A new look will be coming to downtown Fayetteville after all. Renovation plans submitted by Town Square Jewelers were approved May 3 by the City Council after being denied by the planning and zoning commissioners last month.

“We are very happy it passed,” said business co-owner Paula Rodriguez. “We can’t wait to get started.”

Incorporating some of the Second Empire style elements found in the old courthouse across the street on Stonewall Avenue, owners Alex and Paula Rodriguez said the exterior portion of the $200,000 renovation would allow them to upgrade the business and preserve its presence in downtown Fayetteville.

“The renovations are proposed because of the need to replace deteriorating and inferior materials on the existing structure,” Planning and Zoning Director Eldridge Gunn said in an April 23 memo. “The goal of the applicant’s revised elevations is to preserve the design features of the existing building while keeping costs to a minimum, but also to incorporate some of the Second Empire style elements found in the courthouse building located across the street to give the building added character.”

Planning and Zoning Commission members were receptive to the project proposal but found several sticking points that led to a 3-2 vote in April to deny the proposal. The owner appealed successfully to the council.

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