A worn-out segment of Washington Street in downtown Collierville will soon receive a face lift.
Monday night, the Collierville Board pf Mayor and Aldermen approved the redevelopment of 1.495 acres on Washington Street near the town’s Historic District.
The property is just south of the town’s water tower and includes Mensi’s Dairy Bar. While not technically in the town’s Historic District, the property is directly adjacent to and surrounded on three sides by the district.
None of the buildings currently on the property will be demolished. However, improvements will be made to the building facádes. New sidewalks, gutters and buffers will also be added along the street.
“Rough hewn” cedar or cypress materials, like those used at the nearby Dixie Pickers and Dyers, will be used for accents and trim.
Mensi’s will be repaired. However, its original design will be maintained.
Additional open space, outdoor dining, bicycle racks and trash cans will be added as well.
There will be five handicap parking spaces and improvements made to the parking lots.
Scott Henninger, town project planner, called the current parking lots on the property “substandard and difficult for pedestrians to traverse.”
There are currently 86 parking spaces on the lot. Property owner Allen Green has proposed cutting that down to 50 spaces.
The first phase of the project will include landscaping, light work and curbing. New utility lines will be added.
