Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

UA Community Design Center Presents Sketches

It's all about unity and cohesion.

At least it is according to the University of Arkansas architecture students who spoke on their preliminary findings Thursday, June 8.

About 30 people gathered in the Nevada County Courthouse to hear the proposals and look at the sketches made by the students with the UA Community Design Center.

The walls were covered with renditions of downtown streets showing how they could look with some minor renovations.

For the most part, the changes proposed by the students involved little more than removing siding and cleaning up the brick, along with developing the two pocket parks, Curley Wolf Park and Old Mike Park.

The students have been in Prescott about three weeks. They began by walking around downtown, taking pictures and measurements.

Jon Chadwell, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office, said it's exciting to get outsiders' perspectives on the community.

David Glasser, head of the UA CDC, said the program began five years ago and informed the audience there are grants available to help the community get the project done.

Prescott, he said, is the eighth community the CDC has worked in this year.

Overall, Glasser said, the program has been successful. The benefits are not only artistic, but practical as well.

The CDC, he continued, has worked in more than 30 communities and more than half of those saw economic benefits. This program is also recognized by the Arkansas Department of Economic Development.

"Small towns are at risk in America," Glasser said. "Their quality of life and architecture are at risk. We offer a unique opportunity to such towns and make sure these qualities are preserved."

Glasser said what eventually gets done must be part of a community decision. The CDC offers a guidepost communities can use to get grants. He said Arkadelphia's 2025 Commission worked with the CDC after the March 1, 1997, tornado hit.

Laura Terry, the instructor here with the students, said they like to start from scratch and use existing buildings as reference. This means they walk around the buildings, take pictures and measurements then do the preliminary drawings.

Then, still using the existing buildings as reference points, they compare the overall look, followed by doing analysis drawings.

Next, the students look at the rhythm of the buildings along the streets. In Prescott, she said, the buildings are, for the most part, all about the same height which makes it easier.

This is followed by the design phase.

The students told what they did and why.

The area behind the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce, currently used for parking by the Branch Bank of Delight and the Chamber, could be redesigned to increase the number of parking spaces while also being made more attractive.

In addition the design could be done to include walkways for pedestrians, while trees would provide shade and an attractive barrier between the businesses.

The brickwork in the rear of the businesses, it was said, needs to be cleaned, while the power lines could be buried making the area more aesthetically pleasing.

If the power lines can't be buried, then smaller flowering trees could be planted instead.

Lighting could be added to provide safety for the alleyway and parking lot as well.

Elm Street, they said, is always filled with cars parked at the curb. The students' first idea was to see how the street would look with the awnings changed from a residential style, as they are now, to flat ones.

The flat awnings, they said, would provide as much shade as those there now, and would also bring out the character of the buildings better.

The students paid a visit to local historian John Teeter, who had photos of how downtown Prescott used to look, and remembered many changes made over the years.They suggested going back to the original design the buildings had on their exteriors by removing the paint and siding now there, then cleaning the bricks.

For the Old Mike pocket park, they said, a statue of Old Mike could be placed in the center to draw more attention to it. Seating would be intimate for couples as well.

On the Curley Wolf pocket park, the suggestion was to keep the original tile flooring, establish picnic areas and green spaces. A stage could be put up for bands and other entertainment, while the concrete in front of the stage could be painted in a checkerboard pattern.

Terry said the students propose removing layers of paint from the buildings, as well as getting rid of the different types of siding, making downtown more cohesive in appearance.

The biggest problem, she said, is the McKenzie Law Office building. "Not much can be done with it."

With flat awnings, she continued, the buildings on Elm would have a continuous edge with the same shade provided. There would also be a more consistent look for the buildings and the detail of the brickwork could be brought out better.

The brickwork at the top of many of the buildings is unique, Terry said, and needs to be preserved. This is where the bricklayers could get fancy and leave their mark.

There also needs to be a standard for signs, she continued. Now, with no rules or regulations the area looks cluttered and disorganized.

A computer generated photo was displayed to show how it could look with more uniform signs.

Trees could be planted to help with beautification in the downtown area.

Downtown could be a real community center, she said, without any major changed being made. "These are simple proposals and would have the same results as major changes."

Glasser pointed out businesses could qualify for a tax break of 20 percent of their renovation costs, but the rules for doing this are specific. The brick, he said, needs to remain natural and can't be sandblasted to get this deduction.

In the area of West First, between Elm and Main, the students talked with people who work there. Again they checked old photos to see what it looked like in the past and what has been added over the years.

Once more, they found a lot of detail in the brickwork at the top of the buildings.

They suggested stripping off the paint, getting down to bare brick and seeing what's there now. If painting is needed, it should be consistent, they said.

The awnings also need to be removed and replaced here for consistency of appearance and to better show the buildings.

Terry said someone is usually in the office at the old Alliance Insurance Building from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and invited anyone interested in coming by for a visit.

She said the public's input is important for the success of this program as local people are the ones who will be getting it done.

Glasser said the proposals were modest, yet thoughtful and show long-term vision while suggesting a strategy the town could follow.

However, he said, it is important for the city to get involved financially to show it's also committed to the success of downtown.

It is also vital, he said, to spend the money wisely and not do some of the things Fayetteville has done. Their Chamber has spent $30,000 a year to plant trees, but puts them in the wrong place and doesn't irrigate them.

This is nothing more than money being squandered, he said.

Glasser also suggested the businesses not try to get everything done overnight, instead they should take time and make the changes right the first time.

The story of America, he said, is ad hoc decisions being made one at a time, then waking up to find America is gone.

But, he continued, Fayetteville also received a $4 million grant for the renovation of principal streets downtown.

Dixon Street, he said, has been completely transformed and resurrected.

Grants can be obtained from the TEA-21 program. Glasser said these grants are matching ones because the government wants to know the community is involved as well.

"Prescott," he said, "is worth whatever it costs. This is a great town and if you want it to, it will come back."

Another public meeting will be held at the courthouse Thursday, June 29, at 7 p.m. This will be the final CDC presentation.