Benton Moss of Simmons and Harris and Twin County Media
This week, Rocky Mount and Tarboro played host to Preservation North Carolina’s 2024 conference, a three-day gathering dedicated to revitalizing our state’s historic spaces. The Booker T. Theater and Rocky Mount Mills were the venues for the conference. On the opening morning, I selected a tour led by Benton Moss of Simmons and Harris and Twin County Media looking at some of the commercial development efforts that are breathing new life into the heart of our city. I want to state unequivocally that I would follow Benton Moss off the end of a bridge given his passion and leadership in this work. (In a recurring dream of mine, I’m on roller skates, zipping across Duke’s college campus. After trekking from Machaven through downtown, I found myself longing for those skates to get back to my car.)
Nasir Dukes of Duke Properties
You can be proud of a panel for a Plenary Session to orient the conference to Rocky Mount’s development, Benton Moss moderator, Mayor, Sandy Roberson, Nasir Dukes of Duke Properties, Milan Mehta, architect, and Adrienne Copland, Chairman of Preservation Rocky Mount are my heroes. Each of these leaders are stars in the crown of Rocky Mount. Without them our Rocky Mount world would still be ‘a tried to and couldn’t’ proposition. Architects and developers are my favorite people in the revitalization of Rocky Mount. These two careers were well represented at the conference and totally impressive. AND to have a mayor with a business background, that brings energy, good humor, is articulate, and smart, you can’t put a price on how that impacts our success. (The Main Street blog writes frequently about Milan and Adrienne to see their photos.)
I attended a lecture titled ‘The Ripple Effect of Residential Redevelopment in Our Historic Downtowns,’ which explored the addition of residential units and the role of historic tax credits on Main Street.
I’m adding photos I took at Rocky Mount Mills, where everywhere you look, preservation is transformed into a work of art. The restoration and repurposing of the Mill shines as a star in Rocky Mount’s crown. Michael Goodmon and Evan Chavez, who delivered the Keynote speeches, were nothing short of rock stars. The attention this exceptional project has brought to the community is priceless. I carried all of you with me in spirit and encourage optimism for the exciting developments on the horizon.
Main Street Rocky Mount 