7th Avenue District branding process starting August; community input needed

The City of Hendersonville’s Downtown Advisory Board will bring in Greenville consultants Arnett Muldrow & Associates to guide the community vision and branding process of the 7th Avenue District on August 9 with a series of stakeholder roundtables and a public input meeting, according to a July 15 press release.

All are invited to a public meeting at 7 p.m. at the City Operations Center, 305 Williams St. Specific stakeholder roundtables for business owners, property owners and residents near 7th Avenue and the Green Meadows neighborhood will take place prior to the public meeting.

Organizers ask the public to reserve the roundtable meetings for input from those in and around the district. A meeting schedule as well as an option to provide input virtually can be found on the project page: hendersonvillenc.gov/7thave

The project is set to be completed in the fall in time for breaking ground of phase 1 of the 7th Avenue Streetscape which will provide pedestrian and stormwater improvements on 7th Avenue from Grove Street to the railroad tracks.

Arnett Muldrow has 20 years of downtown planning, community development and place branding work with over 500 communities in 40 states and five countries, including with Hendersonville in 2007 to create the "H" logo that represents Downtown, the release said.

The consultant selection process was lead by the Hendersonville Downtown Advisory Board and a subcommittee composed of board members, 7th Avenue stakeholders and residents of the nearby Green Meadows Community, who interviewed three consultants about their experience in place branding, community and equitable engagement processes.

The Friends of Downtown Hendersonville and Downtown Advisory Board exist to identify, preserve and enhance the key factors that contribute to the authentic small town urban character of historic downtown Hendersonville, according to the press release. Organizational projects are identified, assessed and prioritized based on their potential to enhance and support an entrepreneurial environment and livability of downtown, the release said.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: 7th Avenue District branding process starting August