Eight state grants totaling more than $1.6 million will go to local governments in support of projects that will create 297 job and more than $234 million in public and private investment, according to the state.
The Rural Infrastructure Authority approved the grant requests last week. “These grants continue to help create great jobs in our rural communities,” Gov. Roy Cooper said in a release. “We are building a strong foundation upon which North Carolina’s rural economy can thrive.”
The RIA approved eight grant requests under the state’s Building Reuse Program in three categories:
Vacant buildings
- City of Lenoir (Caldwell County): A $140,000 grant to support the reuse of a 13,000-square-foot building where Nutrameltz, a health and wellness brand that specializes in premium supplement offerings like vitamins, minerals, herbs and nutraceuticals, plans to locate. The project is expected to create 18 jobs, with a private investment of more than $2.2 million tied to this grant.
- City of High Point (Guilford County): A $200,000 grant to support the reuse of a 108,000-square-foot building that will be occupied by C&C Industries, a company specializing in private labeling, contract filling, and logistic services for products ranging from cosmetics to over-the-counter medication. The project is set to create 24 jobs, with a private investment of $5.8 million tied to this grant.
Existing buildings
- City of Mebane (Alamance County): A $145,000 grant will support the renovation of a 167,000-square-foot building in Mebane. The facility is occupied by Sandvik Coromant, a global manufacturer of engineering tools and machining solutions. The company expects to create 18 jobs and invest almost $1.3 million in this project.
- Burke County: A $175,000 grant will support the renovation of a 92,500-square-foot building in Hildebran. The facility is occupied by Miller Knoll, one of several companies under the Geiger International umbrella, which manufactures seating and tables for health care, higher education, corporate office, and residential markets. With this expansion, the company expects to create 47 jobs and invest $354,000.
- Town of Aberdeen (Moore County): A $160,000 grant will support the renovation of a 35,000-square-foot building that is occupied by Reliance Packaging, a company that extrudes, prints, and converts heavy-duty bags and printed roll-stock primarily for lawn and garden products. This project is set to create 32 jobs, with an accompanying private investment of $7,459,891.
- Robeson County: A $500,000 grant will support the 10,000-square-foot expansion of a building in Maxton that is currently occupied by Campbell Soup Company. The expansion will create 124 jobs, with an accompanying private investment of $181,750,000.
Rural Health Building
- Brunswick County: A $250,000 grant will support the reuse of a 73,000-square-foot building in Supply where Medaci Wellness Institute Transformation, a comprehensive continuum care facility that offers services from inpatient detoxification to residential rehabilitation, will locate. With this project, the company is expected to create 25 jobs and invest $35 million.
- Robeson County: An $80,000 grant will support the reuse of a 3,605-square-foot building in Rowland. The building will be occupied by Hope Health Family Practice, a business offering a wide range of services including primary care, prevention & wellness, and mental health therapy. The company plans to create nine jobs and invest $460,000 with this project.
The Building Reuse Program provides grants to local governments to renovate vacant buildings, renovate and/or expand buildings occupied by existing North Carolina companies, and renovate, expand or construct health care facilities that will lead to the creation of new jobs in Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties, as well as rural census tracts of Tier 3 counties.