N&O reports the state House of Representatives will send a total of $1.25 million to 13 towns for downtown revitalization, while in a separate Senate allocation Sen. Trudy Wade “will direct $1 million to High Point to turn a library parking lot into a downtown “central gathering space.”
Wade – a close ally of Senate leader Phil Berger – said she pushed for the provision because the state doesn’t have “any programs for the mid-size city” pursuing downtown revitalization.
“Usually it’s the rural areas and the larger areas that seem to be getting the most money,” she said. “We thought we’d start a pilot program with someone who was prepared. We foresaw possibly down the road (funding) other mid-sized cities.”
High Point will be required to match the $1 million grant with $1.43 million of its own funds, which the City Council has already directed to the plaza project. The plaza will host community events, library programs and farmers market stalls. It’s designed to stimulate business and development along Main Street.
The library ‘gathering space’ project is part of Ignite High Point’s master plan, which included–among other things— sea can developments.
