A number of projects are coming to Stuart’s historic district thanks in part to a grant totaling almost $1 million.
Stuart officials kicked off 2024 approving a funding package of $990,000 from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development following an application process town manager Bryce Simmons described as competitive.
The town joined applicants from across the state in June and the winners were announced in December. The grant requires no matching funds from the town.
Stuart’s funding package came from a pool of $18 million that was disseminated among 16 projects across the state. The projects were designed to have the greatest impact on the state’s rural and low- to moderate-income residents. Stuart has a population of 1,431, as of 2020, with an operating budget of almost $2 million.
Applicants put forth detailed plans for projects. Stuart’s plan entailed four smaller projects. Stuart’s plan includes downtown facade work, the development of wayfinding signage, improvements to the farmers market and the creation of what Simmons called a “mega-deck.”
“It would improve … emergency access to the rear of some of these buildings and create a community space,” Simmons said, adding that “mega-deck” is a term the town coined when putting together its revitalization plan. “What that’s looking like would be a 3,200-square-foot structural deck that would connect South Main Street to Patrick Avenue.”
Facade updates entail improvement to building exteriors, including painting and possible structural issues. Hill Studio, a Roanoke-based architecture firm, met with building owners in the area to assess needs.
Wayfinding signage would not only bring attention to the town’s amenities. Points of interest include the farmers market, the Mayo River Trail and the proposed mega-deck, among others.
The farmers market on Patrick Avenue has remained a consistent factor in tourism. In 2018, a study showed that almost half of the market’s patrons were from outside of the town. Planned improvements include the addition of a stage for live performances for additional programming.
The funding package covers most but not all of the combined estimated price tag. Based on current estimates, the farmer’s market, the facade improvements, wayfinding signage and mega-deck come with respective costs of $602,800, $226,291, $100,000 and $631,180.
These four projects are part of a larger vision known as the Downtown Revitalization Program. Town officials hope to transform the town’s downtown areas.
The downtown area is broken into two parts, according to the revitalization plan.
The uptown area is arranged around the old courthouse. This area is bounded by West Blue Ridge Street to the north, Rye Cove Road to the south, Wood Brothers Drive to the west and North Main Street to the east.
The downtown area runs parallel to South Main Street and crosses the South Mayo River.
“I am very excited about this,” said Stuart Town Council member Erica Wade. “The acquisition of this grant, it was a lot of hard work.”
Wade said she is confident that as the town rolls out these and other projects it will have a significant impact on local businesses and the overall feel of the town.
“If we complete what is in this plan … the energy of this town is going to increase,” Wade said.
At least one local business owner was surprised to hear the town planned to invest in the two districts.
“That’s encouraging, I didn’t know that,” said Matilda Hunficker, owner of Mattie B’s Gifts and Apparel, one of a handful of shops in Stuart’s uptown district. “Any sort of recognition is helpful.”
Wade said it’s still too early to establish a timeline for completion.
“We’re still waiting on the award letter itself,” Simmons said. “Those details will have to be worked out.”