More than 30 development projects in N.C. rural counties split $10.9 million in grants

Thirty-one economic development projects in North Carolina’s rural communities will divide more than $10.9 million in grants from the North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority.

The projects include commitments to create 565 jobs, 135 of which were previously announced, and attract more than $211 million in private investment, according to a release from the state.

The authority is supported by the rural economic development team at the North Carolina Department of Commerce. Funding comes from grant and loan programs overseen by N.C. Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division.

Here are the recipients of the grants.

Vacant Building Category

• Forsyth County: A $250,000 grant to support the reuse of a 46,425-square-foot building in Winston-Salem. The building will be occupied by Radél, a producer of electrical, electronic, and electro-mechanical components with a focus on serving the vehicle industry. The overall project will create 32 jobs, with an investment of $350,000 tied to this grant.
• City of Hickory (Catawba County): A $240,000 grant to support the reuse of a 35,000-square-foot building. The building will be occupied by Steel Warehouse, a 75-year-old, privately held steel service center. Steel Warehouse plans to create 58 jobs overall, with 30 jobs and an investment of $1.2 million tied to this project.
• Rockingham County: A $500,000 grant to support the reuse of a 451,624-square-foot building in Reidsville. The building will be occupied by Drylock Technologies, a manufacturer of hygiene products for baby, feminine and adult care. Altogether, Drylock will create 113 jobs in the project, with 50 jobs and an investment of $2.3 million tied to this grant.
• City of Rocky Mount: (Nash County): A $450,000 grant to support the reuse of a 653,400-square-foot building. Goshen House & Trading, a processor and distributor of frozen, dairy, and dry African, Caribbean and Latino foods, will establish a new facility at this location. The project is expected to create 45 jobs, with an accompanying private investment of $4.3 million.
• Pasquotank County: A $200,000 grant to support the reuse of a 44,000-square-foot building in Elizabeth City. LMFakro, a manufacturer of roof windows and attic ladders, will establish a manufacturing facility here. The project is expected to create 23 jobs overall, with an investment of $5.1 million tied to this grant.

Existing Business Building Category

• City of Fayetteville (Cumberland County): A $120,000 grant to support the renovation of a 19,080-square-foot building. Phillip’s Towing Service will establish a corporate office here, including a call center to serve eastern North Carolina. The company expects to create 10 jobs and invest $4.1 million in this project.
• Gaston County: A $500,000 grant to support the 41,000-square-foot expansion of IFAB Corp.’s facility in Gastonia. IFAB Corp. is a metal fabricator and a Tier 1 supplier of truck and agricultural parts for customers like Daimler, Mack, Blue Bird and Volvo. The company expects to create 190 jobs and invest almost $185 million in this project.
• Gaston County: A $250,000 grant to support the 85,004-square-foot expansion of an existing building in Dallas. The building is currently occupied by Repi, a manufacturer and distributor of colors and additives in the packaging of products, including cosmetics and toiletries. The company expects to create 25 jobs and invest $5.5 million in this project.
• Pitt County: A $100,000 grant to support the 12,000-square-foot expansion of Atlantic Emergency Solutions’ facility in Falkland. Atlantic Emergency Solutions provides metal fabrication, paint, graphics, maintenance and warranty work on fire trucks and other emergency vehicles. The company plans to create 10 jobs and invest $1.4 million in this project.

• Town of Wadesboro (Anson County): A $223,075 grant will help the town of Wadesboro to complete improvements to the Wadesboro Industrial Park.
• Columbus County: A $1,577,575 grant will enable the county to expand the roadway leading into the International Logistics Park. This NC Certified site is the first At-Port Distribution Park in North Carolina and will create an investment of $74 million.
• City of Greensboro (Guilford County): A $372,000 grant will allow the city to install a water main and sanitary line to serve aerospace development at the Piedmont Triad International Airport. Marshall USA, a subsidiary of the United Kingdom’s largest privately owned aerospace and defense business, is seeking to establish a U.S. facility that supports existing and future US armed forces contracts. With this project, the company is expected to create 140 jobs, with an accompanying private investment of $50.3 million.
• Halifax County: A $125,185 grant will enable the county to repair an aged water line that is in the route of the proposed rail spur to be constructed by Stella-Jones Corporation, a leading producer of pressure treated wood products and utility poles. The project is expected to create 10 jobs, with an accompanying private investment of $9.5 million.

Public Infrastructure Category

• City of Morganton (Burke County): An $850,000 grant to assist the city in making renovations to the North Green Street Streetscape. The renovations will upgrade existing utilities, including water, sanitary sewer, electric, fiber, cable and telephone. The grant will also aid in the placement of utilities underground. The project is expected to leverage an investment of $2.3 million.
• City of Lenoir (Caldwell County): A $325,000 grant to help support a 6-acre campus in Lenoir, including the renovation of the LHS Gymnasium and Auditorium for improved accessibility, and the construction of a 4,300-square-foot covered outdoor pavilion as a part of the expansion of the Overmountain Victory Trail. The project is set to leverage almost $3.5 million in investments.
• City of Newton (Catawba County): A $475,000 grant to assist the city in a Downtown Revitalization Streetscape Project, which includes pedestrian improvements, lighting, underground utilities, water and sewer line upgrades, bike lanes and on-street parking. This project is set to leverage $8.4 million in investment.
• Town of Murphy (Cherokee County): A $250,000 grant to support the Murphy’s Town Square Revitalization Project, which includes brick paver design on all four corners of the town square, pedestrian improvements, and the installation of lighting, a small stage and water lines. This project is set to leverage $1 million in investment.
• Town of Old Fort (McDowell County): An $850,000 grant to support Phase 1 of the town’s Downtown Streetscape project. Phase 1, North Catawba Avenue, is a two-block improvement plan aimed to improve ADA accessibility and connectivity from downtown to the Fonta Flora State Trail and the nearby Pisgah National Forest. The project will leverage $914,935 in investments.
• Town of Carthage (Moore County): A $512,500 grant to support the town’s Streetscape Infrastructure Downtown Project, including the first three of a 10-phase pedestrian improvement and parking plan. The project is set to leverage $27,071 in investments.
• Elizabeth City (Pasquotank County): A $300,000 grant will support Elizabeth City’s Water Street Transformation Project, which includes streetscape and pedestrian improvements, lighting, ADA accessibility and crosswalks to align with the Fast Ferry Project along Water Street from Main to Ehringhaus streets. The project is expected leverage $957,758 in investments.
• City of Mount Airy (Surry County): A $487,500 grant to support the city’s Mill District Streetscape Initiative, which includes streetscape improvements on Franklin Street, connecting the Spencer’s Mill Redevelopment to the Arts & Entertainment District on Market Street and to Historic Main Street. The project includes improvements to sidewalks, curbs, and gutters, the installation of buried utilities, and modifications for ADA accessibility and amenities. This initiative is expected to leverage $1,659,500 in investments.

Public Buildings Category

• City of Burlington (Alamance County): A $462,500 grant will assist the city in renovating and expanding the Paramount Theater. The project will include the creation of an upstage crossover, stage right wing, and an additional dressing room as well as upfits to the electrical, fire alarm and utility systems. Additionally, the project will include the 12,390-square-foot expansion to a building adjacent to the historic theater, ultimately leveraging $1,074,873 in investments.
• Town of Hildebran (Burke County): A $62,500 grant to support the town’s Auditorium Renovations Project. The project will improve ADA accessibility and enhance the usability of the existing auditorium by creating a concessions/ticketing area, expanding the backstage area to include changing rooms, restrooms, storage space, and a green room. The project is expected to leverage $901,555 in investments.
• Town of Valdese (Burke County): A $487,500 grant will assist Valdese in renovating the Old Rock School, improving ADA accessibility, safety and functionality, and increasing the building’s energy efficiency. The project is expected to leverage $1.2 million in investments.
• City of Lumberton (Robeson County): A $200,000 grant will support Lumberton’s project, titled “The Carolina Civic Center Historic Theatre – Lumberton’s Catalyst for Downtown Revitalization.” The project will rehabilitate the historic building, renovating the lobby and bathrooms, and expanding the event space by 8,295 square feet, ultimately leveraging $2.9 million in investments.
• Town of Spencer (Rowan County): A $275,000 grant will support the Town Park Multi-Use Pavilion and Amenities Project, which aims to create a town park and rehabilitate three buildings in order to house new small businesses. The project is set to leverage $2.3 million in investments.
• City of Laurinburg (Scotland County): A $450,000 grant to support Laurinburg’s Restoration of 127 Main Street Project, which includes the rehabilitation of a 12,038-square-foot building, with plans to house a restaurant on the first floor and event space on the second floor. The project includes exterior and interior renovations including electrical, plumbing, HVAC, walls, floors and new restroom facilities, ultimately leveraging almost $1.9 million in investments.
• Stokes County: A $125,000 grant will support the Arts Block of Stokes in Downtown Danbury Project. The rehabilitation project will improve a 7,888-square-foot building for three hospitality businesses – a brewery, a bakery, and a farm-to-table restaurant. The project will leverage $1.5 million in investments.

Mixed Use Downtown Development

• Alexander County: A $412,500 grant to assist Alexander County in supporting the Housing Our Teachers Project, which plans to renovate a two-story, 4,561-square-foot building in Taylorsville. The first floor will be renovated as a commercial space, and the second floor will be renovated to create two, one-bedroom apartments that will be leased to new Alexander County school teachers at an affordable rate. The project is expected to leverage $871,175 in investments.
• Town of Maysville (Jones County): A $87,500 grant will support the town’s Downtown Revitalization Project, including the renovation and rehabilitation of four buildings for mixed-use development on Main Street. The project is expected to leverage $1.3 million in investments.

Town of Roseboro (Sampson County): A $212,500 grant will support the Growing Downtown Roseboro Roots Building Rehabilitation Project. The project will rehabilitate a building, providing a new commercial space for a small business on the first floor and two, one-bedroom residential units for workforce housing on the second floor. This project is expected to leverage $940,446 in investments.