Downtown business district economy predicted to improve following Hooper House renovation

By Lisa Majors-Duff

The roof is all that remains to be completed during Phase I (structure stabilization) of the Hooper House renovation in downtown Sylva. Phase II (infrastructure) and Phase III (finishing touches) are set to begin soon with assistance from the Department of Transportation's TEA-21 program. Plans call for SPIR, the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, Travel and Tourism Authority and the county Historical Association to move in later this year, after which officials are predicting a "huge economic impact" for the downtown business district.

"This project is a good example of what a community can do when it comes together," said Richard McHargue, executive director of SPIR, which with the Chamber of Commerce, Travel and Tourism Authority and the Historical Association will call the Hooper House home sometime this fall.

Both McHargue and Chamber of Commerce Director Julie Spiro spoke recently about the impact a restored Hooper House could have on downtown Sylva.

"(The Hooper House) will have a tremendous psychological impact, especially for those people who like to see history preserved," McHargue said. "And it will only add to the success so far on Main Street."

Sylva Partners in Renewal, with financial support from the town of Sylva, developed and implemented a streetscape improvement program, which resulted in added landscaping, benches and brick pavers along Main Street. The project is proposed to be continued on Mill Street, with design meetings scheduled to get under way in February, McHargue said.

"Downtown is the heart of the community," McHargue said. "The more people can identify with the downtown, the better the community becomes."

The preservation of the Hooper House is a perfect example of what SPIR and the N.C. Main Street Program stand for, McHargue said. Improving building facades is one component of the program geared toward enhancing appearances and creating an inviting feeling for visitors and locals alike.

"Only certain items in the house were eligible for the DOT program," she said. "(DOT) only considered the areas that would be accessible to the general public."

The Hooper House was approved for Transportation Enhancement Act-21 funding in the amount of $113,054 last year. The Hooper House Preservation Foundation will use these funds during both Phases II (infrastructure repairs) and III (finishing touches) for portions of the house that will directly impact the public. About 90 percent of the ground level - the meet and greet visitors area, public restrooms and work space for Chamber of Commerce employees - is included, Spiro said.

An emphasis of the TEA-21 program is economic development, she said, and bringing visitors downtown was an especially important part of the Hooper House application.

"It was important to the DOT to route traffic to the downtown area and to enhance an already developing Main Street economy," said Spiro. "We served 20,407 walk-in visitors in 2000 who did not necessarily ever go downtown. We feel that bringing those visitors to downtown Sylva will make a huge impact on the economy."

McHargue, who agrees with Spiro's prediction for downtown Sylva's economic future, said he is pleased SPIR will be part of this type of collaborative effort.

"It's good for SPIR to be in the Hooper House," he said. "Any non-profit needs to rely on the type of effort that has made this project a success. It's a good example of what the community can do when it sets its collective mind to something."

With a reference to the Hooper House Preservation Foundation, which was formed when county leaders proposed destroying the former home of Dr. D.D. Hooper to make room for an expansion of the adjacent public library, McHargue pointed out that the project has been "the result of a grassroots effort that would not have been possible without everyone's support." Community leaders came together to form the foundation, started raising funds and developing renovation plans. An architect was hired and 501(c)(3) non-profit status was achieved.

Not only will the Hooper House renovation project benefit downtown Sylva from a tourism standpoint, but it will bring four local entities working toward a common goal under one roof, Spiro said.

"All of us working together will strengthen the economy of the downtown through a spirit of cooperation," she said. "When one of us sponsors an event, we will all benefit."

Editor's note: This is the second in a series of articles devoted to an examination of the renovation efforts at the D.D. Hooper House in downtown Sylva.

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