On May 21st, the Town of Hot Springs hosted the second public engagement session for the future of the Andrews Ave Community Center and Old Jail — a key step in an ongoing community-driven planning process being conducted in partnership with Rebuild Hot Springs Area (RHSA) and MountainTrue’s Appalachian Design Center (ADC).
Four volunteer design professionals presented conceptual plans for the property, each addressing the community’s stated priorities: a flexible gathering space for all ages, support for local creatives and small businesses, preservation of the building’s historic character, and flood resilience. The concepts ranged from a low-cost open-air pavilion that salvages the original stone to a full historic restoration with a raised interior floor, expanded programming space, and a second story. Community discussion following the presentations reflected broad interest in a hybrid approach that draws the strongest elements from each concept.
A third public session will be scheduled to present a refined concept design informed by feedback from both community sessions and an ongoing survey. Date and details to be announced.
Get Involved
The community survey is still open. Responses directly inform the final design concept — the more input the design team receives, the better.
For a full recap of the May 21st session — including detailed summaries of all four design concepts and a summary of community discussion — visit the Rebuild Hot Springs Area website.
About the Project
This planning process is a partnership between the Town of Hot Springs, Rebuild Hot Springs Area, and MountainTrue’s Appalachian Design Center. No design decisions have been finalized. This remains an open community process, and public input is welcome at every stage.