BY JENNIFER AXNESS
“At one time, Holly Springs was primarily a daytime destination, with just a little bit of foot traffic and no after-hours activities. You used to have to go to a neighboring community for dining and entertainment,” reflects Sean Mayefskie, mayor of Holly Springs. “But over the past few years, the town’s downtown has progressed from being a commuter-focused area into a thriving community center.”
Mayefskie, a 25-year resident of Holly Springs who’s currently in his third year as mayor, and Sean Ryan, the town’s planning manager, are excited to discuss the town’s tremendous growth since its most recent 2006 development plan and the vision for the downtown area. Committed to balancing growth with historical preservation, the town has developed a blueprint for the future with its newly adopted Downtown Area Plan (DAP), envisioning an engaging downtown where the voices of the community are heard.
The timing for this new plan is crucial. New landmarks such as Town Hall Commons and The Block on Main business parks have transformed the landscape, while Holly Springs’ population has surged from around 1,000 citizens 30 years ago to over 50,000 residents today.
“We’ve grown as a community,” says Ryan, “which means now is the time to take another look and think about the next stage of evolution. Any plan Holly Springs puts in place starts with the community. What does the community enjoy about what they see now, and what do they want to see in the future?”
Through a comprehensive public engagement process including surveys, public meetings and community outreach, “residents are actively contributing to the further development of the town with their ideas and preferences,” says Mayefskie. “What a great opportunity for our citizens to say, ‘I gave input; I took part in helping build the downtown I want to see!’”
Five main goals for the developing downtown emerged from this process of community engagement:
- To develop a family-focused, authentic-to-Holly Springs downtown.
- To create a more connected district with additional parking and greenways.
- To ensure an intact downtown by incentivizing redevelopment and focusing on the design and character of public gathering spots.
- To acknowledge and celebrate history through storytelling in the public realm and through protecting residential neighborhoods.
- To ensure a healthy mix of land uses, including the development of parks as regional destinations.
The planning process balances growth with historic preservation, both of which are integral to the town’s identity. “Holly Springs’ downtown has always been at the center of the community,” Ryan says, “with churches [that were] established when Holly Springs was young, as well as the Pack-House, the heart of the town’s Black community for such a long time. The [Downtown Area] Plan reflects our history, focusing on preserving what has been vital to Holly Springs and honoring these elements as the town grows and develops.”
The planning process also identified five priority projects for downtown, chosen by residents to align with the town’s vision.
- Mims Park: Improvements to this centrally located property will create a welcome place for recreation.
- Public market: A new public market space will provide a permanent home for the Holly Springs Farmers Market and flexible space for entrepreneurship and social interaction.
- Festival street: A potential redesign of Avent Ferry Road would allow for the creation of a festival street, facilitating closure to traffic during town events.
- A curated downtown: Holly Springs’ unique downtown environment will include diverse shops and restaurants designed to enhance community connections.
- Greenway connections: A series of open space corridors and town streets connecting the downtown area to neighborhoods and parks will provide residents with safe pathways.
Another key element of the DAP is to establish a more comprehensive live/work/play environment. As the mayor explains, this goal involves creating diverse housing options to offer more living spaces for people, ensuring the area remains vibrant throughout the day. “The council would like to see shops at ground level with homes above, limited to a max of four stories,” Mayefskie explains. “We’re also very mindful of the beautiful houses located on Raleigh Street. Preserving these classic homes is essential, and balancing this with new development is truly a juggling act!”
Adding more office space downtown and bringing people there throughout the day, and supporting restaurants and other businesses—even after hours—is also a priority. “We’re taking the ‘kitchen table’ approach,” says Ryan. “You need a little bit of everything to make sure you have a successful space.”
Another area of focus will be incorporating Holly Springs’ culture into downtown, with a particular emphasis on art. Recognizing the value of murals, sculptures and other art forms, these additions will enrich the town’s character and create memorable, ‘Instagrammable’ spaces that tell the story of Holly Springs.
Near-term (0–3 year) implementation priorities for the DAP include:
- The development of a phased parking strategy.
- A concerted effort to engage the community and begin design services for Phase 1 improvements at Mims Park.
- Assessing the feasibility and best location for a public market within the downtown area.
- The introduction of a new downtown brand that will highlight local events, businesses and projects.
- The installation of Phase 1 sidewalks and bikeways to improve multi-modal transportation throughout the area.
“One of the things we’ve identified in the plan is that although we’ve got big ideas and thoughts as to where the festival street and even a potential town square might go, we will only be able to finalize these locations as ideas come to fruition,” Ryan adds.
Reflecting on how public sentiment has evolved over the years, Ryan notes, “One of the biggest comments used to be, ‘We really want a downtown like Apex or Fuquay-Varina, or even Cary.’ What I’ve noticed, especially over the last few years, is that I don’t really hear that anymore. Now they’re saying, ‘We love downtown Holly Springs, and we’re glad it’s different from Apex or Fuquay.’ Holly Springs residents have really come to appreciate what we have.”
From past development to future possibilities, the Downtown Area Plan heralds an exciting future for Holly Springs.
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