Taking its name from a street that runs alongside the building, this is a proposal for adapting a historic former Car Dealership and Auto Repair building in Sylva, NC into a Cooperative Food Market and Cafe that would revitalize a declining auto-oriented district on the Southern edge of Downtown.
The central building of this proposal was built in the 1930s but is presently unoccupied and in a moderate state of disrepair. However, it sits very close to the busiest intersection in Sylva and forms a prominent part of the gateway that leads from the suburban and car-oriented Highway 107 business district to the South to the more pedestrian-friendly and dense Downtown area to the North.
The building would see a major renovation and expansion of the former repair shop, a large, open vaulted space in the rear, while a later and unsightly cinderblock addition tacked onto the rear of the building in the 1950s or 1960s would be removed and replaced with a new extension of the old repair shop space, forming a large, open indoor market space that would be used to sell groceries and goods. The front facade would receive additional trim and augmented parapets to give the building a more substantial appearance, and the existing metal canopy and glass storefront would be removed and replaced with two new additions that would utilize large expanses of glass, glass garage doors and brick to both tie it to the building and to the outdoors as much as possible. A cafe would be placed in the front portion of the building, utilizing part of the former Auto Showroom, with the entrance to the Marketplace itself being off to one side and behind a drop-off area. An elevator and stairwell would be added to the two-story portion of the building, with a slightly elevated area above them to allow for mechanical equipment to be placed.
The front of the building would receive streetscape improvements, including a large outdoor seating area on a new sidewalk, street trees and a garden where there is presently a large paved area. The surrounding area, today characterized by auto-oriented light industrial and commercial uses, would see an eventual increase in density to form a new district to extend downtown outwards from the existing central business district, and help extend the energy and vibrancy of downtown outwards into other sections of town.
The building would help foster a sense of community and be a community gathering place, and offer a goods and services that are presently not offered to the Town of Sylva by existing food vendors. As a major community asset, it would be crowd-funded and staffed with members of the community and be one of the town's main selling points to potential residents, visitors, and businesses alike, and possibly help with attracting students to the local University.
The building in question is actually in serious danger of demolition, and Broad Street in danger of closure, as a developer wishes to buy the building, tear it down, close Broad Street, and build a auto-oriented suburban-style retail development on the site that would extend out towards an adjacent major intersection. I believe this scenario would squander the opportunity that is present if they were to keep the existing building and instead fix it up into something like this, though a new development would still be preferable to a rundown vacant building.
Thanks to SketchUp for the trees and several interior and exterior items, Gianno for the interior shelving and items displays, Daniel C. for the interior stairway, ThyssenKrupp for the Elevator door components, kriss047 for multiple items in the Cafe Kitchen, MorBius for a couple of the interior doors, Chase Doors for a few interior double doors, thai_grind for the ceiling lamps in the Market Space, Double E for several vintage-style light fixtures inside the building, and Cordelle for several interior items for the Cafe.
Update: As of July, 2016, the building has been demolished and the site is now an empty lot that has been sold by Berkshire-Hathaway. According to local news sources, the site will become home to a bread distribution company warehouse.
Feel free to use this model as you see fit, on the condition that you contact me first so I know where it is being used (I'd love to see it wherever it ends up), and give me a mention or credit wherever it is used or published. #Supermarket #SitePlan #ArtDeco #AdaptiveReuse
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