Revitalizing downtown Siler City
WithersRavenel, architect MHAworks, and the Wren Corner Properties gave three historic buildings in downtown Siler City a new lease on life. The new development is called Siler Development (formerly the Raleigh Street Gallery).
The historic brick buildings became an 8-unit apartment complex, an artisanal butcher shop, and a brewpub.
Siler Development design elements
WithersRavenel’s landscape architecture team designed a pedestrian alley, streetscape improvements, and a beer garden to complement the adaptive reuse project and encourage foot traffic for the property and adjacent retailers.
Unique characteristics included a mix of historic materials and modern technology. For example, the light poles on site are from American Tobacco Campus, which were retrofitted as LEDs. The LEDs were reinstalled on the property. Additionally, the site walls and piers used repurposed 100-year-old handmade bricks.
The firm’s consultant services included conceptual design through construction documentation, surveying, site planning, utility extensions, site lights, and permitting.
Creating a destination
The development aims to create a destination in downtown Siler City like the one found in nearby Pittsboro. At the same time, Siler City hopes to capitalize on the visibility and popularity of the Chatham Park development, which will add 7,000+ acres of residential, commercial, mixed-use, and public space around Pittsboro.