Southaven Park

A Community Park Designed With Everyone in Mind

When a housing developer sought to build a new residential community in Mount Holly, North Carolina, rezoning was required to obtain initial approvals and entitlements. As part of this process, LaBella was hired to design a park for the Southaven townhome community—one that not only met the town’s open space requirements but also aligned with the developer’s vision of creating a distinctive park space that would serve both residents and the broader community.

The goal for the park was to design a unique and memorable space that went beyond a standard playground and collection of benches, offering flexibility to accommodate a wide range of users, from young professionals and families to active empty nesters—all tucked into a relatively small two-acre area.

The project includes an event and gathering space, walking paths, a playground, a picnic area, and designated spots for food trucks, farmers markets, and other passive recreational uses. Given that most of the site would be cleared and graded for development, the design team strategically focused on a part of the property adjacent to a large stand of mature trees. This irreplaceable natural feature provides cover, shade, visual character, and a sense of permanence. Using this landscape as the starting point for the park design, the team organized the park’s various program elements into a series of thoughtfully connected spaces.

Park Elements

The park blends natural beauty and functional spaces to create a welcoming environment for residents and visitors alike.

Picnic Area

The picnic area, much like a home kitchen, serves as the heart of the park. Designed to evoke the charm of an old homestead, it is tucked into a hill adjacent to the large stand of mature trees, offering a scenic overlook of the park’s lower portion.

Great Lawn

The Great Lawn, envisioned as the park’s “living room,” will connect the picnic area to the park entrance. Surrounded by a walking path lined with trees, swings, and benches, it will provide space for community events, large gatherings, and hanging out with neighbors.

Playground

The design team strategically placed the playground between the Great Lawn and picnic area, allowing parents to easily keep an eye on their children from nearly any spot in the park. Designed to blend into the landscape rather than stand out like traditional play structures, the playground features climbing moguls, boulders, and a slide built into the site’s natural slope.

The Glade

Below the picnic area lies The Glade, a naturalistic space at the farthest point from the park entrance. Designed as a retreat from the built environment, The Glade retains some of the existing trees and will feature a sloping lawn, hammock pods and Adirondack chairs for lounging, and other elements that invite visitors to get closer to nature.

Landscaping Elements

The disturbed edges of the park will be seeded with a mix of native grass and wildflowers, enhancing the park’s natural aesthetic while providing an element of sustainability and resources for pollinators.

Community Engagement

As part of the rezoning process, LaBella developed a graphics package to communicate the design and intent to neighbors, the Town and Planning Boards, and prospective residents of the community. The graphics were used in their presentations to neighbors and citizens at community meetings, as well as at meetings with the Town and Planning Boards. They will also be used in marketing the community to potential buyers.

Take a Walk in the Park

The park will be a key selling point for the developers, serving as the backyard for Southaven’s residents. The graphics were modeled in SketchUp, then rendered using Lumion and Photoshop. The final package included still images and a fly-through video, which was instrumental in securing project approvals from the Town.

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