Cities Civil and Municipal November 2024

Winchester, Tennessee – Franklin County

November 26, 2024

Winchester, Tennessee

A Small Town with Big Plans for the Future

This deeply rooted town is embracing its historic charm while positioning itself as a destination for the future.

In Winchester, Tennessee, history and modernity blend seamlessly. Located in the heart of Franklin County, the town offers residents and visitors a unique balance of old-world charm and contemporary conveniences. Mayor Sean Crabtree believes this juxtaposition of past and present is what makes Winchester unique. “For me, the thing that separates us,” he says, “is we have this beautiful mix of historic downtown, yet with a modern feel. You can sense the growth happening all around the city.”

Mayor Crabtree is also quick to highlight the area’s natural beauty. “We’ve got an abundance of natural resources,” he notes. Winchester is home to Tims Ford Lake, an expansive body of water that plays a central role in the town’s identity. Project Manager Yvonne Stewart jumps in to share the scale of this local treasure: “10,782 acres of lake and 246 miles of shoreline,” she states proudly.

Yet, despite this feeling of escape, Winchester remains far from isolated. “We’re centrally located between Nashville, Chattanooga, and Huntsville,” says Mayor Crabtree. “You can come here and escape but still be plugged in.” This balance—between relaxation and accessibility—makes Winchester an attractive destination for tourists, businesses, and families looking to settle down.

Revitalizing the Heart of Winchester

The historic downtown of Winchester has been a focal point for the city’s leadership over the past two decades. Once a desolate area, it has transformed into a vibrant space where people can stroll, shop, and enjoy the charm of a small Southern town with a growing modern appeal. The revitalization efforts, however, didn’t happen overnight.

Beth Rhoton, City Administrator, recalls a pivotal moment. “The city of Winchester was fortunate back in the early 2000s to receive a downtown courthouse revitalization grant,” she explains. This grant, awarded in 2005, became the foundation for years of focused development. “By 2007 or 2008, we formed the Winchester Downtown Program Corporation to oversee much of the construction and manage the funds. It’s been a 15-year process,” she says, describing the steady transformation that has reshaped the area.

As part of this push for revitalization, making Winchester more pedestrian-friendly has been a key goal. “We’ve been fairly successful,” Rhoton says. “We are a Main Street community, and the city has prioritized facilitating walkability.” Winchester recently completed a comprehensive land-use study to further this effort and guide future growth. “We are in an 11-month process right now with a street and sidewalk program,” Rhoton shares. The project, aimed at expanding walkability beyond the immediate downtown area, is set to cover commercial corridors and residential zones.

The revitalization hasn’t come without challenges. Mayor Crabtree reflects on the cultural shift required to change how people use the downtown area. “For 50 years, people were used to parking right in front of the store they wanted to visit,” he says. “There were many struggles attempting to revitalize downtown, but it’s really coming to fruition now.

The financial commitment to the project has been substantial. Mayor Crabtree highlights the bold moves Winchester had to make early on. “When we got word that we received the grant and formed the downtown group, we went out on a limb and borrowed against future earnings,” he says. Initially, the city spent around $9 million revitalizing the downtown area, but that figure has since grown. “To date, we’ve probably spent somewhere around $13.5 million downtown,” the mayor adds.

Strategic Growth and Future Planning

As Winchester continues to grow, city leaders are focused on ensuring that this expansion happens thoughtfully and in line with a vision for the future. Rhoton explains that the newly approved land use plan, developed with KCI, serves as a roadmap for Winchester’s future.

“We just got that approved by the city council in June,” she notes. The plan is designed to guide the city’s growth for the next 20 years, outlining where expansion is most feasible and beneficial. “It really helps our planning commission see where we want to be in the future,” she adds, pointing out that while the plan is long-term, it remains flexible.

Mayor Crabtree shares this vision. “We’ve experienced a lot of growth, and the goal is to make it intentional,” he says. Winchester is focusing on growth across all sectors—industrial, commercial, residential, and multifamily—ensuring that each area develops to support the town’s broader objectives. However, Crabtree remains exceptionally committed to encouraging commercial activity in downtown Winchester, which he calls “the heart of the city.” Efforts to recruit new businesses are a top priority as Winchester positions itself as a hub of commerce for the city and county.

The City’s valued design architects have also collaborated on the overall urban vision. Since 2010, Smith Gee Studio in Nashville, TN has continued serving the Winchester Downtown Program as Urban Designers, Architects, and Interior Designers. SGS has assisted the Program implement the Winchester Downtown Master Plan through creation of Design Guidelines, designing an architectural Facade Improvement Program for existing buildings, and designing an adaptive reuse for the Winchester Livery venue and an in-progress adaptive reuse project for a Downtown Tap Room.

Rhoton expands on one of the city’s key initiatives in the commercial sector: attracting a hotel to the downtown area. “We just recently, this spring, did a hotel feasibility study,” she says. The need for a hotel, particularly one located near downtown for easy walkability, is clear. Winchester’s extensive park system and proximity to Tims Ford Lake make it an attractive destination for outdoor enthusiasts and tourists, but the lack of nearby lodging has been a barrier. “We have the facilities to host big sporting events, but we don’t have the housing for people to stay multiple days,” she explains.

As Winchester’s growth continues, the city is also keen to ensure its population numbers accurately reflect its development. Rhoton explains that Winchester is conducting a special census, a move prompted by the shortcomings of the 2020 U.S. Census, which took place during COVID-19. “We’re slightly below 10,000, but we know from being here every day that we are over that,” she says. Hitting that 10,000-resident mark is key for recruitment and securing additional state revenues. “We’ll have that done by spring of next year,” she adds.

Residential Growth

Winchester’s residential landscape has seen significant change in recent years. What was once a local market driven by community-based contractors has shifted into a magnet for builders and investors from larger cities across Tennessee like Nashville, Murfreesboro, and Brentwood. Stewart explains how the influx of outside interest has reshaped the residential scene. “Ten years ago, we just had local investors and contractors building homes,” she says. “But now, we’ve become the place that everyone wants to live, work, and play.”

Rhoton points out that the trend accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic when second-home owners in Winchester discovered they could transition to full-time remote work. “We did have a large amount of second homes here,” she notes. “During COVID, people realized they could work from home permanently, and we gained a lot of residents during that period.” This shift isn’t just anecdotal—it’s had a measurable impact on the city’s financial health. “We’ve been tracking our local option sales tax, and we exceeded expectations every year for the last four years,” Rhoton adds.

Mayor Crabtree sees this growth as a combination of lifestyle and affordability, particularly for those moving from larger cities. Winchester’s real estate prices, which are more attractive than those in the booming metropolitan areas, make the city appealing. A residential boom supports this trend, with hundreds of new homes either recently completed or in development. “It’s probably closer to around 1,300 homes that are on the books now,” Mayor Crabtree says. “About 600 have been built in the last 12 months, but we have over double that slated to be built.” This rapid growth draws new families and individuals, which fuels the local economy.

Infrastructure Projects and Holistic Growth

As Winchester’s population expands, so does the need for robust infrastructure to support it. “We have some major wastewater projects going on for both industrial and residential development,” Stewart says. A $15 million wastewater force main and a new pump station near the industrial park are among the largest initiatives currently underway, with a completion target set for 2026.

According to Stewart, roads and sidewalks are also getting a facelift. “We’ve invested a lot more money in paving than we have in the past,” she says, adding that several sidewalk projects are in progress throughout the city. Winchester’s attention to infrastructure isn’t just limited to the physical—technology is also a priority. “We’re working on traffic signalization and cybersecurity to make sure everything is modernized and secure,” she explains.

The city’s focus on growth and retention is clear. “We realize the businesses we have now—we want them to prosper,” Stewart says. While Winchester is actively recruiting new enterprises, existing businesses are equally important. Many local businesses struggled with e-commerce during COVID-19, prompting the city to create a free modernization program aimed at helping them establish an online presence.

The city is also investing in its cultural development, focusing heavily on the arts. This push is transforming the city into a more vibrant and engaging place for residents and visitors. Stewart outlines some of the key cultural initiatives underway. “We have murals going up, similar to the mural trails you see in larger cities,” she explains. One of the first installations celebrates local history, honoring Dinah Shore, who hailed from Franklin County. The murals are part of a broader effort to tie the city’s arts scene to its rich historical roots.

Collaborations Driving Growth

The remarkable progress Winchester has made in recent years is the result of city planning and development and strong public and private partnerships. Rhoton highlights the importance of these partnerships, especially in relation to the city’s major wastewater project.

“We had to really think outside the box to get this project done,” she says. “The county, Winchester Utilities, and the city are all paying a portion of the costs. None of us could have accomplished this on our own.” By pooling resources and working together, these entities are addressing a critical infrastructure need that will support residential and industrial development in the area. Rhoton also hints at future opportunities emerging from this cooperative model. “It’s been beneficial because it’s led to other ideas that may come to fruition down the line.”

One of the city’s most significant partnerships has been with the state of Tennessee. Rhoton details how Winchester leverages state resources to support various projects. “We work very closely with the state, whether it’s through economic development, ECD, or our park system,” she says. This relationship is particularly vital when it comes to tourism. “We do a lot with the Department of TDEC and tourism—they’ve been crucial in helping us take advantage of everything they offer.” Tourism has long been a cornerstone of Winchester’s economy, and these partnerships help ensure that the city maximizes its potential in that sector.

One of the most transformative developments in Winchester has been the Twin Creeks project, a collaboration that Rhoton describes as a key driver of growth. “Twin Creeks is probably our largest development to date in one location,” she explains. Initially set in motion before COVID, the project has since flourished, with 600 homes planned for the area. “As Twin Creeks gained momentum, it attracted a wave of high-profile homeowners, including celebrities from the music world. Mayor Crabtree points out that this influx has added a unique dimension to Winchester’s appeal. “There are lots of country music stars who have located their second homes here,” he says before smiling, “Even some rock stars have second homes here, too.”

Looking Ahead: Balancing Growth with Small-Town Appeal

As Winchester continues to attract new residents, businesses, and tourists, Mayor Crabtree outlines the city’s strategic direction, pointing to Winchester’s natural resources and historic character as key elements driving its development. “Our priorities are to continue to utilize the gifts that we have,” he says, “whether it’s natural resources or our historic piece.”

The city intends to fully harness these strengths across multiple sectors while preserving the charm that draws people to the area. “There’s a reason people are coming here, almost regardless of what’s happening on the national stage,” the mayor adds, confident that Winchester will see “continuous growth in a much more intentional way” in the coming months.

According to Stewart, the vision is broad but focused. “Our goal each day is to create community capacity through strategic planning and growth,” she says, emphasizing that this approach touches every aspect of Winchester’s development. It’s a collective effort—one that relies on collaboration at every level. “We all work together best as a team,” she notes.

This cohesive team, rooted in experience and shared goals, ensures that as Winchester grows, it will continue to do so with purpose and a deep respect for the values that have always defined the town.