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Council approves downtown revitalization master plan after consultant presentation
Summary
Consultants presented a market-based downtown revitalization master plan highlighting tourism draws, retail opportunities and candidate capital projects; council accepted the plan and directed staff to pursue grant funding for facades and catalytic projects.
Consultant David Hill of Hill Studio presented the downtown revitalization master plan at a public hearing, summarizing market research, branding and capital-project options that form the basis of a proposed grant application.
"We surveyed 18 businesses and recorded 2,618 customer visits," Hill said, adding the survey showed visitors from about 24 states and identified Crew, Green Bay and Burkeville as primary trade areas. Hill said a leakage study showed Crew has a roughly $16 million annual net gain in retail spending and conservatively estimated the town could support about 22,000 square feet of additional restaurant space.
Hill outlined branding material rooted in Crew's railroad history and recommended a package of short- and long-term capital projects: streetscape upgrades on Carolina Avenue and the 460 corridor, a town green/farmers market on a fire-damaged lot, alleyway pedestrian improvements, and a facade program aligned with Secretary of the Interior standards.
Resident Lisa, speaking during public comment, praised the plan but urged the council to prioritize sidewalks and cleanup: "I hope that if we are doing this that we're also going to work on our community sidewalks and cleaning them up and making them passable and walkable." Council members pointed to pending TAP (transportation alternatives program) and ADA work that staff is pursuing.
After discussion, council voted to accept the master plan as presented and directed staff to develop a phase‑1 federal Community Improvement Grant application emphasizing facades, a food‑truck corral and wayfinding signage. The council recorded the motion as carried; no roll-call tally was read into the minutes.
Next steps: staff said they, Hill and Virginia Heartland staff will prioritize project lists with DHCD and prepare competitive grant materials over the next months.
