Downtown projects get updates

Janet Imrick

Randolph Hub

The Asheboro City Council's January meeting on Jan. 11 brought updates to downtown projects, including an outline for initial work on the garden project and a timeline for construction on Trade Street and North Street.

Phase 1 for Garden

City Planning Director Trevor Nuttall told council members that the design development plan for the David and Pauline Jarrell Garden Project is done. Staff is waiting for the Army Corps of Engineers to review it because the site includes wetlands.

Staff has moved to demolish the house on the property, 205 South Cox Street, because of the expenses of renovating it and turning it into a visitor center versus building a new center from the ground up.

The council moved $240,000 for Phase 1 from the general fund into a construction fund, with new council member Joey Trogdon, Jr. voting against it. Trogdon said he was reluctant to move forward without knowing the total cost of the project.

Nuttall said the designer has estimated a cost of more than $1 million, which does not include the construction of the visitor center. They city is applying for two grants to help with costs: An Energy Efficiency Grant with the State Attorney's Office and a federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grant.

Phase 1 would include the demolition of the two structures on the land, removal of some vegetation, and the installation of a construction entrance and perimeter fencing.

Trade and North Street

Nuttall said renovations of Trade and North Streets could begin as early as July, and provided a preliminary order of work:

• Replacement of underground water and sewer mains.

• Third party utility undergrounding.

• Replacement of storm drainage.

• Conduit and foundations for streetlights installation.

• New concrete curbing and streetlights installation.

• New concrete sidewalks construction.

• Streets resurfacing with new asphalt.

• Landscaping and signage installation.

• Decorative stamping of crosswalks and road striping.

Alcohol at Hoover Hatchet House

Downtown Asheboro, Inc. Executive Director Addie Corder requested an expansion of the Zoo City social district to include the Hoover Hatchet House at 15 South Fayetteville Street. 

The social district allows people to carry alcoholic beverages they purchased at local businesses into other participating businesses that do not sell beverages. Owner Gary Hoover would like to be included in the district, which does not extend to the east side of South Fayetteville Street.

Council member Eddie Burks said he expressed his concerns about the safety of drinks in the business. He asked that city staff who review the social district boundary to provide multiple options, which could be presented as early as the February city council meeting. The city council expanded the current coverage area last February.

"It started off small because we wanted to see how it worked," Burks said. "Now we're here a third time. I said if this is going to pass, let's go ahead and get an area that's big enough so we don't have to do this on a frequent basis."

Property Brought into Commercial Zoning

Council members rezoned two downtown properties. Al LaPrade, president of Ready Telecom Inc., asked for 115 South Fayetteville Street and 142 Worth Street to be made fully B3 Central Commercial zoning on behalf of DIAA, LLC.

The Worth Street property was zoned OA6 Office-Apartment. The lot facing South Fayetteville Street was partially zoned OA6, while the front of the building fell within B3 zoning.