Martinsville Bulletin, Inc.
P. O. Box 3711
204 Broad Street
Martinsville, Virginia 24115
276-638-8801
Toll Free: 800-234-6575
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Friday, November 13, 2009
By MICKEY POWELL - Bulletin Staff Writer
A master plan for revitalizing uptown Martinsville recommends using a historic building as a visitors center and developing new buildings along Fayette Street and in the Bridge Street Parking Lot.
The plan includes “thoughts, ideas and strategies” aimed at helping revitalize the central business district and luring businesses and people there, said Bill Mechnick, president of Land Planning & Design Associates (LPDA).
The city hired the Charlottesville-based firm to prepare the master plan, which was presented during the Martinsville Planning Commission meeting Thursday afternoon and two other public meetings that day.
Wayne Knox, the city’s director of community development, said the plan will be presented to the Martinsville City Council on Dec. 8. He indicated it may be tweaked based on comments at Thursday’s meetings.
In preparing the plan, Mechnick said, LPDA took into consideration desires among local residents heard during previous public meetings for more open space where people can gather, better signs pointing out destinations and improvements to traffic flow, pedestrian paths and parking areas.
The plan takes into account the idea that the New College Institute (NCI) will evolve into a university setting and incorporate its campus into uptown, as well as local leaders’ desire to have more people living in the district.
“Keeping people uptown 24-7 (around the clock) will further enhance” efforts to attract businesses, Mechnick said.
Areas of uptown that the plan targets include Courthouse Square, the Dana O. Baldwin Block (at Fayette and Market streets), Fayette Street, Bridge Street and the former Henry Hotel.
Courthouse Square would become “a destination that serves as the focal point for uptown activities and represents your heritage,” the plan states.
“Anyone who comes to Martinsville and drives through uptown will gravitate toward the courthouse area,” Mechnick said.
The plan suggests using the former Henry County courthouse for a visitors and cultural center and perhaps space for offices of entities that might attract people from out of town. Mechnick mentioned the idea of offices for NCI’s student recruiters as an example of the latter.
The front grounds of the courthouse could be expanded into where a strip of parking spaces now is located and turned into a “gateway park” or “grand square” for activities and special events, the plan shows.
Mechnick said Martinsville and Henry County could use the courthouse as “a basis ... for learning about the community’s heritage,” such as a walking tour.
He recommended developing a tour that is “interactive and interpretive” instead of simply “old boring signage.”
A sketch that he showed indicates that a large building of several stories could be built in the Baldwin Block. Mechnick said it could be used for retail, offices or facilities for the New College Institute.
NCI Executive Director Barry Dorsey, who attended the planning commission meeting, said he could see it being used for that, too.
The Harvest Foundation has proposed building a $16 million arena complex in the block. But the Rev. James C. Richardson Jr., a member of the planning commission, said “it seems to have been unofficially taken off the table. No one is discussing it anymore.”
Knox indicated that the arena project still is under consideration.
The planning commission needs to get the city council to declare a formal position on the arena to help local leaders decide how to proceed with uptown revitalization, said commission Chairman Kim Adkins.
Mechnick said having an arena could be worthwhile.
It is “a good opportunity for an anchor” project to benefit uptown, he said. It would “bring activity” to the district and “pull pedestrians in.”
Parking spaces and an area for performances or special events also could be developed in the Baldwin Block, the plan shows.
For the “Fayette Block,” the plan recommends upgrading street lights and building facades, redeveloping vacant buildings and removing blight.
Mechnick said the city could move the uptown farmer’s market to a public parking lot on the block to lure people to Fayette Street and “make people feel comfortable walking the block.”
The plan suggests erecting a modern building providing retail and office space, with “understory parking,” in the Bridge Street Parking Lot.
Richardson voiced concern about the availability of parking if that occurs.
“You don’t have a parking problem right now,” Mechnick said. “We wish a parking problem on you” through developing a booming business district.
However, Richardson said parking could become “a major problem” if lots of people eventually start living uptown.
The former Henry Hotel could be developed for businesses as well as apartments and/or other types of living space, but it will need a more prominent entrance and facade, the plan shows.
City officials and consultants agreed that in upgrading structural facades, uptown would look better with a variety of appearances to buildings versus one design for the entire district, as long as buildings are well maintained.
In terms of the architectural character of buildings, “you’re not in bad shape now,” said Kathy Frazier, an architect who consulted with Mechnick’s firm on the master plan. She said uptown already has “a nice variety” of facades.
But if a building’s appearance becomes a detriment to revitalization, that appearance “can easily be undone,” Frazier said.
Other ideas reflected in the plan for revitalizing uptown include:
• Developing more “green space” — leisure areas with bushes and trees — and having them connect to help keep people uptown interconnected.
• Opening Church and Main streets to two-way traffic so motorists can get around the district easier.
• Installing grates around trees along sidewalks so people can walk or move wheelchairs by the trees more easily.
• Installing new signs, such as decorative yet easy-to-read signs denoting public parking areas.
Planning Commission member James Crigger Sr. said if businesses locating uptown stay open at night, “we definitely are going to have to do something with the lighting” to improve it and have police patrol on foot.
City officials said they think the ideas eventually could come to fruition, but there still is room for more.
“No scenario is off the table,” Mechnick added. “If it accomplishes a goal, it is a viable thing.”
“Whatever is best is what needs to be” uptown, said planning commission member Tim Martin. He said, though, that no matter what is done, there will be people who will disagree with certain things.
Knox said it would take at least five to 10 years to fully revitalize uptown as funding becomes available. |
| |
|
|
.jpg)
.jpg)
