Norwich

Norwich Neighborhood Plan

Norwich is located approximately two miles west of downtown. The neighborhood dates back to the late 1800s, when it was settled on the south bank of the Roanoke River with foundries and factories. The village flourished throughout the 20th century until a majority of its sustainable manufacturing plants, such as the mill and lumber yard, were washed away in floods. Since then it has remained essentially residential with light industrial infill along its perimeter.

The area is a quiet neighborhood with a few side streets, rows of historic workers’ houses (shot-gun style houses), long-time residents, one park, two churches, a few stores, and great potential for recreational land use along the vacant land bordering the river. The residents are predominantly working class people with long ties to the neighborhood. There is little modern residential infill, while the existing historic houses remain intact and depict their earlier heritage associated with the development of the mills.

Planning staff held public meetings with residents in the Winter of 2003 to gain iput for the plan. The plan includes five priority initiatives:

Housing renovation and revitalization
Physical improvement of neighborhood gateways and side streets
Encourage the establishment of a vibrant village center
Develop a recreational use plan for the HM-zoned land along the Roanoke River
Improve Norwich Park

Download the entire Norwich Neighborhood Plan (971 KB, may be slow for dial-up modems)

To download individual chapters of the plan click on the links below:
Introduction
Community Design
Residential Development
Economic Development
Infrastructure
Public Services
Quality of Life
Recommendations
Implementation and Acknowledgements