Spencer’s Mill
Sitework Studios worked with the City of Mt. Airy to study the potential redevelopment of a historic district, home to Mt. Airy’s tobacco and textile industries. The Spencer’s Mill master planning effort consisted of adaptively reusing historic, industrial buildings and their spaces to create a mixed-use area downtown. Plans include a hotel, conference center, restaurant, and open park space. Sitework Studios collaborated with design partner, Rowhouse Architects, to create a vibrant development that reflects the history of the site. The Master Plan was recently adopted by Mt. Airy’s City Council.
Mount Airy – Willow Street Pocket Park
The future Willow Street Pocket Park is located in a historic industrial region of downtown Mt. Airy, North Carolina and sits in between the old Spencer’s Mill Children’s Clothing Factory and an early twentieth century Barrel Building. With the conversions of the historic factory into a hotel and the Barrel Building into a restaurant and conference center, the City of Mt. Airy needed a vibrant vision that would attract and connect people to the site. Sitework Studios was honored with the opportunity to design a space for all to enjoy and learn.
This small public space is designed to allow locals and visitors to take respite, sit or engage with fellow patrons, and learn the history of this unique site. Local granite will serve as seating and remind patrons of this timeless regional material. Sculptural art and signage will be introduced in the park to symbolize both stitching and weaving needed to make children’s clothing at the old factory, thus connecting people to rich local history.
Sitework Studios has completed the schematic design and is currently working through the final construction documents for this vision to become a reality in Downtown Mt. Airy.
