From The Town
Outdoor tables filled with diners enjoying savory meals and conversation with neighbors, colorful lights illuminating water splashing in the fountain, chocolate ice cream dripping off chins as children toss beanbags in the amphitheater…
On almost any night, this is what visitors to downtown Holly Springs experience with the recent additions of The Block on Main and Town Hall Commons.
It was all part of a master plan for the downtown area developed by the Town of Holly Springs about two decades ago. And, now that Holly Springs’ downtown is beginning to emerge and interest in it is buzzing, the Town is turning its focus to the next 20 years to take downtown Holly Springs into its next phase. If that wasn’t exciting enough, your feedback and ideas can help shape the future of Main Street.
“Through the years, we’ve been really successful,” said Sean Ryan, planning manager with the Town. “Many of the recommendations from the original plan have become a reality. Most noticeably, Town Hall Commons and The Block dramatically changed the environment downtown, adding to the homes, businesses, and attractions already located here.”
Years ago, the community expressed a desire to create a more vibrant downtown through a combination of attracting new development and encouraging developers to preserve the historic buildings that have defined Holly Springs. The historic home where Pimiento Tea Room is located and the home across from Town Hall Commons that was converted to a shop are two buildings identified as significant, that were preserved subsequently.
Even more subtle influences of the original plan can be seen in decorative street signs and lights, benches, brick sidewalks, street trees, on-street parking locations, stone columns, and more. The branded wayfinding signs that direct travelers throughout Holly Springs also were part of the long-term goals for the downtown.
“Back then, the Town was very focused on building a physical place – like buildings and roadways and parks,” Ryan said. “We didn’t touch on the atmosphere, the ambiance, the feeling you get when you’re in a place that connects you to that place. This update is looking to build on the success of the original plan and really enhance that environment so that people have a place to go and celebrate Holly Springs.”
Which parts of the original vision for the downtown area remain relevant? How can the Town create unique spaces and enhance public art opportunities in this area? How can the blueprint for Mims Park dovetail with market trends to create a destination space? How can housing affordability and historic preservation be further encouraged? These are some of the questions the Town’s study, conducted in partnership with consultant Design Workshop, will seek to answer with community engagement as the key ingredient.
The plan covers Main Street from Third Street, where the post office is located, south past the hospital to N.C. 55. From east to west, the area is roughly sandwiched between Avent Ferry Road and Raleigh Street. While this area currently may be referred to as the “Downtown Village District,” that name may be updated based on feedback from the community.
To view information about how you can get involved and share your thoughts as the future roadmap for the downtown is developed, visit www.hollyspringsnc.gov/downtownplan. The first workshop will be scheduled for this fall and will seek community feedback about sense of place, culture, what makes Holly Springs unique, critical successes sought, and measurable goals desired.
Other virtual and in-person meetings are being planned, and surveys will be launched to gain additional feedback. A draft of the updated plan is expected by early summer 2023 with adoption later that year.
“We have a lot of new development happening in downtown,” Ryan said. “Now, we can turn our focus to figuring out how to create an even more dynamic, exciting environment that people recognize immediately as Holly Springs.”
