Editing Cullowhee, North Carolina (section)

==Plans==
[[Forest Hills, North Carolina|Forest Hills]], an incorporated village just south of Cullowhee, is considering a WCU plan to incorporate as the town/city of Cullowhee, annexing areas along Old Cullowhee Road and [[NC 107]]. The university plan proposes development around Old Cullowhee Road to create a traditional downtown, with mixed-use buildings, a city hall, homes, walkable neighborhoods, supermarket, and trails/parks along the river and throughout the area. The elementary school could be relocated here, as well as the Post Office and other town/city functions. A "town center" to be constructed on some {{cvt|35|acre}} owned by WCU is an area targeted for annexation and development.

The plan is controversial, as it may attract business away from Old Cullowhee Road and would be intended to attract chain stores and businesses, rather than local small businesses. The "town center" is proposed to accommodate as much as {{convert|270000|ft2}} of commercial, housing and multi-tenant office space, with parking for 871 vehicles. A 320-space parking garage is proposed on 22 acres of land owned by the university. The land is now the site of the [[Cordelia Camp]] Outreach Center (former Cordelia Camp Laboratory School, built in 1964), intramural fields, and several parking lots. The annexation will also include the area that is the business district on Old Cullowhee Road (S.R. 1002) near the old campus entrance.{{citation needed|date=September 2014}}

An alternative vision for redevelopment is offered by the Cullowhee Revitalization Endeavor (CuRvE), made up of local businessmen and activists who also want to rejuvenate the once-thriving commerce center. CuRvE wants to make Cullowhee "a unique and highly attractive area—a mix of residences and businesses along rivers and streams". According to CuRvE, its vision has more community support than that the Western Carolina University "town center", because it would allow small businesses. In addition, it would make use of the setting of Old Cullowhee Road along a mountain river.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gocullowhee.org/curve_news_7.html |title=CuRvE News &#124; CuRvE |publisher=Gocullowhee.org |access-date=2012-04-28 |archive-date=April 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421203915/http://www.gocullowhee.org/curve_news_7.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>