Spring Hope earns $537K grant for depot platform

A $537,500 North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority grant will help the town of Spring Hope build a covered platform for its historic railroad depot as the building is renovated for use as an event center.

Gov. Roy Cooper announced 20 Rural Infrastructure Authority grants to local governments last month totaling nearly $8.7 million. Spring Hope’s award is one of 11 under the state’s Building Reuse Program.

Funding will be used to extend the depot’s outdoor space with a 32-by-90-foot covered platform, paint the building’s exterior and restore its original chimneys. The platform will function as a sheltered outdoor venue that can host private events, public events and festivals.

A June 20 news release from the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina reveals the venue’s new name: the Spring Hope Depot Event Center. The project is expected to leverage $33,500 in investments.

State officials say the $8,680,000 in approved grant requests will attract more than $474 million in public and private funding.

“Continued investments in building capacity and utility infrastructure are critical for attracting more economic opportunities to rural North Carolina,” Gov. Roy Cooper said in the release. “With these grants, all North Carolinians can access a better quality of life and increased economic prosperity.”

In neighboring Franklin County, the town of Franklinton received a $500,000 grant for downtown revitalization, including new sidewalks, upgraded lights, walkability enhancements and creation of a small business support center and meeting space. That project is set to leverage $478,660 in investments.

In Halifax County, the town of Weldon was awarded $250,000 for improvements to its Riverfront Walking Trail area.

The Rural Infrastructure Authority also approved $500,000 grants for the city of Kings Mountain and the city of Lexington; $150,000 for Gaston County; separate $2 million and $80,000 grants for the city of Greenville; separate $300,000 and $500,000 grants for Wayne County; $100,000 for the city of Graham; $30,000 for the city of Lexington; $150,000 for the town of Benson; $200,000 for Pasquotank County; $250,000 for Pitt County; $250,000 for Stanly County; $850,000 for the city of Hickory; $787,500 for the town of Norwood; $95,000 for the town of Mount Gilead; and $650,000 for Yancey County.

The RIA is supported by the rural economic development team at the North Carolina Department of Commerce. RIA members review and approve funding requests from local communities. Funding comes from a variety of specialized grant and loan programs offered and managed by N.C. Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division, led by Assistant Secretary for Rural Development Kenny Flowers.

Grants support a variety of activities, including infrastructure development, building renovation, expansion and demolition and site improvements.

“I appreciate the collaboration that our Rural Economic Development Division and the RIA does to help local leaders spur growth in their communities,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “This work improves our economic conditions and competitiveness as a state and creates additional jobs and investments for a more inclusive future.”

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