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Town Center Plan
January 2007
Chapter 3: Detailed Design
Street, and to maintain and enhance the
longstanding commercial function of this
area, the Town Center Design recommends
extending small-scale commercial uses west
on Franklin-Upchurch Street. To ensure
compatibility with the traditional character of
this neighborhood, any new structures would
have to be consistent in scale, architecture,
and site design with the historic buildings in
this area. The intent is to promote small,
locally-owned businesses in this location.
An opportunity exists at the western terminus
of Franklin-Upchurch Street for a small mixed
use development in somewhat larger but
still architecturally compatible structures,
if parking, access, floodplain, and other
site design issues can be resolved. To help
ensure a high quality streetscape, buildings
would need to be pulled close to the sidewalk
to help frame the intersection of Morrisville-
Carpenter Road and the future Crabtree
Crossing Extension, with parking located to
the side and behind of the structures.
Church Street and Page Street:
Two
places where Morrisville’s historic character
is particularly apparent are: 1) along the
lower part of Church Street north and south
of where it intersects with Ashe Street, and
2) around the Page House at the southern
end of Page Street, south of Morrisville-
Carpenter Road. In both locations, one has
the sensation of stepping back in time. In
the first spot, if one stands in front of the old
Christian Church and looks north on Church
Street, one can see the remains of what once
was a rural country road, with its narrow
width and rows of trees. On Page Street, the
views of the Page House are framed by fields
and forest, evoking the old plantation that
once existed in this location.
The Town Center Design calls for protecting
the character of the Church Street and
Page Street neighborhoods, while allowing
for a somewhat broader range of uses,
including professional and civic offices, as
well as residential uses. To support this
goal, incentives should be established to
promote the preservation of existing historic
structures, and special standards should be
developed to guide new construction in this
area. Special effort should be made to keep
historic structures in their original location
to maintain the historic integrity of the
neighborhood and preserve the longstanding
relationship of the different buildings to one
another, in keeping with the standards and
guidelines established by the Secretary of the
Interior for rehabilitating historic buildings.
Small-scale infill development on vacant lots
would be allowed if it is consistent with the
scale and character of the neighborhood.
Parking should be accommodated on
each lot, primarily to the side and behind
buildings. Special attention should be paid
to maintaining existing trees and adding to
this landscaping as appropriate with native
species of vegetation that have traditionally
grown in the Town Center area.
2) New Core Residential District:
This
district includes the area extending north and
west from Church Street to Town Hall Drive.
The Town Center Design calls for using this
area for new residential development of a
slightly higher density than nearby to help
Despite all the growth in Morrisville, the lower part of
Church Street still has the feel of a rural country road.
(Photo: Ben Hitchings, Town of Morrisville)