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 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. Photo Credit: Kathy Bennett, KatBox Photography 314 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 11
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