 26-foot steel centerpiece of a sculpture park near the Neuse River. click here for story
Swiss Bear hosts NC small town group conference - Sun Journal: January 25, 2010
The state organization that spearheads downtown revitalization in small North Carolina towns will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a three-day conference in New Bern beginning Wednesday. Click here for story
Swiss Bear receives 2009 National Trust Main Street Accreditation - Press Release: May 2009
Swiss Bear Downtown Development has been designated an accredited National Main Street Program for meeting the commerical district revitalization performance standards set by the National Trust Main Street Center. Press Release
North Carolina Main Street Champions Recognized - New Bern's Robert L. Mattocks II Among Those Honored - Press Release: January 2009
Robert L. Mattocks II was honored as a 2008 Main Street Champion at the North Carolina Main Street Annual Awards Dinner in Statesville, N.C. Mattocks was selected for this special recognition by Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corp. in appreciation of his exceptional contributions to the downtown revitalization process. Press Release
New Bern's Swiss Bear Awarded $646,650 Grant - Press Release: April 13, 2009
Swiss Bear Downtown Development received an award of $646,650 on behalf of the City of New Bern, to be used specifically in creation of needed public transient boating facilities. BIG Press Release
Wayfinding sign system proposed - Sun Journal: March 17, 2009 by Nikie Mayo, Sun Journal Staff. Swiss Bear Downtown Development will seek partners to pay for a "wayfinding system" of signs - some of which could be in place in time for New Bern's 300th anniversary - guide tourists through the city. Click here for story.
Swiss Bear says it had a succcessful year - Sun Journal: December 19, 2008 by Nikie Mayo, Sun Journal Staff. Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corporation has had a successful year despite a difficult economy, its leader said Thursday. Click here for story.
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| 2010 |
- Best Public Private Partnership (Swiss Bear & City of New Bern) for Broad Street Improvements & Trent River Bridge, NC Main Street Center.
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| 2009 |
- National Main Street Program Accreditation by the National Trust for Historic Preservation
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| 2002-2009 |
- Best Festival Award (MUM Fest), ENC Freedom Communications Readers Choice Award
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| 2005-2007 |
- South Eastern Tourism Society's Top 20 Event Award (MUM Fest)
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| 2007 |
- Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of valuable contributions to the citizens and businesses in New Bern, New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce
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| 2004 |
- IFEA Silver Grand Pinnacle Award (MUM Fest)
- Main Street Award, Best Newsletter
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| 2003 |
- Southern Business & Development Magazine; New Bern ranked as having one of the South's Best Downtowns (small market) and Swiss Bear's efforts were recognized for their role in the revitalization effort, Fall 2003.
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| 2000 |
- MUM Fest: Best Downtown Special Event, North Carolina Main Street Center
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| 1999 |
- Downtown Achievement Award of Merit, International Downtown Association
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| 1998 |
- Pinnacle Award (MUM Fest), International Festival & Events Association
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| 1997 |
- Recognition, Main Street Success Stories (Swiss Bear and the City of New Bern), National Main Street Center for it's revitalization efforts
- Recognition, Sweet Sixteen - A Celebration of North Carolina Main Streets (Swiss Bear and the City of New Bern), special publication by the NC Division of Community Assistance Main Street Center
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| 1996 |
- Certificate of Recognition for development of James Reed Lane, New Bern Historic Preservation Commission
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| 1995 |
- Great American Main Street Award. Honorable Mention to the City and Swiss Bear in recognition of the City's outstanding revitalization program, National Trust Main Street Center and Edward D. Jones
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| 1993 |
- Director of the Year (Susan Moffat), North Carolina Association of Festivals
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| 1991 |
- Celebration North Carolina Award (Chrysanthemum Festival), for inspiring community spirit and citizen pride, Celebration North Carolina Foundation
- Certicate of Recognition awarded for Baxter Street Clock Restoration campaign, City of New Bern Historic District Commission
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| 1990 |
- The Gertrude S. Carraway Award of Merit (Susan Moffat), in recognition of outstanding achievement in the field of historic preservation, Historic Preservation Foundation of North Carolina
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| 1989 |
- Recognition for special services for the All American City Celebration, City of New Bern
- Recognition of service on 4th of July All American City Celebration steering committee (Susan Moffat), City of New Bern
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| 1988 |
- Certificate of National Merit for New Bern Waterfront Development Project, US Department of Housing & Urban Development
- Best Organization Award, State of North Carolina Main Street Center
- Private Citizen of the Year (J. Harold Talton), NC Main Street Center
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| 1985 |
- Resolution and Certificate of Appreciation for assistance in marketing Bicentennial property, Board of Commissioners for Craven County
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| 1984 |
- Award for exceptional contributions to the quality of North Carolina's communities and natural resources, Board of Natural Resources and Community Development
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| 1981 |
- Resolution of Appreciation for assistance and diligence in marketing the Bicentennial Park property, Board of Commissioners, Craven County
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