Historic Smithfield, a nonprofit organization formed more than 30 years ago, has offered $25,000 to the town to fund a preliminary plan for beautifying Grace Street.

The grant, which would require a $5,200 match by the town, would cover the $30,200 cost of retaining engineering firm Kimley-Horn to develop that plan. According to a Feb. 7 memorandum from Town Manager Michael Stallings to the Town Council, the scope of work would include a conceptual layout and illustrations for streetscape improvements beginning at the Isle of Wight Christian Outreach Program headquarters at 402 Grace St. and ending at Grace’s intersection with North Mason Street. The grant would not fund any actual construction.

The Town Council discussed the offer at its Feb. 24 committee meetings and its March 5 meeting but to date has not taken action to accept and match the money. At the March 5 meeting, Councilman Jeff Brooks’ motion to postpone action passed unanimously

“We just learned about this last week and it looks really good on paper,” said Brooks, himself a Grace Street resident. “… I absolutely appreciate what Historic Smithfield has offered, but I’d like to delve into it a little bit more.”

Smithfield Times Publisher Emeritus John Edwards, one of the founding members of Historic Smithfield, says Grace Street has become “a neglected part” of the historic district.

“We hope to address that,” Edwards told the Times.

In 2022, the town used just under $40,000 in federal COVID-19 pandemic relief money to fund repairs to the most heavily worn sections of Grace Street’s sidewalks. The Virginia Department of Transportation also has plans in the works to replace damaged sections of sidewalk and curb-and-cutter infrastructure as a first phase of the road’s eventual repaving in 2026.

VDOT began the initial phase last year by cutting down several trees within its right-of-way, including two 50-plus-year-old pin oaks flanking the Christian Outreach entrance. It’s for this reason that Edwards hopes for a Town Council decision soon.

Edwards said while Smithfield is unlikely to undertake a major streetscape improvement project immediately, it’s important for the town and VDOT to agree on elements such as new sidewalks while VDOT is already working on the street.

“That’s the reason for suggesting the study at this time, and that window will close pretty quickly,” Edwards said.

Edwards said the Kimley-Horn engineers would present two improvement options to the Town Council, which would then decide if either was of interest.

“The residents of Grace Street have done an excellent job of restoring and maintaining their home(s) as well as meticulously landscaping yards that are an absolute delight for motorists and pedestrians,” Edwards said. “What’s lacking is an attractive public area, which the residents don’t control. That’s what we hope the study will address.”

Edwards said Kimley-Horn would be looking at sidewalk options the town can consider if it chooses to improve the streetscape, as well as planting areas between the sidewalks and the street. Edwards said there’s also potential to add a stretch of sidewalk where none exists now along the south side of the 200 block between the fire station and North Mason Street, and to better define the town-owned parking lot accessed from Grace that serves the Town Hall on Institute Street.

Edwards said if the Town Council votes to accept and match the grant, he hopes the town will solicit public input before selecting a final design.

“Historic Smithfield would be happy, if requested, to help organize a meeting for that purpose,” Edwards said. “With residents’ input in hand, the Council could then decide what direction it wants to take.”

Edwards and other downtown business owners organized Historic Smithfield in 1989, a year after former Smithfield Foods Chairman Joseph Luter III offered what he called a “challenge grant” in which Smithfield Packing Co. and Gwaltney Ltd. of Smithfield would each contribute $100,000 to revitalize Main Street with brick sidewalks, sculptures and historic-style street lamps. The group’s fundraising efforts in the 1990s ended up surpassing Luter’s ask, at $250,000.

Historic Smithfield also once owned the circa-1750 Isle of Wight County Courthouse on Main Street before deeding it in May to the 1750 Courthouse Board.

Edwards said Historic Smithfield hasn’t started fundraising for the beautification of Grace Street yet.

That effort will depend largely on the estimated cost for any streetscape improvement plan the Town Council chooses, should it move forward with accepting the Historic Smithfield grant to create those plans.

“We do not anticipate that the improvements will be made immediately,” Edwards said. “They will have to be accomplished as funds become available.”