Revitalizing Waverly's Historic Downtown
Guided by the Main Street Approach
Guided by the Main Street Approach
Prepared by:
Joseph Beeton, Ankita Parekh, Shaianna Trump, William Teeples, Trinity Waldron, Chris Warring
for the Town of Waverly, Virginia
Waverly’s historic downtown is ready for revitalization.
Waverly’s initiatives to support the population it prides itself on and to perpetuate the prosperity that propelled its past have wavered for several decades. The town is at a crossroads; and not just literally, at the intersection of U.S. Route 460 and State Route 40, but philosophically.
Disinvestment could reduce the historic brick buildings line Main Street and stand testament to Waverly’s thriving commercial heyday into nothing more than memorabilia from the centuries in which they were constructed. The town’s population could increasingly have no choice but turn outward to shop, dine and source their livelihoods in the sprawl of surrounding towns. Outside investment and funding opportunities might continue to overlook Waverly in favor of its more forward-looking peers.
Or, the Town of Waverly could make the most of its current momentum, build on its foundational strengths, and enter a new era. In that we envision a walkable downtown with a mix of economically fruitful small businesses, a robust job base and growing population to support it, along with a variety of rentals for an influx of new residents and an inviting atmosphere for tourists and transient spenders — all stemming from the strength of Waverly’s existing assets.
That’s the mission that drove town and county officials to invite the students of Dr. John Accordino, PhD, FAICP, to orchestrate this plan for Waverly’s downtown revitalization, and that’s now the mission that drives its authors.
And there’s no better place to start than Main Street.
Using the framework provided by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development and Main Street America, the recommendations contained within adhere to the Main Street Approach toward “articulating a focused, deliberate path to revitalizing or strengthening a downtown or commercial district’s economy.”
Of the program’s four points of transformational strategy — promotion, organization, economic vitality and design — this report heavily focuses on the latter two. Design, known in this context as placemaking — or the art of transforming public space into quality places — is perhaps the most crucial place to start, and economic vitality goes hand in hand.
Waverly will need to facilitate design improvements to create a more economically vital market for its population, and a more economically vital environment will in turn help foster a greater sense of place.
This report extensively relies on readings about the trials, errors and successes of revitalization efforts in towns that have faced similar struggles to those of Waverly, both in Virginia and all across America. Namely, publications like Michael Burayidi’s “Downtown Revitalization in Small and Midsized Cities,” and Randall Arendt’s “Rural by Design” support the recommendations and guidelines presented in this plan. The suggestions championed here don’t come from our opinions, but from proven principles that have shaped strong small towns.
Furthermore, this plan aims to be comprehensive and cumulative by taking an iterative approach to plans for Waverly that have come before it. That would not be possible without the careful study of two in particular: the 2021 Downtown Market Assessment conducted by Retail Strategies/Downtown Strategies for Virginia’s Gateway Region (“VGR study”); and the Town of Waverly’s 2020 Comprehensive Plan.
Plenty of concerns presented here will look familiar, as they were addressed in those previous plans. There will also be items from those reports that either didn’t fit within the scope of our focus, or that couldn’t be addressed or replicated in our analysis. We’ll make reference to both those plans throughout; indicating where our approach either supplements or contradicts them.
To summarize, this report draws on case studies of successful small-town revitalization programs, literature on rural and downtown planning strategies, existing plans for Waverly, interviews with local stakeholders and a meticulous analysis of market factors like demographics and supply and demand dynamics — all to present evidence-backed steps toward revitalizing Waverly’s downtown.
We’ll also bring a qualitative approach that comes from caring about Waverly and its continued success. After all, it takes heart to identify and protect what Arendt calls “places of the heart.” And to cite Burayidi:
“Herein lies the direction for resuscitating downtown, the natural heart of a city.”
The bedrock of Waverly’s story is its strong history. The area has prided itself on being a commercial center ever since 1851, when tracks of the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad were laid through what’s now the Town of Waverly. Those tracks still actively carry freight through the town to this day.
With a population of 176 residents at the time it was incorporated in 1879, Waverly had 12 lots laid out along Main Street and 8 larger industrial lots aligned parallel to the railroad. Around that time, the Standard Peanut Company opened a factory for the cleaning and grading of peanuts.
Historic Downtown Waverly
The reorganization of the railroad in the 1880s to a new narrow-gauge system spurred new investment in Waverly. This connection to new markets on the Danville and Atlantic Railroad transported the area’s peanuts, agriculture products and traditional crops to outlying regions. In 1905, the Gray Lumber Company opened two sawmills in town, supporting a boom in the lumbering industry.
This attraction of new industry spurred a need for additional side streets including Bank Street, Railroad Avenue and Coppahaunk, which were laid out in 1888. Coppahaunk became the town’s most fashionable neighborhood. Around that time, an African American community was established on Railroad Avenue around the Liberty Baptist Church, organized in 1895.
But Waverly’s story may best be illustrated through the chronology of the Fleetwood building at 305-307 W Main Street. A massive fire in 1904 burnt down most of the buildings along Main Street, including the Fleetwood. The Fleetwood housed a general store and the Waverly furniture store. When it was rebuilt in 1905, the Fleetwood and many other new buildings were constructed with brick in an effort to be more fire-resistant in the future.
The town began prospering more around that time, and population doubled from 491 residents in 1900 to 1,065 in 1910. By 1914, the town had made improvements to public infrastructure that helped downtown thrive, with new concrete sidewalks and electric lights.
Business section of Main St. circa 1925 (looking west)
In the 1930s, Route 460, running north and south between the Richmond and Norfolk metro areas, was built as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project during the Great Depression and was widened to four lanes in 1937. This moved new business away from downtown and to this new commercial corridor.
Several industrial buildings downtown were intentionally demolished, including the Waverly Peanut Factory, which had also been rebuilt after the 1904 fire.
The Fleetwood Store was eventually forced to close in 1939 and was replaced by a Peebles Department Store, which also eventually closed in Waverly in the 1960s after succumbing to competition from larger stores in nearby cities and the movement of businesses to the 460 highway corridor.
The Fleetwood building tells the story of Waverly’s most prosperous residents in the late 19 th century, who achieved success through moving goods along the railroad. Through its years it witnessed the improvements to brick buildings and streetscape infrastructure to attract businesses downtown, and the eventual decline of Main Street resulting indirectly from the opening of Route 460. Through the revitalization recommendations presented in this report, the Fleetwood building and others like it will continue to represent Waverly’s still-evolving story.
Despite its ups and downs, Waverly has provided respite for commuters and commercial traffic through the tidewater region of Virginia throughout its history, and it continues to do so to this day. Much of that has to do with Waverly’s vital positioning among Virginia’s road network.
Situated along U.S. Route 460 in northwestern Sussex County, Waverly is almost exactly halfway between Richmond and Hampton Roads, two of Virginia’s three largest metropolitan areas.
Of the four main towns in Sussex County, Waverly is the largest, with nearby Wakefield just behind it. The other two towns in Sussex County, Jarratt and Stony Point, are nestled along Interstate 95.
From a commercial distribution standpoint, Waverly is also the logical halfway point between the Port of Richmond and the Port of Virginia in Norfolk, two crucial industrial and logistical hubs for not just Virginia but the entire East Coast.
Most of the rest of Sussex County is rural, consisting of farmland and the Big Woods State Forest. Waverly itself is considered rural by the Census Bureau, but Waverly’s rural status is not a detriment or a downside. Its open spaces are inviting and attractive, and its minimal infrastructure helps it retain a tangible sense of smalltown charm — especially in its downtown Main Street corridor.
Main Street (Route 40) runs perpendicular to Route 460. Through the downtown area, defined roughly as the stretch of Main Street between the intersection of Route 460 to the east, and Coppahuank Ave to the west, Main Street is two lanes with a speed limit of 25 miles per hour and parallel parking on both sides of the street.
Parallel to Route 460, the Norfolk Southern Railway runs nearly daily freight through the town, crossing over Main Street through downtown.
In most of the downtown stretch, except for around the railroad crossing, Main Street has 6-foot-wide sidewalks, met by zero setback for the buildings that line it on both sides.
Streets that intersect with Main Street include Railroad Ave, Bank Street and Maifeld Avenue. Bank Street has some important touchpoints for residents and visitors, including the town office, rescue squad, fire department, public library, and Bethesda Apostolic Church.
The town has a fantastic public park, but it isn't as accessible or utilized as it could or should be, as it can only be accessed by vehicle. But infrastructure in Waverly is both a strength and a challenge; as covered in the next few sections, the “bones” are in place to support a more robust use of land and greater accessibility.
Of the total land within Waverly’s corporate limits — nearly 2,000 acres — more than half is undeveloped, as of a 2018 study by the Land Use Survey Crater Planning District. Industrial uses account for 8% of land use, and 5% is public or semi-public. Housing makes up 31%. Only 3% is used for commercial purposes.
Even among developed parcels, there are many underutilized, vacant or abandoned buildings. Much of the land area is seen as "empty" — be it an open parking lot, setback from the street, open field space, or gravel industrial lots.
Existing land uses by categories. (See legend for use categories)
The most prominent use of the downtown area is the light industrial activity of the Cowling Brothers Building Inc., a concrete supply enterprise that has been operating in town for more than 50 years. The company’s industrial endeavors collectively take up more acreage in the core of the downtown area than any other use; weaving through public, commercial and residential uses.
The buildings in downtown tell an important story about Waverly’s vitality — highlighting what is and perhaps more notably what isn’t contributing to the town’s economy. At least seven of the buildings in the downtown area are vacant or appear to be vacant.
That said, Main Street consists of architecturally significant structures close to the road. In fact, the majority contributed to the National Register of Historic Places’ 2013 recognition of the Waverly Downtown Historic District. At the time of its application, 47 of the approximately 60 buildings standing in the downtown area now were registered as historic. One of the buildings, 315 W Main Street, was totaled in a 2016 tornado.
These buildings were primarily constructed or rehabilitated in Victorian styles prominent in the late 19 th century and early 20th century and are namely of Italianate, Queen Anne and Folk Victorian varieties. Most date to 1925 or earlier, and the two oldest were built in 1875 and 1880.
323-5019 Waverly Downtown Historic District (Photo credit: Elizabeth Lipford/Virginia Department of Historic Resources, 2021)
Based on exterior inspections, the buildings are in good structural condition, except for 303 W Main Street, which has evidence of spalling brick and cracked mortar, possibly indicating water damage. The interior condition of 208 W Main Street — in which deterioration commensurate with the building’s age was evident during a walkthrough — demonstrates that this and similar buildings would require significant renovation to “white wall” the spaces.
According to public data, there are approximately 30 active businesses operating at brick-and-mortar locations within the town limits of Waverly. A few are anchor businesses that draw customers regionally to the town, such as the United States Post Office, which is one of the only in the region to process passports.
List of active businesses in Waverly as of December 2022
Among Waverly’s dining options, the downtown has four local restaurants: Memaw’s Espresso & Eatery, La Reina Mexican Grill #2, China Kitchen, and Pino’s Pizza #2. These restaurants draw customers from throughout Sussex County and beyond.
Recently, the town has succeeded in attracting several new businesses to the downtown, including Claremont Candle and Madre Luna’s, which provides psychic reading service along with holistic healthcare and spirituality-related retail goods.
Stores that sell fresh and frozen produce are noticeably absent from Waverly’s town limits. As covered in detail in this report, a number of commercial storefronts in downtown are vacant or underutilized.
Some of the lack of business in Waverly may be due to the Waverly’s declining population. Or, the population decreases may be contributing to the lack of business. Perhaps it’s a bit of both — but either way, it’s important to understand where Waverly stands in order to try to make improvements.
Waverly’s population is 1,955, according to the 2020 U.S. Census. That’s a decline of 10.6% since 2010.
But in Sussex County, which holds a total population of 10,829, Waverly is the largest of four incorporated towns, making up 18% of the county’s population.
And the population pyramid for Waverly indicates a mostly younger age range for the town, with some of the largest male and female age groups falling below the age of 30. The median age of males in Waverly is 30 years, and 40 years for females.
Waverly Age Cohorts 2020
As shown in chart , males under the age of 18 years old make up the largest share of the town’s population, at 14.5%. Among the youngest cohorts of ages 10 and younger, there are a fairly large portion of males, especially within the 0-4 age range.
Between 2000 and 2020, the age groups of between 35 and 44, and 65 and over, both declined in Waverly — by 10.5% and 30%, respectively. chart. Waverly’s age distribution is rare for a rural community, which typically tends to have a greater distribution of adults aged 60 and above.
It's important to understand racial demographics in Waverly as well. Those self-identifying as Black/African American in the 2020 United States Census comprise the largest segment of Waverly’s population, at 62%, or 1,312 people. Waverly’s White population, which is the second highest, stands at 25% (529 people). Waverly’s Hispanic/ Latino population comes in as the third largest group at 8%. Waverly’s racial makeup generally follows Sussex County as a whole, as 55% of the county is Black/African American and 43% is White.
Waverly’s population decline over the years was most dramatic among Whites, with a 23% decrease between 2010 and 2020. The Black/African American population decreased by 6% during that time, and the Asian population decreased from 11 people to 0.
Education, labor dynamics and income levels are other key aspects to consider when analyzing Waverly’s demographics. Around 37% of the population in Waverly aged 25 and older have graduated from high school or received an equivalent degree . Nearly 18% of adults 25 and older in Waverly have a bachelor’s or other advanced degree.
Occupations within the town of Waverly are labor-dominant. Other prominent categories include management occupations (10.5%); healthcare (7.14%); and business and financial services (5.9%).
Waverly’s household income increased by 40% between 2010 and 2020 to come in at a median of $59,718, and a mean of $79,141 (Figure X). In Waverly, there is some distinction among households when it comes to income. Within the family household category, married couples had the highest median income of $83,676, compared to $52,225 for families, and $42,721 for individuals. The median household income for other nearby communities studied was just over $50,000.
Many of the jobs within Waverly’s trade area (which is an approximately 45-minute drive-time radius, a concept explained in more detail below) offer moderate income opportunities for workers, and particularly for those lower education levels and limited vocational specializations.
Additionally, the town has enjoyed a relatively low poverty rate of 5.8%, which is nearly half of the national rate of 11.4% in 2020. Waverly’s poverty rate was also half that of Sussex County’s rate in the same year. This is certainly one of Waverly’s strengths, which are discussed more in the next section.
Waverly’s strengths come from every category of the snapshot presented above.
Its deep history as a thriving train town provides it a solid foundation, and its location along major throughfares and the railroad route is as vital now as it was in those early days.
Waverly’s infrastructure is modest, but it makes for “good bones” on which to build.
And its historic buildings, as mentioned, provide a beautiful, understated brick envelope to the Main Street corridor, known as a “hallway effect,” which is touted as a major strength for downtowns by the Main Street Program.
While Waverly’s population is declining, the upside is that its population is on the younger side, meaning more working- and spending-age adults than is typical for rural towns. Its businesses include the aforementioned U.S. Post Office, which draws in visitors regionally thanks to its passport-processing services. According to the Census Bureau, Waverly is one of the largest employment centers in Sussex County in 2019. To the north of Waverly, state jobs can be found at the Sussex I & II Virginia State Prisons adjacent to the Waste Management disposal site.
In fact, all of the densest job centers in Sussex are located within Waverly’s 15-minute drive range, showing that Waverly is a significant center not only for employment, but also for workers to spend money. As evidenced by the number of retail jobs shown in Table X, Waverly is a retail center for many consumers to purchase goods for their home.
Workers rely on Waverly for a variety of other products and services as well. The Horizon Pharmacy located downtown, for instance, is an important anchor for many residents living within the 15-minute drive-time radius around the town. As indicated in the table above, prescription medication is a major draw, with demand exceeding the average consumer spending.
Additionally, Waverly is a destination for home maintenance and remodeling materials, with residents in the 15-minute zone purchasing most of the goods they need downtown.
And recent interest from additional retail tenants indicates that Waverly could be an attractive market that can support greater commercial presence in the downtown area. For example, a new tenant has expressed serious interest in occupying what are now three vacant buildings, including the Fleetwood Building, at the corner of 304 West Main Street. An auction house is also slated to open soon on the same block.
Waverly’s lower poverty rate compared to its nearby peers could also be an indicator that the town’s economy is healthy enough to support additional investment in its downtown core — providing retail, housing, and employment opportunities for Waverly residents and newcomers.
In order for Waverly to build on these strengths in its commercial revitalization plan, though, it must confront its many challenges.
As mentioned in the introduction, the areas of focus include creating a greater sense of place to support economic vitality, and vice versa. That journey starts with the elephant in the room: Waverly’s downtown feels a bit empty.
Not only do vacant buildings signal a small town’s economic shortcomings, they also present one of the biggest challenges to revitalization.
Empty parcels also contribute to this dynamic. Within downtown Waverly, there are 25 parcels that are estimated to be vacant or underutilized. Some of these may be in some stage of redevelopment, but still appear to be vacant.
This accounts for over six acres of downtown Waverly and represents a collective Sussex County assessment of $723,800. Half of this amount is divvied up by just three property owners.
Vacant properties can severely impact a locality. “Vacant and abandoned properties impose a significant cost on neighboring property owners by lowering the market value of these properties, which reduces their equity and their wealth, and makes resale of their properties very difficult. As properties lose market value, their assessed value decreases, which forces a locality to either raise real property tax rates or suffer reduced tax revenues.” (Accordino & Johnson)
This reduction in tax revenues leads to fewer resources for public improvements and maintenance, furthering the cycle of disinvestment in an area. This can also affect the perception of a downtown, as vacant lots indicate to investors and visitors that there is a lack of confidence in the future of a downtown. For towns that have smaller downtown centers such as Waverly, even one or two vacant properties could be enough to negatively impact people’s perception of the town.
Vacant properties can have social impacts as well. Ample research suggests that vacant properties can become “magnets for crime” by increasing the risks of fire, vandalism and even violence. Higher crime of course reduces property values and dissuades new businesses and residents.
Some of downtown Waverly's derelict vacant buildings.
There are many properties in downtown Waverly that are underutilized, with examples being parcels used as gravel parking lots or as open outdoor storage for building materials and inoperable vehicles. Even though these properties may be in use, they give the illusion of vacancy. Significant portions of downtown Waverly are dedicated to large industrial vehicles, piles of gravel and sand and inoperable vehicles. The large industrial lot adjacent to 329 W Main, seen in the image below, is an example of a parcel that contributes to this emptiness. This sends the wrong message about downtown Waverly.
Dean described this effect for the town of Elkton in 2021: “Many commercially zoned properties in the area have businesses that do not have storefronts or public entrances, which contributes to a feeling of emptiness. Some businesses have parking in front which may add to a feeling of emptiness as the storefronts are further off the street and the cars become the focal point instead of the businesses.” *
Businesses that have entrances on the sides or rear of the building, such as the one shown below, at 109 Bank Street, for example, create environments that do not interact with the street or sidewalk, taking away from the character of the downtown and creating the “empty” feeling described by Dean in her downtown revitalization plan for Elkton.
Of course, this is assuming that these buildings could be filled. From the street, many of the buildings appear suitable for adaptive reuse, but there may be significant damage to the interior of structures that could thwart the filling of vacancies. A full building assessment should be done to determine if there are severely dilapidated buildings that present a public safety hazard or that will require significant construction to prepare them for reuse.
If the vacant buildings didn’t contribute to this feeling enough, visitors may also have a hard time realizing they’re in a downtown given the lack of signage.
Welcome sign looking west
When residents and visitors enter downtown from the direction of Route 460, there is a small sign on the side of the brick building at 208 W Main Street that reads, “Welcome to Waverly.”
There are also several adornments affixed to streetlights honoring individuals associated with Waverly who served in the military.
Beyond these examples, there is no other signage or wayfinding elements to create a sense of place nor to direct visitors to important amenities such as parking areas.
Wayfinding is a crucial element of the Main Street Approach.
Parking areas are not hard to come by, though: the downtown has at least 58 formal parking spaces. The largest parking lot is adjacent to the U.S. Post Office. There is also a 16-space lot near Horizon Pharmacy on the corner of Main Street and Maifield Ave.
Many people park in the gravel area adjacent to the Pran World convenience store at 329 West Main, which is owned by the Cowling Brothers and used primarily for industrial activities. Additionally, free on-street parking on both sides of Main is permitted, but there is no painted demarcation for parking spaces. Other modes of transportation are unavailable. There is no public bus servicing downtown Waverly and no bicycle lanes nor bike racks.
Formal and informal parking areas contributing to sense of "emptiness"
As seen in the map to the right, parking takes up vital space in downtown that contribute to the “empty” feeling described above; reduces the strength of the “hallway effect,” also described above; and limits other uses of the streetscape such as wider, more accommodating sidewalks and pedestrian safety infrastructure, which is covered in more detail below.
Waverly’s parking challenge is not that it lacks capacity; it’s that most of its spaces are in the wrong places.
Although the town is well-suited to drivers, it lacks some of the key tenets of walkable cities that are non-negotiable when it comes to creating strong a downtown.
The team conducted several field visits during weekday lunch and dinner hours to observe pedestrian patterns downtown. Observations included a noticeable brevity of time spent downtown among people coming and going. Most people park, get out of their vehicle to buy some convenience goods, and then get back in their car and drive back home. This is partly due to retail offerings available, but also most likely due to streetscape infrastructure and design.
The downtown’s sidewalks extend west for about a half-mile from the edge of downtown. To the east of downtown, pedestrian flow is truncated at the railroad crossing, where the sidewalk is cut off from its corresponding section to the west of the tracks without a delineated path for pedestrians.
Safe pedestrian flow is truncated at the railroad crossing
The sidewalks lack a sufficient width to accommodate those with children in strollers or those in wheelchairs. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires a “three-foot minimum clearance width for continuous passage [and] if a sidewalk is less than five feet in width, passing areas of five feet by five feet at intervals no farther than 200 feet apart” (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990).
Some areas of the sidewalks lack a sufficient width to accommodate strollers or wheelchairs
Utility poles further hinder accessibility by decreasing the width of the sidewalk in increments. In addition to the width of the sidewalk providing a safe passage, crosswalks with warning pavers are essential, but noticeably absent in Waverly’s downtown. There is only one crosswalk, and it’s in the western portion of the downtown stretch. This block has detectable warning pavers and a painted crosswalk, but the painted lines have faded almost entirely.
The lines of the crosswalk have faded almost entirely
Street lights aren't pedestrian-scale.
Lights are another issue. Main Street is lined with taller street lights affixed to utility poles. The lighting is reliable for vehicular traffic and most safety concerns, but according to the Main Street Approach, street furnishings such as lighting should always be at pedestrian scale.
The Main Street Approach aims to “create people-centered public places.” Keeping things within this scale facilitates the concepts of placemaking by helping create a sense of enclosure.
Another aspect deterring walkability and people-centered public places is the abundance of heavy vehicle traffic through downtown.
Waverly’s two main roads, Route 460 and Route 40-Main Street, see an average daily traffic count of 12,000 and 2,100, respectively, according to VDOT.
Around 315 of the daily vehicles on Main Street, or 15%, are commercial trucks. The speed limit through downtown of 25 miles meets VDOT specifications, but the combination of larger vehicles and the lack of safety-related infrastructure such as speed tables puts pedestrians in the downtown area are at risk of automobile-related accidents. The noise, pollution and general disruption these vehicles cause also impede upon Main Street businesses’ interaction with the street. Restaurants find it hard to offer al fresco dining, for example.
And while Waverly’s location along the major throughfare of Route 460 is indeed a strength, the problem is that commuters would miss Waverly if they blinked while passing it. While there is some commercial activity including gas stations and drive-thru chain restaurants in the Waverly corridor of Route 460, Waverly lacks attractions to entice drivers to stop along Route 460 unless necessary, and more importantly, to draw them in from the highway to explore downtown.
The town of Wakefield, which is situated less than 10 miles south of Waverly along 460, does have several attractions that pull in passersby, such as the longstanding Virginia Diner, which nods to the area’s rich history of peanut cultivation. The diner gained widespread recognition through features on several national television shows in recent years. Wakefield also boasts a Great Valu food store that sells fresh produce, which draws in residents from Waverly.
Sussex County’s other two towns — Jarratt and Stony Creek — are much smaller, but have the advantage of being nestled along Interstate 95, which carries an average of more than 72,000 vehicles per day, according to VDOT.
The train itself also creates environmental safety concerns. Because there is no screening from it, pedestrians are exposed to unfiltered pollutants and debris. Buildup of this debris can be seen layering the surface of outdoor furniture and equipment.
Waverly’s challenge is that it must be more competitive when it comes to catching the attention of passersby, and it also must reduce the impact of commercial vehicles on the downtown stretch to better serve its residents and visitors with a more pedestrian- and commercial-friendly atmosphere.
In tandem with the efforts of addressing and remedying the challenges presented above (of which recommendations for each are presented later in this report) Waverly must also consider capitalizing on opportunities for greater economic vitality that are available to it now.
To uncover some of the most promising of these opportunities, the team ran analysis using various tools powered by ESRI’s Business Analyst software.
One of these, ESRI’s “Tapestry Profile,” categorizes types of consumers and their spending habits and preferences. Tapestries assign characteristics based on median ages, median income and the types of products purchased by households. For both Waverly and Wakefield, ESRI reports that the dominant tapestry profile is classified as “Rural Bypass.” * These households are typically married couples that have moderate income and value rural culture through outdoor activities such as hunting or fishing. * Profile indicators such as truck preference and participation in outdoor leisure activities could be a strong basis to attract retail that caters to individuals that value these types of rural culture.
The team also analyzed nearby markets to understand the unique characteristics of consumers within Waverly’s trade area and recognize how Waverly can fill in regional retail gaps.
This analysis utilized ESRI’s Business Analyst tool to examine drive-time radiuses for each community, capturing information about consumer tapestry profiles and consumer demand within 15-minute, 30 minute and 45-minute drive radiuses. “Drive time radiuses,” demonstrate the amount of time it takes to drive from the centroid of a locale to the farthest radial area indicated on the map.
These radiuses were selected to get a better understanding of how far consumers would be willing to travel for certain retail experiences such as bakeries, health clubs and unique experiences. It also illuminates gaps in availability of demanded goods and services.
Within 15 minutes of Waverly’s downtown center, an individual could drive to neighboring towns of Disputanta and Wakefield, for example. In 30 minutes, it is possible to reach southern Petersburg, Fort Lee, Windsor and Stony Creek. Within the 45-minute radius, a driver could reach much of the broader region in every direction, including South Richmond, Suffolk, and Smithfield.
We also used the ESRI tool to study the Spending Potential Index (SPI) for specific trade areas. SPI is household-based, and represents the amount spent for a product or service relative to a national average of 100. The spending patterns for Waverly and neighboring communities paint a picture of the types of goods that residents spend more than the typical American consumer on. In the 15-minute drive trade area around Waverly, for instance, there’s more spending on prescription medication and maintenance, as well as for remodeling materials, than the American average.
The tool’s Market Potential Index (MPI) measures the relative likelihood of the adults or households in the specified trade area to exhibit certain consumer behavior or purchasing patterns compared to the U.S. average, which is represented by 100. The data is based on national propensities to use various products and services, applied to local demographic composition.
Other more qualitative aspects of the region’s spending habits are evident in the analysis. For example, adult consumers in Waverly and its neighboring areas overwhelmingly agree that buying American products is important. This could also indicate that consumers value local products greater than products produced outside of the U.S., creating a demand for products produced and sold in Waverly. For makers and crafters in Waverly, this presents an opportunity to reach a greater customer base amongst residents and Waverly’s neighbors. The downtown could be a thriving destination for consumers through craft fairs and pop-up events where local entrepreneurs could display their products and crafts.
Many adults in the region are also thrifty and shop coupon brands when available. This shows that consumers want to get a good deal on products when they can, which could be converted to an advantage for Waverly as well.
Diving into specific opportunities uncovered by the analysis, there will be references to the data provided by these indices, along with some of the qualitative evidence ESRI provides.
One of the most striking findings among the analysis of Waverly’s trade area was the spending habits related to home goods. Data suggests there is a market for large kitchen appliances in the region, with residents of all towns in the trade area exhibiting more purchasing of large kitchen appliances than the national average. Moreover, the above-average volume of do-it-yourselfers present within Waverly’s trade area typically do their own home improvements whenever possible.
The VGR study identified categories of retail that would be good prospects for Waverly based on 1) an analysis of spending by category within a custom trade market it created for Waverly and 2) gaps in availability within a reasonable drive-time of Waverly’s downtown to stores in said categories. Not all VGR’s findings could be replicated in our analysis, but of the top three retail categories that VGR identified as prospects, (Health & Personal Care Stores, Full-Service Restaurants and Building Material & Supplies Dealers), analysis conducted in this report supports the third, Building Material & Supplies Dealers, as having as the strongest potential for downtown Waverly.
Table X indicates that demand for building materials and other home improvement needs is strong in Waverly and surrounding markets. Many of the do-it-yourselfers who live within Waverly’s trade area rely on local hardware stores to stock up on materials for home improvement projects. Waverly currently has a hardware store, but it primarily serves contractors, thus catering its store displays, entrances and products to the needs of contractors.
This is all well and good. However, in order for the hardware store to interact with downtown as a retail center, the store should adopt some design changes. The first recommended change would be for the store to interact with the street more through an entrance that opens to the sidewalk, rather than a side parking lot. Additionally, parking and unloading should be conducted at the rear of the building, improving the appearance and accessibility for consumers and visitors along the streetscape of Bank Street.
One of the most impact ways to capitalize on this opportunity would be to consider the possibility of facilitating a conversion of the Cowling Brothers’ hardware storefront to an Ace Hardware franchise. The company could retain its commercial customers while enhancing its offers for consumers. A similar example of a small, locally owned hardware business that has successfully partnered with Ace is the W.F. Paulett Ace Hardware in the town of Scottsville, Virginia. Both Scottsville and Waverly are small towns which pull in business to their locally owned hardware stores from their years of small business brand recognition and from surrounding counties. As seen with the W.F. Paulett example, a partnership with Ace can mean retaining the appeal among locals of existing brand recognition while only enhancing the pull from do-it-yourselfers from near and far with the corporate brand’s clout.
Cowling Brothers vs. a remolded Ace Hardware franchise in Colonial Beach, Virginia
One of the most glaring discrepancies in the retail supply and demand analysis for Waverly is its lack of retailers providing fresh food offerings.
Within the 30-minute and 45-minute trade areas there is increasing demand for food products, with large increases in demand for fruits and vegetables and dairy products. Spending on food in Waverly is lower than national averages, but there is some demand for products such as baked goods, snacks and meat and dairy products.
Demand for baked goods is particularly evident in the ESRI’s market potential index for Waverly. The demand for baked goods is also reflected in the market potential index for Waverly, which meets the U.S. average for households that used bread in the last six months, with households in Waverly indicated that bread is a staple. This score is shared by several of Waverly's neighboring towns as well.
Many residents in Waverly travel to Wakefield’s Great Valu for their fresh food and grocery needs, and several rounds of analysis — including that conduced in the aforementioned plans that this report builds on — have shown that Waverly’s market cannot support its own grocery store.
But a grocery store is not the only option to enhance the vitality of Waverly’s food economy.
Farmhouse Market in New Prague, Minnesota
Grocery stores are trending smaller. Smaller grocery stores serving as an anchor tenant for a commercial district drive greater foot traffic, supporting other retail stores within the commercial district.
Waverly currently has two necessity-based retailers in its downtown: Horizon Pharmacy and Cowling Brothers Hardware. To build upon this necessity-based retail strategy, downtown Waverly could benefit from a small-format grocery storefront to complement existing retail.
One of the best examples of a smaller-format grocery store chain, apart from many independent offerings, is Dollar General’s DG Market model.
The Dollar General company has historically thrived and aggressively expanded in recent years based on its success among consumers that have a fondness for frugality. Since 2008, the company has increased its total store footprint by 118%. * The company opens roughly three new stores a day, many of which are in places that could not support any other types of retail. *
Dollar General locates in small towns that are ignored by most other retailers, as nearly 75% of its more than 18,000 outlets are in communities of 20,000 or fewer. * Dollar General has shown increased attention on filling gaps in fresh food offerings among underserved communities and food deserts. As part of its rapid expansion plans, the store has begun to push into grocery and health and wellness, offering cheaper alternatives to traditional grocery stores and pharmacies. The corporation has also entered an operational partnership with Feeding America through which it made a $1 million donation to help provide access to fresh food in rural and underserved areas. *
The DG Market business model entails stores with roughly the same square footage as a normal Dollar General store, at around 10,000 square feet or less, with greater floor space dedicated to grocery items. These grocery items are composed of the top 20 items purchased by consumers at grocery stores and 80% of produce items carried by most grocery stores, including tomatoes, onions, apples, strawberries, potatoes, citrus, and salad mixes. * These stores also carry milk, dairy products, bread, frozen vegetables, and grains.
For context, the existing Dollar General store in Waverly, outside of downtown at 575 Broad St., has seven more years on its lease. That store does not sell fresh produce, meats or dairy products adequate for Waverly’s demands, based on the market analysis, but based on conversations with a real estate expansion representative of Dollar General, which operates all of its locations corporately (rather than through franchises), is unlikely to consider a DG Market that would essentially compete with its existing lease in Waverly.
But Dollar General also has been rolling out its DG Fresh initiative in recent years, which entails self-distributing fresh foods to existing traditional Dollar General stores through its own cold storage network. The Dollar General representative did affirm, however, that the DG Fresh model is a possibility for Waverly.
The DG Fresh model would be great for Waverly residents but doesn’t solve Waverly’s lack of necessity-driven retail anchors downtown. To try to solve this challenge, especially considering the uncertainty of the DG Fresh model’s future in Waverly, Waverly should consider attracting another small-format grocery store to downtown.
Using DG Market as a proxy, it’s possible to understand how Waverly could support a store like DG Market. To do this, we found existing DG Markets in similarly sized towns around Virginia and in other rural communities. As noted in Table X above, the 10-minute drive from Waverly’s downtown contains over a thousand households of between two and three individuals with a median age of approximately 46. These households earned a median income of $46,433. This median income is slightly lower than Virginia towns containing a DG Market, but when compared to some towns in the deep south such as Butler, Alabama, or Broxton, Georgia, Waverly has a much more competitive outlook.
As noted in Table X, there is a demand for grocery items within Waverly’s trade area. Waverly’s strength in terms of population, accessibility, income, and existing anchor tenants proves that the town could potentially support a small grocer that operates similarly to the DG Market model.
Another option could be a regional farmer’s market for local farmers to set up vending tables selling fresh fruit, vegetables and other produce. A farmer’s market in downtown Waverly could also allow local artisans and other makers to set up alongside produce vendors, bringing a diverse range of retail options directly to consumers in an interactive community space. Additionally, local restaurants or breweries could establish relationships with bakers, candy makers, and other food artisans to sell their goods at small booths or as part of a menu.
Recently, there has been a growing interest in mobile farmers’ markets. These follow the same format as a normal farmers’ market, but rather than being tied down to a specific market area, these markets are on wheels. These mobile markets have been shown to have a consistent and positive impact on the consumption of fruits and vegetables, even more so than traditional retail supermarkets. This is due in part to the flexibility of mobile markets and their ability to meet people close to where they live.
Fresh Approach mobile farmer's market
These markets are also typically more affordable than other food retailers, providing cost effective food assistance to customers. For example, Shalom farms in Richmond operates mobile markets in many identified “food deserts” that accept the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) while also stocking local food pantries. A mobile farmers’ market would be a great way to increase food access and availability for residents of Waverly while creating opportunities for nearby farmers to grow their business.
One glowing example is the success story of a local Richmond entrepreneur by the name of Joye Moore. She got her start selling homemade pies at a beloved Richmond restaurant. Initially she only sold around 5 pies per week, but she quickly began increasing her presence as she started selling her products at local supermarkets. She now operates a national pie-making empire, generating $10.4 million in the last quarter alone. * This success story lends itself to the pioneering effort of the entrepreneur and the willingness of local businesses to support their neighbors in selling their products. Ms. Moore’s message to other entrepreneurs is, “Believe in your instincts and the potential of your product.” *
Simply having fresh produce, baked goods, and other essential grocery items within a reasonable distance to downtown has immense benefits for Waverly’s residents and the retail stores that occupy downtown. Providing greater food options in the downtown area attracts more consumers and reduces the travel time for residents to get the fresh fruit and vegetables they need.
Additions to Waverly’s retail mix need not stop at essential and convenience goods like fresh foods and postal services. Recreation, including leisure food and beverage offerings, is essential to a thriving downtown. (source?) Building off existing interest among business operators, our analysis shows that Waverly could support and thrive off of an enterprise in this category — particularly if it were a brewery.
Craft brewing in Virginia, though a relatively new industry to the state, has been drawing national attention and creating a market for craft beer tourism. After Virginia loosened restrictions on craft breweries in 2012, craft breweries began popping up all over the state. Brewers in coastal towns such as Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, and Norfolk have been able to capitalize on and thrive off of tourists traveling to the beach. “This is huge for us with our location a half mile off the highway on the way to the Outer Banks,” said Aaron Childers, a co-owner of Big Ugly brewing in Chesapeake.
Virginia’s beer market represents a $785 million a year industry in terms of retail sales. According to the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild, the Richmond-Norfolk region is the second-largest market for craft beer in the state, rivaled only by Northern Virginia. Within the Richmond-Norfolk market area, consumers spent nearly $47 million on craft beer at their local supermarket in 2021 alone.
Breweries are uniquely positioned as both a gathering place for residents and visitors and as a producer of goods that can be shipped across the region and the country. Downtown Waverly has unique historic characteristics alongside an active railroad and a bustling interstate corridor, presenting opportunities to draw beer enthusiasts from near and far with a branded, historic experience.
A brewery in the heart of downtown could serve as an anchor that draws in consumers to explore the other retail options the town has to offer, while producing a unique product that can be shipped and sold in regional markets. This type of use helps get Waverly on the map as a regional travel destination, as the products produced in Waverly’s downtown brewery become symbolic of the town it’s produced in, representing the culture and values of the town.
A brewery also creates potential opportunities for both indoor and outdoor mingling, as well as a gathering space for local vendors to set up booths. Many breweries and other businesses encourage and support local craft vendors by allowing them to set up booths for events, drawing additional customers for both the craft vendors and the brewery. Breweries typically call for large open spaces, of which Waverly has plenty, given its vacancies, and this space could help Waverly organize craft events year-round without hindrance from foul weather.
As seen, our analysis shows that there’s support from Waverly residents and Waverly’s trade area for more businesses to operate downtown. But in the case of small and local businesses, it’s not as simple of a concept as “if you build it, they will come,” especially when it comes to attracting travelers and tourists.
In order to catalyze more incoming visitors from Route 460, we’ve conducted a thorough study of the possibilities of installing electric vehicle charging stations as a public utility.
Of the thousands of vehicles ambling down Waverly’s Main Street every day, it’s impossible to know how many are electric. Based on casual observation, it’s clear to see that many are light- and heavy-duty trucks traveling from Point A to Point B along their usual well-worn path, and it’s fair to say there’s not a significant number of Teslas spotted downtown.
So for Waverly, it may be easy to think of electric vehicles as “out of sight, out of mind.”
But widespread adoption of electric vehicles is inevitable, and experts are predicting that it will be sooner than expected. More and more drivers are choosing electric vehicles for all sorts of personal reasons, but the trend is not just driven by consumer demand.
Around the globe, lawmakers are applying both “carrot” and “stick” methods in efforts to get automakers to provide alternatives to nonrenewable and greenhouse-gas-burning sources of fuel. That includes local, state and federal legislation in the U.S. that will only advance in severity as time goes on; there is no turning back.
Electric vehicle sales in the U.S. climbed to 7% of market share of all automobiles — including cars, trucks and buses — sold in the first half of 2022, from just 1.8% in 2019, according to a November 2022 report by BloombergNEF . And thanks to a recent mandate under the Inflation Reduction Act passed in August 2022, which provides tax credits for electric vehicles, the fleet of electric vehicles on U.S. roads will be 20% larger by 2030 than previously forecasted.
Automakers provide evidence of this transition as well, with General Motors, the largest automaker in the U.S., announcing in November that it expects its profits made on electric vehicles will be equal to that of its traditional engine-vehicles in just three years. This includes not just passenger vehicles, but also light- and heavy-duty commercial fleets.
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At odds with legislation and consumer preferences, though, is an inadequate network of charging infrastructure, particularly outside of major cities. A recent survey conducted by AAA found that, of the six main factors holding buyers back from buying an electric vehicle, four of them were related to concerns about a lack of available charging stations.
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Lawmakers are in catch-up mode to ensure the charging infrastructure throughout the U.S. is suitable for the increasing number of electric vehicles on the road. For this report, we reached out to a representative of the Virginia Clean Cities Coalition (VCCC), a not-for-profit designated by the U.S. Department of Energy, to better understand what incentives and programs are available for Waverly.
But first, we conducted research to determine where Waverly might fit into the broader regional, state, Mid-Atlantic, and East Coast charging networks. While the vast majority of charging stations are being installed along major interstate highways such as I-95, we found that Waverly’s location along Route 460 also presents a huge opportunity.
As previously mentioned, Waverly is approximately 50 miles from both the Richmond metro area to the northwest and Norfolk-Hampton Roads to the southeast; it’s the halfway point for drivers traveling between the two metro areas.
However, based on analysis of three charging station databases including the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC), there is not a single commercial-grade charger between the Greater Richmond area and the Greater Norfolk area. That means that drivers of electric vehicles traveling between the two cities must drive more than 100 miles without a charge to reach their destination. To drive more than 100 miles, most electric vehicles on the market must charge for 20 hours using Level 1 home charging stations, or 5 hours using Level 2 commercial-grade chargers, according to AFDC. An approximately 30-minute charge on a Level 3 direct-current fast charger (DCFC), the rarest of the three tiers of charging stations, will still only buy a driver around 124 miles.
This makes Waverly’s position as the halfway point between the metro areas a huge strength. The figures below show the existing charging network in southeastern Virginia, along with a legend explaining the three tiers of charging stations.
Matt Wade, VCCC’s Deputy Director, confirmed this position. “We have a number of projects that could potentially assist Waverly,” Wade said by email on October 31. “It is a very strategic location on Route 460, so it would be a priority to get some stations there.” Wade reiterated on a follow-up phone conversation that Waverly meets several key criteria for state and even federal grants that would financially support the installation of charging stations, including that since downtown is less than 1 mile from a major thoroughfare, Route 460, which also happens to be a designated evacuation route, it’s perfectly suited for publicly-subsidized chargers. Route 460 is not yet an official Department of Energy-designated “alternative fuels corridor” yet, but he believes it will be in the next round. Wade said that VCC had actually been considering pursuing an initiative in or around Waverly (keep in mind that Wakefield was also on VCC’s radar as a possibility, so there is a competitive impetus to pursue this recommendation sooner rather than later), and that, in regards to us reaching out to them, it was “like the stars are aligning.”
Blink EV Level-2 charging stations
To summarize the correspondence with VCC’s Wade:
Though our analysis doesn’t include hard data showing support for a full-scale hotel, some of Waverly’s previously noted strengths such as its location indicate that a smaller boutique hotel could be an essential part of its revitalization plans.
Simpson Hotel Bed & Breakfast in Duncan, Arizona
Boutique hotels are typically smaller and contain anywhere from 10 to 100 rooms. Smaller-scale lodging benefits small towns by encouraging an intimate, authentic experience branded by the idiosyncratic charm of the hotel and by the unique characteristics of the town itself.
Incorporating small-scale lodging within downtown Waverly would encourage visitors to explore neighboring businesses. An independent hotel would pair well with Waverly’s specialty retail stores like Claremont Candle and Madre Luna’s, which cater well to tourists, as well as with some of the opportunities mentioned, such as a brewery and EV charging stations.
A boutique hotel would help Waverly transition from just another intersection along Route 460 to a destination town that invites travelers to stop, shop and stay for the weekend.
One of the initiatives of this study was to uncover existing entrepreneurs in the Waverly area that are not operating their businesses at an official brick and mortar location. Through research and outreach, we were able to uncover several such entrepreneurs who expressed interest in occupying and operating out of a storefront in town.
The team engaged local entrepreneurs to determine what their needs are and how our downtown revitalization plan could benefit their business and vice versa. We successfully engaged with several businesses that are tied to the region, including those that live in Waverly or have served the area for some time. Despite the relatively small sample size, the insights provided by just a few short qualitative interviews paint a picture of what it means to do business in Waverly and how the town can best support its burgeoning entrepreneurial spirit.
The business community representatives we were able to survey included an entrepreneur running a small business from home and a regional business that is in the process of establishing a satellite location in Waverly. Both wished to remain anonymous.
As seen in Figure X below, the regional business entity values grants, advertising, infrastructure upgrades, and ease of navigating regulations such as permitting. More social components weren’t a primary concern for potential expansion; however, the business owner indicated that community festivals or fairs are significant when it comes to sustaining long-term relationships with a community. The business owner indicated that the “pro-business environment” of Waverly is a huge draw, particularly the seasonably themed evening business events that Waverly leadership organizes on a regular basis. This business owner indicated that “Waverly is at the beginning of a huge metamorphosis.”
Furthermore, he said that Waverly business promotions such as signage — “‘Welcome to Waverly,’ for instance — as well as downtown beautification and renewed infrastructure all help to make downtown inviting.” * This business owner cares deeply about the placemaking and design aspects of downtown, recognizing that downtown Waverly has the makings of being a unique and inviting retail and public environment.
This regional business owner has run his business successfully for decades, supporting his family by providing employment opportunities and teaching the trade while also supporting the community itself. Nearly all his customers are locals from the region or Virginia residents that travel through the area. His primary means of advertisement is through street signage and industry promotions hosted by the locality in which his business is located.
Another regional business owner we were able to speak to was Thom Pakurar, Jr., of Dancing Kilt Brewery located in Chester, Virginia. Thom started his business in 2014, close to where he grew up. When asked about what he looks for when locating his business, the first thing that came to his mind was zoning and regulations. He said the administrative hurdles that can accompany getting a brewery up and running can significantly slow down opening, and increase startup costs. “A good walking environment, sports, and other successful businesses such as restaurants help make a brewery or taphouse successful.” Additionally, local government support is crucial: “It takes a village, and having a good chamber of commerce is fundamental to business success.”
Mr. Pakurar greatly values the use of public spaces to host community events, indicating that these draw in visitors regionwide. “It takes time and money … but having a centered public area helps draw people in.”
Through online searching, our team was also able to locate a small business by the name of Campbell’s Leathercraft, registered to a home address in Waverly. A member of our team contacted Benjamin Campbell who recently struck it out on his own by utilizing his leathercrafting talent to create a product that fills a niche for consumers within his area. Mr. Campbell is also a native Waverly resident with close ties to the community.
Despite his excellent reputation and burgeoning customer base, he continues to operate out of his own home. That said, he has a vision of opening a small storefront in downtown Waverly. “The main hurdle is coming up with capital and [the costs of] overhead. What I do doesn’t take up a lot of space,” he said. “I don’t want to start a giant corporation, but I’d love to have a small storefront.” * *
Benjamin Campbell also recognizes the value of craft fairs and open-air markets. “I travel around in the summer to farmers markets in the region. If Waverly had an open-air market that people could get involved in, it would help a lot of the businesses in the area.” *
Entrepreneurs and small business owners such as these would contribute to the social and cultural health of Waverly, and in supporting these individuals in their pursuit to hone their craft and build their business, the town would be investing in its future.
One of the most significant opportunities for Waverly to address both its potential to support new businesses in its downtown and help fill vacant buildings downtown is the Virginia Community Business Launch (CBL) program.
The CBL program is an initiative of the Department of Housing and Community Development that aims to stimulate the community's entrepreneurial sector and help a small town generate tax revenue and foster more economic vitality by pairing entrepreneurs with owners of vacant properties. DHCD describes it as a "place-based entrepreneurial development strategy that fills a critical mass of vacant storefronts with expansion or start-up ventures.”
CBL aims to fill vacancies with ventures that are either just starting up or expanding. Businesses selected for this program typically meet a market-based need within a specific downtown community. The program provides mentorship and educational support to entrepreneurs and home-based business owners in the skills that it takes to create a business plan and launch a place-based business.
The Community Business Launch program begins accepting applications from localities in early February of each year. Figure X demonstrates the pre-application, business plan, and application requirements.
Storefronts must be “market-ready” to comply with program requirements, so before a local government applies for this program, it must establish a list of vacant buildings, with a sense of which are turnkey, which will require renovation, and an idea of the scope of work necessary to make them ready if they’re not. Real estate agents can assist with this part of the application, and the application requires a list of real estate agents who may be able to assist brokering deals and leases between property owners and the business operators who are selected for the program.
The application to the CBL program also requires building inventory information, including square footage and historical use details. Applicants coordinate with property owners to supply a description sheet with details about the owners’ intentions to sell or rent, improvement details for the space to be market-ready if it is not already, its preferred and acceptable uses and other information.
The application also requires a list of at least 10 entrepreneurial applicants who intend to occupy a brick-and-mortar space downtown.
Figure X. Community Business Launch Timeline. Information provided by the DHCD.
If a town is selected to participate in the program, representatives from CBL begin engaging town stakeholders. Entrepreneurs are first recruited by the locality to participate in a CBL-sponsored training course for several weeks to develop and hone their plans. At the end of the training course, these business owners pitch their business plans to a selected panel of business owners in the community, who then determine grant winners.
These winners receive grants from DHCD. They are then paired with property owners, and the broker helps facilitate a lease agreement between the two parties. A successful CBL program would establish at least three additional storefronts within the town and at least five new full-time employment jobs created. In return, this program would address almost 40% of the vacant storefronts in Waverly.
There are several follow-up requirements after property owners match and lease the space. For one, the business must begin occupying the building six months after it is awarded a grant. Though it doesn’t have any bearing on the award money granted, the applicant is expected to report how it’s doing for at least three years after the grant is awarded.
An example of a town similar to Waverly that has had success with the CBL program is Scottsville, a small town with a population of 615 in Albemarle County. A representative from Scottsville said that the program resulted in the opening of four new businesses as well as great press for the town and the leasing of several vacant properties.
Blackstone, Virginia, a small town of 3,621, also addressed some of its vacant storefronts through the CBL grant. As a part of its application, the town focused on food-based businesses, seeking entrepreneurs to fill that gap. Blackstone was awarded the full amount of $90,000, of which half was utilized for the assessment of local assets and market potential. The other portion of funding went to its winning businesses. This program resulted in four new businesses and 10 full-time jobs. The follow includes the winners and the grant amounts awarded to them:
· Liberty Hollow Sweets (chocolatier) | $25,000
· In Depth Productions (photographer / videographer) | $15,000
· RV Mom in Pink (maker of resin items) | $3,000
· Smiles N’ Gigglez (indoor children’s party venue) | $2,000
· TaaDaa the Bakery (expanding existing business) | $1,000
To summarize, the CBL program could help stimulate growth within Waverly’s downtown area and help fill vacant storefronts.
We've covered Waverly's challenges and opportunities in depth, but the next section highlights recommendations that will start Waverly's journey to revitalization. With those in place, Waverly will look a lot different than it does now, and perhaps closer to what it looked like long ago. It may be described as something like this:
Waverly is a quiet roadside outpost where neighbors exchange pleasantries and travelers revel in smalltown delights.
Imagine a Waverly that recognizes and cherishes its past while investing in its future. Picture a Main Street where people walk, dine, and window shop while birds chirp from the trees shading downtown. Imagine a downtown where friends and neighbors meet to exchange local news and share company seated at benches to watch the world go by.
Envision local businesses with thoughtful window displays lining the street, attracting passersby. Visualize the town events that draw in visitors from far and wide, building relationships with community members, visitors, and even town leaders. Downtown’s heart and soul will represent the spirit and vitality of Waverly, an unwavering and engaging spirit that empowers all who visit. This is the vision of Waverly’s future, Waverly needs only to build upon its strengths and invite new and unique ideas.
The primary goal for commercial revitalization when it comes to the problem of vacant buildings, as identified by the VGR study, is to help encourage property owners to “rehabilitate, lease or sell.”
As far as specific recommendations go, there are two approaches that Waverly could consider: incentives or penalties. Both start with outreach to property owners.
Waverly should first identify vacant properties and their owners and begin contacting these owners. Ask about their challenges and goals. Some may simply need mild to moderate assistance in getting their property on the market, either for sale or rent. Others may be entirely resistant.
For property owners that have moderate needs, the town should first offer incentives to assist these owners in getting their properties rehabilitated, known as the “carrot” approach. Incentives can take the form of rehabilitation grants or tax credits. These incentives should be monitored closely, however.
For example, when offering grants to property owners to rehabilitate vacant properties, these property owners must match funding and meet deadlines for complete renovation projects. Incentives at the local level should be paired with incentives at the county level, as Sussex County could offer reduced permitting fees for rehabilitation projects in addition to expedited permit approval. Permits and other administrative hurdles could be all that stands in the way for vacant property owners in rehabilitating their properties.
Some may already be in the process of making positive changes to the property and it may just be moving slowly. In the interim, Properties that are in the process of renovation but that still appear vacant should be required to display some form of signage or communication denoting that changes are on the way, signaling to residents and visitors alike that new neighbors and businesses will join Waverly’s downtown soon.
VGR’s plan suggested trying to improve the aesthetics of dark buildings by enhancing storefront displays via the installation of local artwork and/or promotional materials. Simple signs letting passersby know that the property could be the future site of business could inspire aspiring local business operators and indicate that to onlookers that Waverly will have more to offer on the horizon.
In this case, the town should encourage property owners to put up signs to increase the attractiveness of these properties while development is occurring or expected to occur. If the landlords are unable to or unwilling to display signage and other positive messaging, the town should ask for permission to do so themselves.
For the owners who are resistant or nonresponsive, there are penalties and other methods considered to be the “stick” approach. Specifically, there are options at the state level that permit Waverly and Sussex County to levy fees on vacant property owners.
Vacant property fees are enabled through Virginia state codes, and namely code 15.2. In this code, any city or town can require, by ordinance, the owner(s) of buildings that have been vacant for a continuous period of 12 months or more to register such buildings on an annual basis, which comes with an annual registration fee not to exceed $100. * , which offsets the cost of processing the registration. This policy could be enacted quickly and would institute penalties on property owners that allow their land to sit vacant for one year or more. While the fee is nominal, utilizing this financial tool is to first step to signaling to landowners that their property is affecting other properties in the area and discouraging new development and visitors to the area and that the town is taking notice and taking actions to remedy it.
At the county level, there is a relatively new policy that Sussex County could consider pursuing. Title 58.1-3221.6 permits counties and cities to classify blighted and derelict properties. This code permits localities with a score of 100 or higher on the fiscal stress index to declare blighted or derelict properties as a separate class of property for taxation purposes. The Congressional Budget Office defines fiscal stress as, “A gap between projected revenues and expenditures which can be short term, in the case of transitory economic shocks, or long term, in the case of structural budget imbalance.” *
Sussex County had a fiscal stress index score of 102.87 in 2021, according to the Department of Housing and Community Development, which is considered above average for the state. Due to this designation, Sussex County may levy additional fees on blighted property at a rate different from that levied on other real property, exceeding the rate applicable to the general class of real property by up to five percent, but not less than the rate applicable to the general class of real property. Derelict property constitutes a heavier rate of up 10%.
It’s up to the real estate assessor of the locality to determine whether a property is blighted, or a structure is derelict. * But generally, properties are considered blighted if they endanger the public’s health, safety, or welfare because the structures or improvements violate minimum health and safety standards. Derelict properties are those properties that might endanger the public’s health, safety, or welfare and for a continuous period in excess of six months, or ones that have been vacant, boarded up in accordance with the building code, and not lawfully connected to the electric service from a utility service provider or not lawfully connected to any required water or sewer service from a utility service provider. *
Code enforcement would prevent properties from becoming public nuisances through safety hazards such as broken glass or dilapidated roofs.
There are also some additional legal tools at Waverly’s disposal. Local ordinances requiring property owners to maintain grass height, minimum safety standards, and other criteria should be enforced on property owners that aren’t maintaining properties to the town’s standards. The repercussions for non-compliance are described as “charges or liens as remuneration for maintenance services provided by the city. In extreme cases, some localities levy substantial nuisance fines but then forgive them in return for the owner’s promise to sell or clean up their property.” *
Steps:
1. Inventory vacant buildings in downtown Waverly.
2. Identify property owners’ names, contact information and other key details.
3. Reach out to vacant property owners and determine what needs they may have to get their property prepared to rehabilitate, lease or sell. Work with property owners to help them begin or continue this process.
4. Develop rehabilitation grants and tax credit opportunities for vacant property owners that wish to rehabilitate their property and bring it to a functional state but who may require financial assistance to do so.
5. Work with property owners to place signage and storefront displays, increasing the liveliness of downtown.
6. Establish code enforcement measures for vacant and underutilized parcels with safety as a primary concern.
7. Consider charging fees to vacant and underutilized properties that are noncompliant with town ordinances.
BRINGING FRESH FOOD TO WAVERLY
Steps:
INSTALLING ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS
Steps:
1. Determine whether the post office parking lot location would be an appropriate location for two to five charging stations, or an alternate location downtown.
2. Identify the power supply available. As reference, the 2020 Comprehensive Plan states that Dominion Energy serves the majority of the town area via a substation, with a 500 kilovolt transmission line north of town and two 115 kilovolt lines to the south.
3. Using contact information provided *, connect with Matt Wade of VCCC and Andrew Hillman of Blink, who will help facilitate next steps.
PROVIDING ENTREPRENUERIAL SUPPORT
Placemaking and fostering an aesthetic environment that promotes small businesses in downtown Waverly is important to draw customers and regional travelers. Hosting community events such as craft fairs or festivals where vendors can set up booths and tables build a greater customer base for small businesses and helps establish their network. Connecting with entrepreneurs helps determine needs from local artisans and ways to support their vision.
Entrepreneurs typically have friends, family members, and other individuals in their network that operate small businesses out of their home or garage. Many of these entrepreneurs advocate for each other and recommend customers to each other, creating a network of small businesses. These networks exist in Waverly and need only be identified and supported for future events in the town and/or assisting in setting up permanent locations for these businesses.
Steps:
1. Identify and establish a network of entrepreneurs and small businesses in Waverly and surrounding areas. Establish a subgroup of the Chamber of Commerce and invite them to join, participate and learn from more established business operators.
2. Organize regular craft fairs in which entrepreneurs and makers, craftspeople and small business operators can set up tables to display and sell the products that they create.
3. Engage in the supporting steps for attracting and facilitating a Community Business Launch program, which are outlined below.
Recommendations for design and placemaking fall under three categories, aligned with the implementation phasing plan presented in the next section of the report:
· Improving and Beautifying Downtown
· Foster Waverly’s Identity
· Redesigning and Reinvigorating Main Street
IMPROVING AND BEAUTIFYING DOWNTOWN
Install benches. Providing a comfortable place to rest can help elongate the amount of time visitors spend downtown. Benches do not have to be ornate or expensive. These benches may be commemorated to significant leaders in the community or impactful organizations.
Replace trash receptacles and add recycling receptacles. Providing visitors with newer trash and recycling receptacles helps show visitors that the town cares about keeping its downtown clean.
Install public restrooms. Oftentimes visitors cut their visits short when they have to use the restroom. Providing public restrooms helps reduce the stress of finding a public restroom, especially for parents with young children and those with medical conditions.
Install bike racks. While daily bikers are usually not prevalent in rural towns like Waverly, it is important to provide amenities for those that do, and to encourage more to use bikes as an alternative to vehicle traffic.
One or two bike racks that can hold at least three bicycles is sufficient for a smaller downtown area.
Install truncated domes and detectable warning pavers. To ensure the safety of pedestrians on Route 40, installing features that improve accessibility is necessary. Warning pavers with truncated domes allow for those with disabilities to know that they have reached the end of a sidewalk and the road is directly in front of them.
Reduce the downtown speed limit. Decreasing the traffic speed limit reduces the chances of automobile-related accidents. The current speed limit of 25 mph is standard for VDOT requirements but the town may request to revisit the speed limit based on traffic patterns downtown that include a large volume of commercial vehicles.
Install raised crosswalks. Raised crosswalks ensure traffic will slow down and yield to pedestrians crossing the street. The town should consider putting in two raised crosswalks: one at the intersection of Main Street and Maifield Ave and one at the intersection of Main Street and Bank Street.
Provide wayfinding signage that both welcomes and directs visitors. Creating better signage can help to draw and retain visitors. This also helps avoid traffic congestion or incidents that may occur due to drivers being disoriented and unable to navigate properly. Signage helps to direct visitors to amenities such as parking, restrooms, or recreational facilities.
Reduce the impact of vacant buildings through window displays. Renovating the interior of buildings downtown will attract new business and enhance existing businesses currently located downtown, but the process is long and could involve several key interventions, which are covered in the vacant buildings recommendation above.
Storefront art displays and "for lease" signs on the left vs. empty storefronts in Waverly (right)
A temporary solution, however, is to establish displays that add character to vacant storefront windows. This can increase foot traffic and bring more liveliness to the downtown, even while buildings are vacant.
Assess the potential of burying utility poles. Burying utility poles adds more usable space on the sidewalks and creates a more aesthetically pleasing streetscape. This is not financially feasible for many places, but if it is for Waverly then the town should consider it.
Screen all commercial dumpsters, industrial material, and parking areas. One of the objectives of the Waverly Comprehensive Plan is to “provide buffers such as open space, trees, shrubbery or fencing between commercial and residential areas.” We agree that this should continue to be a primary objective as Waverly grows.
However, our recommendation is to take this one step further, by installing the same types of interventions not just between commercial and residential zones, but also between some of the more heavy-duty commercial uses downtown such as the Cowling Brothers’ enterprise, for example, which produces “concentrations of traffic, light, dust odors, smoke or other obnoxious influences,” and the more consumer- and pedestrian- oriented businesses that currently operate or have potential to be added nearby.
In an attempt to increase the attractive character of downtown, priority should be given to establishing buffers in the form of hedges or fences along Main Street and Bank Street, seen in the map below. Placing fences that are at least 6 feet tall will allow industrial use to continue within the downtown area while improving the streetscape. These buffers can vary in design and material. Examples include privacy hedges, fences, murals, and planting strips.
This design choice follows the principles of smart growth to “create walkable neighborhoods.” Smart Growth America explains that “walkable places are created in part by mixing land uses and taking advantage of compact design, but are activated by smart street design that makes walking not only practical but safe and convenient to enjoy.” *
BOLSTERING WAVERLY's IDENTITY
Establish a community pavilion. The 1.6-acre vacant lot across from Waverly Town Hall on Bank Street provides an opportunity for the town to create a unique sense of place, creating a permanent area for community events.
This parcel of land is owned by the town and may serve a variety of uses. Based on the market study discussed before, Waverly has the capacity to offer a place for fresh produce and artisan wares to be sold.
A space should be offered to small businesses or individuals working out of their home to sell their crafts. Building a community pavilion for such use would provide an area for people to gather for events, farmers markets and utilize a vacant space located within walking distance of Main Street. A site plan similar to the one shown below can accommodate green space for events, a 5,000-square-foot pavilion, and parking at the rear of the lot for visitors and vendors.
Install a train-viewing platform with plaques honoring the history of Waverly. The railroad has been a part of Waverly’s history since its incorporation. Without the railroad, Waverly may not have been built to what it is today.
Waverly may consider branding itself as a “train town” in order to create an identity for residents that draws in a larger tourist base from through traffic and people living in metro areas such as Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News and Richmond-Petersburg.
Waverly’s proximity to the railroad is an example of a perceived challenge which can become one of the town’s strengths. Adopting the railroad as part of the town’s fabric creates a stronger sense of place and gives Waverly a unique identity.
Train-viewing stations are safe, established areas for people to watch trains pass. These places are ideal for railfans or trainspotters. Building a train-viewing station can enhance the town's character and provide an additional place to attract tourists and passersby on Route 460. Examples of similar train-viewing stations include the Irondale Train Watching Platform in Irondale, Alabama and the train-viewing platform in Lindale, Georgia.
One potential location for a train-viewing station could be behind the buildings on the northside of Main Street. This area may be accessed by a road between 107 and 111 Maifeld Avenue. In addition to this viewing station, businesses located on the north side of Main Street can offer al fresco dining and expand their business to the rear of the building.This area’s proximity to the proposed pocket park on the corner of Maifeld Avenue and Main Street will further activate the space. Through these efforts, the triangle created by Main Street, Maifeld Avenue and the railroad tracks could become an attractive tourist destination.
Placing historic signs in and around the train-viewing platform will educate visitors about the impact the railroad has had on Waverly. This creates a destination for residents and visitors of the town. These tools help create a greater “place of the heart,” which Randall Arendt refers to in Rural by Design as an aspect which is difficult to quantify by a passerby, but better defined by the people ingrained in the community.
Invest time into branding. Commissioning the painting of murals on the sides of buildings is a more short-term solution. This could even be accomplished by engaging the town’s schools or by holding community events to gather input from residents. Giving character to the side of buildings adjacent to vacant parcels may help buildings contribute to the town’s sense of place. Waverly should also consider developing a town logo and a social media presence for digital promotion.
REDESIGNING AND REINVIGORATING MAIN STREET
Install pedestrian-scale lighting. Larger street lights tower over pedestrians and shine harsh light on the street beneath. Lowering the street lights helps bring the lighting to pedestrian scale. Ambient lighting helps to improve mood and is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Lower street lights are often also sufficient for vehicle traffic.
Combining streetlights with wayfinding signage is a great way to save sidewalk space
Extend the sidewalk. In order to extend sidewalk space, parking can only be permitted on one side of Main Street, and preferably the north side. Extending the sidewalk helps accommodate visitors with strollers or in wheelchairs. It also helps to create a large space between the frontage of buildings and automobile traffic.
In the proposed design intervention, street parking on the northside of Main street is removed and the sidewalk is widened. Extending the sidewalks and adding partial parking in this space will enhance the charm of Main Street. See Figure 11 below. Extending the current sidewalk from six feet to approximately 12 feet provides many beneficial design opportunities to activate this space.
Install curb bump outs. Installing a curb bump out provides an opportunity to reduce traffic speed and add protection for on-street parking spaces. Curb bump outs can help reduce the chance of automobile-related accidents and aid in slowing traffic.
On-street and lot parking spaces should always be painted and clearly identifiable. In place of some parking spaces, these curb bump outs may provide outdoor dining options (see Figure 12).
This will also make the street more engaging and interactive. Increasing the distance from pedestrians to the street allows businesses owners the opportunity to use the space in front of their stores and it activates the streetfront.
Introduce greenspace in the form of street landscaping and a pocket park. Greenspace improves air quality by acting as a natural filter for pollutants. This is especially important for the downtown area given its proximity to Route 460 and the railroad. Developing a pocket park can help create a sense of place and give visitors a place to gather, rest and recreate.
Street landscaping provides a natural buffer between traffic and the pedestrian. The landscaping enhances the appearance of the public realm and helps create a sense of enclosure while walking down the street. Greenspace is one of the primary ways of enhancing the pedestrian experience through design. Adding trees and shrubs on the extended part of the sidewalks creates a live environment of the street. See Figure 13 on the next page.
A sidewalk with street landscaping (left) vs. the Waverly sidewalk with no buffer from vehicles (right)
Another option to improve landscaping on Main Street is through converting the parking lot at the corner of Main Street and Maifeld Avenue into a pocket park. This street corner is at the geographic center of Waverly’s Historic Downtown District. Utilizing this space to attract people to rest will create a stronger identity for Waverly. Partnership with the lot owner would be required.
Though this would take away 16 spaces, additional parking may be provided as part of the community pavilion site recommendation, included below. See Figure 13 below. Parks are necessary for sustainable urban environments, and adding them in the context of Waverly downtown will benefit its flourishing future.
This could also work toward a concept that the Comprehensive Plan identified: the need for a “community common area,” also called a “Town Center,” and “gathering place,” encompassing an area for citizens’ recreation and enjoyment via outdoor activities, community events and passive recreation, all of which is meant to reestablish the sense of community that the town has historically possessed.
With all of the recommendations laid out, the town of Waverly and its stakeholders just need to know where to start. As some of the market- and economic-based suggestions work in tandem with some of the placemaking and design recommendations, an iterative, phased approach is best.
While there’s no timeline associated with this implementation plan, there’s no better time to start than now, and the steps outlined in the short-term phase are essential. The first phase comprises more easily addressed and lower-cost essentials to revitalization.
Many of the more intensive recommendations, presented in the second, mid-term phase, rely on completing the recommendations in the first.
The third, long-term phase is recognized as requiring intensive planning and budgeting.
In the near-term, Waverly should:
· Create an Inventory of Vacant Buildings
· Improve Pedestrian Safety
· Invest in Public Amenities
The first step toward tackling the problem of vacant and underutilized buildings downtown is to establish an inventory. Contacting property owners of vacant buildings can help kick off a public-private relationship that ultimately encourages property owners to improve and fill their buildings. Incentives like tax credits for restoration projects as well as applying for grants and tax credits to improve storefronts can help get the ball rolling toward filling vacancies, and increase curb appeal along the way.
The town can also begin making improvements to the streetscape and pedestrian safety measures by reducing the speed limit through town and installing raised crosswalks with truncated domes at key intersections along Main Street. Improving the downtown area can also be done through investing in public amenities. Benches, bike racks and trash and recycling bins are additions the town can implement to increase the curb appeal in public areas that will enhance pedestrian’s experience of downtown Waverly and further send signals to property owners and potential new business operators that the town has faith in its downtown.
By investing in public amenities and improving pedestrian safety in Phase 1, Main Street will start to become an attractive area for community members and visitors alike.
Most of the recommendations for the second, mid-term phase of Waverly's revitalization can get kick off while work is starting on the first phase.
· Address and Promote Market Opportunities
· Enhance Waverly’s Identify Through Place-Based Amenities
· Refine Aspects of Urban Design
· Install EV Chargers
· Champion and Apply for the Community Business Launch Program
The market analysis is clear: there are several promising opportunities that would spur greater economic vitality through the additions of new businesses in Waverly. But first, infrastructure that supports small-scale businesses is key to attracting them.
Building a community pavilion on the vacant lot across from town hall, for instance, creates a space for small business and artisans to sell their crafts and produce, and it gives them a chance to test the vitality of their operations in a real setting, which is likely to be that first stepping stone toward their path to opening a brick-and-mortar location downtown.
Not only does this help small businesses get their start in Waverly, it also helps create an identity for the town through a physical space for the community and surrounding areas. A pocket park creates a sense of place where residents and visitors can stop and relax, rather than hurrying through their business. This encourages more spending at local businesses and a greater sense of community. Building a train-viewing platform in the same phase also contributes to a new identity for the town; one that is heavily informed by its rich past.
EV Chargers located at the heart of downtown will help draw in through traffic.
Completing a vacant property inventory and establishing relationships with owners of vacant buildings is the first step toward attracting a Community Business Launch program. Knowing where these businesses could be located in required before starting this process. Working with local entrepreneurs who are ready to move into storefronts can do wonders for the downtown area’s sense of place and its economic vitality. Not only would the program help meet potential market opportunities, it works in tandem with the goal of filling vacant storefronts.
With longer-term strategy and budgetary planning, Waverly can round out the recommendations in this report in a third phase.
· Restructure the streetscape of the downtown stretch of Main Street
· Diverting and mitigating heavy-truck traffic in the downtown stretch.
Extending the sidewalk on one side of Main Street is a long-term goal for the town. Creating a more inviting space for pedestrians on Main Street in Phases 1 and 2 warrants the removal of some parking on one side of the street and designating that space for pedestrians.
Alternative uses from parking provide planting areas, pedestrian safety and additional space for businesses to activate the space in front of their building through outdoor displays or al fresca dining.
Diverting heavy traffic from main street will also improve pedestrian safety and further improve the town’s downtown identity. The town would need to embark on a comprehensive traffic rerouting plan that may entail construction of new roads the integral involvement of VODT. Short of taking these measures, there are more attainable solutions, such as the pedestrian safety recommendations presented in Phase 1, including installation of truncated domes, raised crosswalks and the reduction of speed limits through downtown.
Waverly has its hardships and challenges, but it’s clear that the town is ready for change. To build upon its strengths, Waverly must look beyond simple, low-impact changes and instead plan for significant transformation of its downtown.
Even adopting some, if not all of the recommendations offered in this plan will have a profound impact on Waverly’s future.
Much like anyone who has had the privilege of working with the town of Waverly, our team believes in the future of downtown Waverly. This plan represents our research and creative vision for Waverly and we hope that it meets the needs and desires of the town.
A scene from Ashland, Virginia, serving as inspiration for what Waverly could be