Location, Location, Location

They always said location matter when you are building real estate, is this true? In case of the Event Center where is the location downtown for this money pit? Monday evening at 6:00PM - the Rocky Mount-Government Offices will have a Public Presentation and Public Comments gathering at the City Council Chambers of the City Hall Building.

however another citizen has voice there concerns.

from Speak up,

I have attended several meetings regarding funding for the event center and they keep saying the location will be downtown.

Where downtown?

At none of these meetings have we been told where which raises the question if the don’t know where then that means they must not have purchased any land.

How much is the land going to cost for building the event center with a sufficient size parking lot?

Is the event center going to be located right downtown so that people could exit the center and walk downtown to where all the money was invested for streetscape?

If the event center is not going to be located downtown so that people can walk there then I don’t see how the event center is going to help all of the effort that was put into streetscape and trying to revitalize downtown.

My concern right now before I can throw any support behind funding for the building is to know the location and what it is going to cost the city to get the land.

When is the city council going to give us information on that part of this investment in our community?

Does this person have a valid point, yes they do. Will they Buy the land at current market prices or will they take the land via Eminent Domain?

The word on the Street is,

The word on the street is the location is the current location of the old RM Wilson School building and Gym, currently a senior housing center on Marigold Street and Hill Street.

If this the location, that means they would have to tear down an senior citizen housing center? Would the Council will make like older for these seniors, yes they would..

another comment,

It is very unlikely that a special hearing, other than those required by law, would be held if it weren't for public pressure. I commend all those speaking out against such issues. Now it's time to pressure the City Council to put the issue to a referendum. Let the people decide! After all, it's our money they will be taking to spend on this perpetual expense. Some people seem to forget that the City Council has rammed things down our unwilling throats before with "for show" public hearings. Glad to see the Community Council getting some credit but let's not forget that there are a great number of individuals who share a strong opposition to this endeavor.

side note, the area around the Post Office, the city have been taken land in that area for sometime now.. via liens from having homes torn down.. just check the records at the city code enforcement office…

Letters to The Telegram,

James E Williams wrote a letter to the Telegram, claiming the Event Center would make RMT a model City.. I think he’s a bit delusional.

The citizens of Rocky Mount need to know that the leaders of this town have already done their studies and visited others cities that have done related things and are very successful. If Rocky Mount listened to naysayers and their negative comments, we would be living in a ghost town.

The new Southern Bank Business Center coming to downtown Rocky Mount should prove how important revitalization can be to the growth of a city.

Michael T. Bryant, the regional executive for the bank’s western region, which includes Rocky Mount, said “We are proud to make this investment in Rocky Mount – particularly in downtown Rocky Mount. We believe having a vibrant downtown would benefit the entire community and look forward to a shared future of prosperity. Our bank officials are pleased with the direction downtown Rocky Mount is headed, the revitalizing effort, and we desire to give back to that cause.”

If James has lived in RMT, for a lone time.  He should know by now that Banks don’t last long in this City. Also When Roanoke Rapids got their Theater, everyone said the say thing. Back to the Bank building, I still have to wonder how much longer BB&T will allow them to grow, before taking them over.. Also just how many empty bank building are downtown now?

Building Buildings don’t make a city great, it never has and never will. If this was the case our city would be still on the Rise and not a downward spiral.

Currently we can’t even keep the business we have. Golden East mall is almost an empty shell of a business, Home depot is gone, and it $4 million dollar building sold for $1.4 million and will soon be a church, like we really need another on in the city. Longhorn Steak house has closed, and it sit empty. Many more business has close down or move out of the city. Why one ask, high rent, and Utilities bills. That the Wal-mart  Plaza, a unit’s rent is near $3,500/ month add Utilities and other business expenses, one wonder how you can make enough to stay open. Also Ole Navy in the same plaza has recently close too.  Rocky Mount even has lost a few fast food joints.

We don’t need retail, we need industries, and manufacturing businesses, which at one time RMT had. They left mostly due to high utilities.. When they left many jobs left with them. If the City Council was serious about getting Rocky Mount back on the Rise they would seeking these Companies out..

Where and How much land will be taken via Eminent Domain for this Center?

Coming in 2014 or 2015

he Rocky Mount City Council received a formal report on a Market Feasibility Study for a potential Event Center, likely located in Downtown Rocky Mount. The Study and presentation slides have been made available by the City and are available for review at the City website, as well as on the following page at the YPN site - http://wp.me/p25EFx-8q

They’re having a Celebration..

yes they are celebrating their new sidewalks, lamp posts, and streets in downtown Rocky Mount NC.

This is from Face book

The City of Rocky Mount will host a Downtown Streetscape Celebration May 30, 2013 at 4 pm. Congressman G.K. Butterfield, who also attended the kick-off for Streetscape, will serve as the event’s keynote speaker. The public is invited to the event, scheduled to be held at 119 Southeast Main Street in Downtown Rocky Mount, located next to the former Peoples Bank at the intersection of Main and Tarboro Streets.
Streetscape is the name for visual elements of a street, including the road, street furniture, open spaces and more. The City of Rocky Mount will be joined by Butterfield, as well as Rocky Mount High School’s Marching Band; Rocky Mount residents; the entertainment group, the Voltage Brothers, and others to recognize and celebrate the completion of Phase 1 of the Downtown Streetscape Project.
For more information on this FREE event, call 972-1332 or visit www.rockymountnc.gov.

Yes come on down and check out the new stuff they spent to much money on, Below is a side show from 2009, many Building have been redone, those Douglas block and very few (many one 4or so) from Main St..

check out the slide show and on the 30 how many of these Eye Sore Building are still there.

The Douglas Block Project, is it worth the Money?

The Douglas Block is a public-private redevelopment project that will result in a thriving commercial center in Downtown Rocky Mount. Phase One of the Douglas Block calls for the renovation of six historically significant buildings, all of which comprised the African American business district of the downtown area in the early to mid-1900’s. The $8 million effort to redevelop this site has been financed by a combination of historic tax credits, new market tax credits, a Section 108 HUD Loan, and public investment. This special financing structure allows for unique and remarkable opportunities for locating your business at the Douglas Block.

Today was the so-called grand opening of this Block Happen. There was nice crowd of folks at this event.

Which by the way is noway finish at all. Yes, Most of the buildings are done and sidewalk is down, however No lamp posts are in yet, The road in front on of the Main Douglas Block Building isn't yet finish at all.  Landscaping is a joke, unless you truly love pine straw.

One of the Building have a large facade area damage, which I guess happen during the brick laying for the sidewalks, which is excellently done. So far the sidewalk are the best part of this Project..

Enjoy the Slide show...

The Bush in the wall has been removed

Work on Douglas Block goes on

So is this work really worth the grand total of 24+ millions, by the end of 2010???

Work on Douglas Street as began

there is a slide show of the work so far

Douglas Block still not much happening

Well some building have been torn down the one they are saving have been gutted. The area look even worst now then it did with the old buildings intact. I guess more work will be done in the up coming year.. I can only hope that the City does something before the annual DownEast Festival, even more Building boarded up, looking very grim downtown, If I didn't know better I would swear that downtown Rocky Mount is a new training ground the Military.

Why is these three Building still Standing.

 

these building were destroyed by fire in June 27, 05, 111 and 121 Main St. The owner lives in Statesville, NC.

These building are really do poses an hazard to the community. I can only hope when the so-called revitalization of Main St. they turn these three building in nice court yard.

Well it has been done.

Please note that on the top of this building the crew left loose brick that could fall and hit someone on the head. Who would be liable? The building owner right, the city and the crew hire to do the work knows this.

The way the paper made it sound was that the whole building was about to fall down. This wasn't the case, Newspaper have to exaggerate to make the story sound more important then it is.

Downtown projects forge ahead

The city of Rocky Mount is going forward with its plan to revitalization downtown.

Despite the gloomy economy, Rocky Mount is staying on track with the city’s redevelopment projects in the downtown area. City officials, architects and planners working on revitalization efforts updated members of the community at a meeting Tuesday night regarding the downtown streetscape and Douglas Block projects. 

Yes they plan to bring some new life to the downtown area, but redoing the sidewalks and giving some buildings downtown a face lift.

Some time back the old train station was renovated and now host the Amtrak and Greyhound Busline.

There are a few local business that are still open downtown, however the coffee shop that was once downtown as close, basically close due to lack of business.

While Rocky Mount tries to revitalizes downtown they are going to try to renovated the building on Thomas street. Those between Main and Arlington st.

The key historic buildings of the Douglas Block project include the Booker T. Washington Theater, Douglas Building, Manhattan Theater, Stokes Building, Burnette Building and Thorpe Building.

These are the pictures of these building that they plan to waste money on to restore.

Please These Building are about to fall in, that is if they haven't already. One has a tree growing out of the roof. I willing to bet when they find a contractor to due the repair they will find that these building are not worth saving just for some small fraction of history.

If the history of these building were so important then the city would have never allow then to get so run down.

then don't forget the citizens will and have voice their opinion

Your money would be better spent helping Rocky Mount get back on the map with new business incentives, job creation, and keeping our utilities affordable. Downtown is a waste of time. Look at the productive businesses that have come and gone already. WAKE UP AND GET WITH THE PROGRAM ROCKY MOUNT!!!!!by nursecrachet

thanks for such a wonderful ideal it,s a very much needed facelift in a area that has been nelected for so long hope that there is a nice famly restaurant included which in my opion would bring downtown to a really lively place. by tryone parker

THANKS TELEGRAM FOR PUTTING A FACE TO THE WORD IDIOT, PENNY HAS TO BE THE BIGGEST IDIOT IN THE WORLD TO THINK SPENDING ALL THAT MONEY IN RUN DOWN DOWN TOWN WILL BRING PEOPLE THERE TO SHOP. PENNY YOU THE REST OF YOUR CRONNIES WILL BE SORRY FOR THE EXPLOITATION OF THE POOR. by taxpayer

there are many more of these type of comments.

So Is the Revitalization of Downtown important, while Rocky Mount has the highest unemployment rate in the area.