Breathing New Life into Downtown Spindale

A multi-pronged project to increase pedestrian mobility, develop a branding strategy, and connect downtown Spindale to the Thermal Belt Trail and other multi-use pathways. 

Working with the Rutherford County Tourism Development Authority and the Town of Spindale, DbD led an effort to improve pedestrian connectivity and establish a place-brand that encapsulates what makes Spindale unique.

West Spindale Site Plan 

A Revived Heartbeat

It is often said that downtown represents the heart of the community, and just like with the human body, a town is only as healthy as its “heart” allows it to be. This is especially true with small towns like Spindale. 

DbD worked with a range of community members to develop a plan designed to pump life back into downtown Spindale. The project included a streetscape improvement component complemented by a community branding process. Together, downtown improvements and the development of a new brand will redefine Spindale and tell a more compelling story to visitors.

If downtown is the heart of Spindale, then the Thermal Belt Rail Trail is its vital artery. This unique asset flows right through downtown, offering a tremendous opportunity to connect more people with the downtown area.  

East Spindale Site Plan

The streetscape master plan leverages The Thermal Belt Trail in a way that enhances the culture, connectivity, and commerce opportunities in downtown Spindale. 

Photo Renderings

A Funky Trail-Town Brand

Like many of its small-town peers, Spindale offers a tourism portfolio that centers around outdoor amenities and recreational trails. In an effort to standout from the crowd, DbD developed a strategic brand platform that clearly defines Spindale’s unique assets. The new brand strategy provides a roadmap for how the community can support tourism development and more effectively tell its story. 

Banner Design

DbD’s involvement in Spindale is ultimately about synergizing improvements to the built environment with a renewed community brand. Downtown revitalization efforts don’t just change how a community looks, they also change its culture.  This project acknowledges Spindale’s history as a music-loving trail town and weaves that history into a renewed sense of community pride being born out of a modernizing downtown streetscape.

Logo Variations

The town’s new brand strategy celebrates its eclectic, musical roots in a  way that also complements the downtown streetscape improvement plan. 

Logo Marks