A Wonderful Commercial Building To Be Saved and Repurposed In Rocky Mount, NC

201 Washington St

Wednesday I took these photos of this favorite building and teared up (not unusual) when thinking of the restoration and repurposing of this commercial building now planned In downtown Rocky Mount. I know it is going to be an important investment. I’m ecstatic.

New South Ventures will be given grant money to help create 16 apartment units and 9,000 square feet of retail space at the South Washington location. The City of Rocky Mount will appropriate and expend City funds under the Downtown Major Investment Incentive Program in an amount not to exceed $500,000. The Program encourages the restoration of older properties and is an economic development program designed to incentivize reinvestment in the development or rehabilitation of buildings in Downtown Rocky Mount.

No one is more of an advocate than I for preserving neighborhoods at risk, or saving shot gun houses and bungalows. The example below is possible with leadership that has the will and determination to care about these beauties. Those of you who read the Main Street Blog know I jump up and down if I feel money is withheld unjustly that could preserve and restore our housing. Saving 201 Washington is monumental to the revitalization of the Main Street area and the future of the street. This is a big deal.

Downtown Major Investment Incentive Program is about the restoration of older properties. This program is intended to rescue a building like 201 Washington. I am worn out with the ‘Low Income housing’ knee jerk response to everything under consideration. We have plenty of housing. The problem is why we don’t save it and use it for this population. The vision for this building, intentional and focused is planning 16 units. The question was asked, how many of the units are allocated for low income. Though watching on my computer at home it was me you heard groan, “Oh, for God’s sake.”

This stand alone project is about incentivizing investment in the development or rehabilitation of buildings in downtown Rocky Mount. We need balance in these matters. The low income housing on Tarboro is all but ready for occupancy. Let’s fill that housing before stomping all over the fabulous opportunity New South Ventures is creating.

The downtown core needs people without apologies who can afford to eat out, or have a glass of wine. The stakeholders deserve to have a community around them that will support their businesses. We can handle these two issues separately. There is no need to impose low income housing on a project like 201 Washington. This approach has nothing against low income housing but everything to do with location and creating a balance as the perimeters of downtown fill in.

Let us celebrate that the city’s $500,000 will help save and repurpose this building and create new energy for the revitalization of Rocky Mount. Give this project breathing space unburdened by trying to be all things to all men. Credit where credit is due for the low income advocates, but this issue is not applicable for everything happening on Main Street. I’m right about this.