North Carolina Construction News staff writer
The Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved 13 grant requests totaling $9.6 million to local governments across North Carolina.
“North Carolina’s success is rooted in our rural communities,” said Governor Josh Stein. “When we look for and create opportunities in every corner of North Carolina, we are creating more jobs, more investments, and more economic prosperity.”
Grants will be used for a wide variety of activities, including infrastructure improvements, building renovations, and site enhancements.
Three projects were approved under the state’s Building Reuse Program, which helps renovate vacant or underutilized buildings to create new economic opportunities:
- Town of Edenton (Chowan County): A $275,000 grant will assist Provalus in reusing a 22,000-square-foot building to establish a Center of Excellence for IT outsourcing and technology talent development, creating 61 jobs and a $6 million investment.
- Columbus County: A $450,000 grant will help transform a 220,000-square-foot building in Chadbourn for Barrier Fencing Supply Company, which will create 91 jobs and an overall $14 million investment.
- City of Whiteville (Columbus County): A $390,000 grant will help Provalus open an additional office in Whiteville, creating 60 new jobs and a $1.7 million private investment.
A $750,000 grant was approved under the federally-funded Community Development Block Grant – Economic Development program to help the Town of Mocksville (Davie County) upfit a 500,000-square-foot building for SBA Home, a Lithuanian company that supplies furniture to IKEA. This project will create 250 jobs and attract $50.8 million in private investment, with 76 jobs tied to this grant.
Five grants were approved under the Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account program, which supports infrastructure development for industrial sites:
- Town of Aurora (Beaufort County): A $200,000 grant will assist with infrastructure improvements at the town’s 30-acre industrial park.
- City of Claremont (Catawba County): A $1 million grant will help improve sewer infrastructure for over 450 industrial acres to support the expansion of Prysmian Cables and Systems.
- Hoke County: A $1.4 million grant will extend sewer infrastructure at the Hoke County Regional Industrial Park to support Pennsylvania Transformer Technology LLC’s new development, expected to create 181 jobs with a $95.2 million investment.
- Lenoir County: A $1.9 million grant will support sewer improvements at the NC Global TransPark, where the U.S. Department of the Navy will build a Fleet Readiness Center.
- City of Lumberton (Robeson County): A $825,000 grant will enable the city to relocate electrical circuits in the Southeast Crossroad Industrial Park, where Cold-Link Logistics will build a cold storage facility, creating 63 jobs and a $10 million investment.
The Rural Downtown Economic Development program also approved four grants, including two for public infrastructure projects and two for public building renovations:
- Town of Troy (Montgomery County): A $850,000 grant will support the Main Street Revitalization and Connectivity Project, which will improve sidewalks, drainage, and lighting along with other infrastructure upgrades.
- City of Goldsboro (Wayne County): A $612,500 grant will assist in preserving and restoring the historic Union Station in downtown Goldsboro.
- Watauga County: A $125,000 grant will help renovate the public library, improving functionality and digital access, with an additional $236,250 in private investments.
- City of Wilson (Wilson County): An $850,000 grant will support the rehabilitation of two buildings to create a Visitors Center for downtown Wilson, including space for a Whirligig Park and other community resources.