Fayetteville officials have

unveiled a portion of what is hoped to be a major ongoing downtown revitalization

project.

The initial focus of attention

is the block on the west side of Ga. Highway 85 facing the square, with

plans to improve the front of that collection of building as well as the

rear, which faces the recently renovated Holliday House and is bordered

A group comprised of local

residents and business leaders, city officials, and professional consultant

has brought together a number of ideas in an effort to make the site more

aesthetically pleasing and pedestrian-friendly, while also improving the

downtown area's parking situation.

The concept has been named

"Backstreet Fayetteville" in reference to the emphasis being

placed on the rear of the buildings facing the square.

After city officials met with

a consulting group and some initial research was done, a "citizen's

participation process" was formally begun, consisting of a series

of workshops and brainstorming sessions. This period concluded Wednesday

night with the presentation of final design plans for a parking area and

proposed building facades.

As the members of the citizen

group compared their listed objectives, the top priorities were determined

to be reinforcing a small-town feeling and making downtown a unique destination,

and improving the appearance of the building around the square while providing

continuity of architecture and attractive streetscaping.

Other priorities included establishing

mixed uses in the area, providing more green space and better pedestrian

street crossings, and increasing the variety of goods and services available

downtown and the amount of overall activity there.

As changes in building facades

for this particular block have been suggested, so have proposed uses for

the buildings themselves to complement the existing businesses. Some recommendations

have included a bookstore/art gallery, a neighborhood pub, a gourmet food

store and a workout facility. One local developer already plans to open

an upscale restaurant at the site and has reportedly been in negotiations

with a renowned chef to that end, although a final version of those plans

has not been made public.

The design of the rear parking

facility has been adjusted to accommodate automobiles as well as large

tractor-trailers, which typically make several stops per week for deliveries

to the businesses fronting the highway. Suggested outbuildings in the

area surrounding the Regions Bank building and the Holliday House are

included in the site plan.

Now that a plan has begun to

form, the city can pursue businesses that fit the mold and try to bring

them to the downtown area, Price said, although she quickly added that

the entire process is a long-term one.

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