Join us to create a vibrant Downtown community space!
Phase 1 construction begins Winter/Spring 2024 and we want YOUR help to make it happen!
"Town Square" Project Background
Read through this page for a brief background of the project, starting now and ending at the very beginning.
Spring 2024
Partnered with the Timber Framers for Pavilion Construction
The City partnered with local timber framers and the Virginia Military Institute for construction of a farmer's market pavilion in Spring 2024. Annually, Cindy and Grigg Mullen spearhead a philanthropic timber frame build project in the Rockbridge area. The event brings hundreds of seasoned artisans from across the country together with local volunteers to construct a beautiful timber frame structure benefitting the community.
Not only will the pavilion be unique, handcrafted, and truly built by our community of volunteers, but this project will save the City tens of thousands of dollars. Still, there are key project costs to build out Phase 1 of the site. The build will take place April 5th through 9th and we need YOUR help to make it happen! Visit the donate and FAQ pages to learn how!
2022-2023
Designing "Town Square"
Soon after purchasing the site, City staff obtained a grant from the Virginia Economic Development Association to conduct required environmental assessments and facilitate public engagement to determine the future of the site.
In 2022, staff gathered public input through a series of surveys and pop up events to learn what the community desires for the park. This resulted in a conceptual design that includes a farmer’s market pavilion, a variety of seating options, an event stage, public restrooms, public art, and landscaping.
Following the completion of the conceptual design, City staff quickly began taking it from a conceptual design to a comprehensive construction design all while putting the project into achievable phases and seeking options to fund the phases through grants, fundraisers, and strategic partnerships.
2021
Where it started
The community needs a public gathering space in the downtown core to fully achieve its reemergence as a dynamic environment to live, work, eat, shop, and play.
In 2021, the City purchased the property at the corner of 21st Street and Magnolia Avenue thanks to a generous grant from the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, and began efforts to create a public park.
City staff temporarily named the space "Town Square" to serve as an identifiable project name. A new name will be given to the space - stay tuned for updates on the process!!
