Reimagine Chatham is pleased to announce that it has hired a design team to conduct the Growth and Renewal Study for the town and adjacent area. Funded by a grant from a local Trust, the process of picking a company to develop the plan has been underway since early February 2024.
After requesting and reviewing proposals from three qualified firms, the Steering Committee narrowed the field to two. Following face to face interviews, the committee then selected the finalist. The committee voted to contract with Hill Studio of Roanoke, Virginia in partnership with the firm Arnett Muldrow & Associates of Greenville, South Carolina. The contract will be effective on April 29 and the work is currently scheduled to take about six months to complete.
Hill Studio has been in business for 35 years and has conducted over 60 strategic and similar master plans throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Customers have ranged from cities to communities as small as Floyd, Virginia. A notable example of their work is the recent plan for Stuart, Virgina which has brought many positive changes there, including access to grant funding for local development. Arnett Muldrow is a frequent partner with Hill and, though located in South Carolina, has worked extensively in Virginia, including this region. Together, they bring capabilities and depth of experience in planning, architecture, landscape design, historic preservation, economic evaluations, business development, and strategic planning to the Reimagine Chatham effort.
In their response to the RFP issued for the work, the consultants showed a good understanding of the intent of the growth and renewal effort as well as the unique aspects and assets of Chatham. During a driving tour of the town, they described Chatham a “hidden gem” and spoke of the concepts to bring more business traffic into town, such as possible branding and signage along Highway 29. They were quick to identify many positive aspects of the town as well as areas that could benefit from improvement.
The study area is generally defined by a circle with the town in the center, extending south just past Tightsqueeze and north to the Old Dominion Agricultural Center. The first several weeks of the work will involve data gathering and familiarization with the community. Later in the study process, input from the public will be sought. People interested in keeping apprised of progress and information on public meetings can sign up at ReimagineChatham.org. A Facebook page has also been created and will be used primarily to post information and updates from the consultants as the study progresses. Public awareness and outreach efforts will be an important aspect of the study. In additional to digital media, efforts will be made to reach as many people as possible who lack access to the internet.