The empty building, 146 SW Main, next door to Virginia’s is owned by New Yorker, Robbie Hothan. He also owns the Coco-Cola building in town. The renovation is on hold after encountering mildew and taking flooring out that has not been replaced. The board over the broken window is a deep bruise that vandals caused. Stepheny’s plan would involve becoming best friends with Mr. Hothan through phone calls and enthusiasm for his intentions for saving this building. I would take money from the downtown development budget, offer him a plane ticket to come to Rocky Mount to see after the repair and enter meaningful conversation about his plans for the building and Rocky Mount’s desire to get this historic building off the injured-reserve list and on to the revitalization completed list. The building once housed a small men’s clothing business, NY High Fashion. Windex, clean replaced window, vacuum the area and ask Brian L Burnett, to put on his retail hat and help orchestrate a scene with vintage men’s fashions as a nod to the past and an invitation to repurpose the space. Over my desk signage would say…
142 SW Main, is the J.J. Harper Building with its handsome facade. I love the reflection from across the railroad track, two halves of a whole.
With any Main Street prospect, I’d show them the restoration and repurposing of two buildings that architect, Milan Mehta, has designed. Seeing these spaces tells you everything you need to know about the possibilities of Rocky Mount’s historic building interiors.
The two buildings mentioned above are 138 SW Main, 132 SW Main that is the home of the Downtown Development office.
Further down the block I’m interested in the Carriage House Curiosity Shop which seems to be languishing. The social media isn’t helpful. Supposedly open on weekends people have traveled to find the store unopened and express their disappointed. Looks to me like we need a ‘Come to Jesus’ – Sweet Tea- date. How can Downtown Development help your presence on Main Street? I would direct them to the Small Business Departments at both Community Colleges that have free zoom classes and support for a business and social media direction for marketing your business. I take many of the offered classes and can absolutely recommend your participation in becoming pro-active for your business.
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I love that the Downtown Development Office is on Main Street. Assessable and a creative hub for Preservation, Restoration and Repurposing the commercial architecture of Rocky Mount. Peter Varney says, “Pick something and go do it.” Stepheny’s Plan names a block, analysis’s the condition of each building, prioritizes the order of work. As a writer I know that if you do all your research up front, you are free to write. It is the same in Stepheny’s plan. Phone numbers, local contacts, step 1,2,3……..The mission of the office is to court all comers looking for a place to plant their flag and become ‘repairers of the breach.’
Part 3 tomorrow, Thursday, December 21, 2021
Main Street Rocky Mount 