Published: August 06, 2008 08:11 am         

Enhancing Image of Downtown Albemarle

Numerous projects planned for heart of county seat

Tuesday, August 5, 2008 — Imagine a downtown district abounding with people, all shopping, working or living within the district.

This is the Albemarle Downtown Development Corporation’s (ADDC) vision for the city.

The vision includes shops on ground level with apartments upstairs and townhouses throughout the district.

Cultural entertainment and events would be provided throughout the district at areas such as Courthouse Square Park and Market Station.

“Albemarle already has a nice mix of businesses from the traditional Mom and Pop owner-operated stores, to the strip malls and chain stores. We have the same combination of stores as you would see in larger towns,” said Chris Bramlett, member of ADDC’s board of directors.

“I believe Albemarle has a nice cross section of businesses to provide goods and services.”

Although there is a wide variety of businesses available in the downtown area, plans to add new or reshape current businesses continue to evolve.

Here are a few of the projects currently in various stages of completion as one takes a walk around the downtown.

First Street Diner

The projects first begin along First Street with the newly completed First Street Diner.

The restaurant, at 231 S. First St., serves customers who enjoy a good homemade meal.

The building, which used to house Pat’s Cafe, was chosen by owner Bill Maxwell of Norwood and his daughter and restaurant manager Karen Thomas of Oakboro as the perfect location for the new eatery due to the growth and large population in the area.

The menu includes a wide variety of home cooked meals and daily specials such as spaghetti, meatloaf, country fried steak and chicken and dumplings. Specials are $5.95 each. Vegetables are also available daily and seem to be a success with the customers.

The traditional hamburgers and hot dogs are also on the menu with home-cooked fries and onion rings on the side. Thomas said burgers are a quarter-pound placed on a five-inch bun.

Lunch is not the only option for customers interested in what First Street Diner has to offer. A breakfast menu is also available.

Southern favorites include fat back and livermush.

“We have the biggest sausage and egg on a bun in town.” Thomas said.

First Street Diner was previously named Pork Fat Grill, but after several questions were raised, the name was changed.

The diner is open from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. until noon Saturday.

Vac & Dash

Now making a turn onto West Main Street from First Street are projects that have been completed but may not be well known.

Located at 231 W. Main St. is the specialty store Vac & Dash.

While the store has mainly provided vacuums, running shoes, ad specialities, UPS shipping and bicycle and vacuum repairs, it now offers custom screen printing.

“This was a way to add more diversification to the store,” said owner Peter Asciutto.

The business was expanded with a screen printing shop in the summer of 2007 and after one year it continues to grow, Asciutto added.

More employees were hired to respond to the demand and an artist was also added to the crew.

Penny Banemanivong, the artist, began July 28 and will be available to create custom designs for T-shirts and other apparel, which will be convenient for businesses, sports teams and other organizations or for those who just want to make something unique.

Another investment Asciutto made with his store is the addition of timing equipment.

“We saw a need for small races in the area to be able to time their races economically,” he said.

Asciutto also plans to donate the equipment for local schools’ cross country teams in the upcoming season.

With the growth of triathlons and interest in swimming throughout the area, Asciutto is also adding a Vac, Dash and Splash section to the store.

The section will provide various swimming supplies.

Asciutto said he had also planned to move the store across the street, but instead decided to renovate his current location.

“I love being in the downtown area. We’re just trying to make our space more open and accommodating for our customers,” Asciutto said.

For more information about Vac & Dash, call (704) 983-3274 or visit www.vacanddash.com.

Hightek Designs

Continuing along West Main Street is a more recent project that brought an Internet cafe to the downtown district.

Hightek Designs, 459 W. Main St., opened Nov. 10, 2007.

Joshua Pack, who is the president, decided to create the business after completing four years of Web site design and hosting.

“I really wanted to open a shop,” said Pack, “and Albemarle did not have a place like it.”

The cafe is slated to be open Mondays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-11 p.m., and 1-7 p.m. Sundays.

Visitors of the cafe will have the opportunity to use personal computers or computers that are already set up within the building.

“If someone does not have a computer or Internet access, they can come here and use our computers,” Pack said.

Services cater to computer users and gamers including such services as Web site designs, computer games, computer classes and gourmet coffee.

The classes range from the very basic, such as how to operate a computer, to the more advanced. The advanced classes include e-mail and Internet use and eBay.

The cafe will also offer computer repairs, which include hardware, networking and virus clean up.

Anyone using a computer at the cafe is assigned a username and password in order to login. Also, minutes or hours of use can be purchased.

Wireless Internet is also available to those with a personal computer, but minutes of use would need to be purchased in order to log on.

Memberships are also available beginning at $25 a month.

Other services available include printing documents or pictures, sending or receiving e-mails, fax and blogs.

Gaming is a big expectation for Pack.

“I believe this is a good place for a gaming community,” he said.

For more information about Hightek Designs, visit www.hightekcafe.com or call (704) 983-2735.

Uwharrie Capital

Making a turn back onto First Street, Uwharrie Capital Corp., is completing perhaps the most projects within the downtown area.

This business, which is a financial holding company, provides support for Bank of Stanly, Anson Bank & Trust, Cabarrus Bank & Trust, Strategic Investment Group and Strategic Investment Advisors.

Due to the need for support for several businesses, Uwharrie Capital employs more than 120 people.

The high number of employees requires adequate space, which is the reason Uwharrie Capital is expanding into several areas of the downtown district.

The first project is the renovations of the Groves Building on Second Street.

All three floors of the building are being renovated, with the second and third floors being used for internal operations and support.

Plans are to complete the first floor to provide space for retail tenants.

“We already have the infrastructure in place such as bathrooms and a kitchen,” said Christy Stoner, executive vice president of marketing.

Stoner also said many of the building’s original features, such as the heart pine floors, will remain intact but be refurbished.

“We want to try to keep as much of the original architectural design as possible,” Stoner said.

In continuing with the need for space, the lot next to the old Lorch Plumbing building on Second Street has been repaved and reconfigured to provide parking for Bank of Stanly and Uwharrie employees.

“We have 120 employees working in the city everyday so it is difficult to accommodate parking. We have actually had to reach into the perimeter of the city to provide space,” Stoner said.

Third on the list of projects for Uwharrie Capital is the remodeling of the old Arc Services building on First Street. Uwharrie has owned the building for many years, and with the relocation of Arc Services (now Monarch) to Lillian Mill, the decision was made to use the building for Uwharrie employees.

“We have two to three people in each of our offices right now, which can become kind of crowded. The use of the (Arc) building will allow us to be able to expand,” said Stoner.

Stoner said the use of the building will also allow the company to grow internally in the future by adding 40 new jobs to the downtown area.

Stoner also said the East Albemarle branch of Bank of Stanly was recently remodeled to provide convenience for customers.

A final project for Uwharrie Capital is the refurbishing of the Whitley Luncheonette on Second Street. The building will be used as an employee breakroom and will not be open to the public.

Updates are being completed to the outside of the building, but the original architecture of the building will remain the same.

Stoner said the signage will also remain.

Albemarle

Pilates and Yoga

Another project along First Street, which was completed in March, provides a new alternative to physical and mental fitness to the downtown district.

Albemarle Pilates and Yoga was the creation of Cindy and Steve Megson, who decided to open the business in the downtown as a result of the growth within the area.

“I just love the downtown,” Cindy said.

“With all the new downtown development growth, it seemed like a good place.”

Cindy was a dance instructor for several years in Charlotte, Atlanta and Albemarle. She also taught at the Northwest School of the Arts in Mecklenburg County.

The studio, at 239 N. First St., was Cindy’s idea, as she wanted to establish her own studio. Since she is a native of Stanly County, she decided downtown Albemarle would be the perfect place for it.

In addition to her knowledge of dance, Cindy has received her certification for pilates and yoga.

Steve will help Cindy with the business side of it and has contributed greatly to the renovation of the building, she said. All floors have been redone along with the restroom and the majority of the kitchen.

GHA

Making a turn onto Second Street, the next project is taking place in the old Stanly Funeral Home building, which is now owned by GHA, Inc.

Currently located at 1519 E. Main St., where they have been since 1985, GHA has been looking for an area to expand services.

“As our agency continues to grow, the need for space at our current administrative building is very limited,” said Dawn Allen, executive director.

The reason the old Stanly Funeral Home building was chosen was due to its central location.

Plans are currently under way for the new design for the building, and when completed, the new building will house additional administrative office space as well as a training area for the staff.

“As soon as the architect has completed the plans, we will be accepting bids for the construction and renovation work,” Allen said.

She expects the bidding process to begin in August.

“We are excited about our move to downtown Albemarle. We are thrilled that we could find a space that meets not only our present but our future needs as well. We look forward to being a part of downtown Albemarle,” Allen said.

GHA is a private, non-profit organization that was established in 1978. It offers residential, day and community services for residents of North Carolina with a primary diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Services provided by GHA include the operation of Intermediate Care Facilities for Mentally Retarded (ICF/MR) and Developmentally Disabled group homes, as well as managing a supervised Apartment program.

GHA also offers: a Day Services facility, providing structured vocational training as well as art, music, and sensory therapy for adolescents and adults; the Supported Employment Program, providing individualized job assessment and training services; the Community Services Program, providing non-resident individuals with access to the Day Services program along with scheduled activities and outings in their homes and in the community; and an Autistic Classroom for children that is operated in a public school setting through a contract with the Stanly County Schools.

City Hall

Perhaps the largest project currently under way in the downtown area is located along Second Street.

The historic 1938 Albemarle City Hall is in the process of being remodeled. Construction began April 14.

“The building is expected to be completed by Oct. 14, 2009, just 18 months from the initial construction date. Currently, everything is on schedule, too,” said Albemarle City Manager Ray Allen.

This project, which has been discussed for more than 20 years, will provide the city of Albemarle with a beautiful and functional facility

When completed, all the city’s administrative functions will be consolidated into the new facility. City offices which have been located in the City Hall Annex will be returned to the newly expanded City Hall.

Facilities will also be provided to grant full access to all offices for those with physical disabilities.

The architectural firm of Narmour, Wright, Creech and Associates of Charlotte is the designer of this project.

The firm conducted a space needs analysis to determine the appropriate size of and needs for facilities for the expansion.

The construction company for the project will be CM Black of Concord, which has significant experience in large office and institutional projects.

There will be a total of 31,000 square feet of usable space, which includes an addition to the building of 4,000 square feet.

The old city hall will have 9,500 square feet of usable space, which includes the first and second floors.

The basement will not be available because of requirements in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Home Savings Bank

As the path of projects continues down Second Street, the nearly completed remodeling project for Home Saving Bank can be seen at the corner of West Main Street and Second Street.

The remodeling of this building began approximately two years ago and is nearing the stage where employees will be able to move into the facility.

Ron Swanner, president and CEO of Home Savings Bank, expects the new building to be fully operational sometime this month, though he does not have an exact date.

“We just lack a few items, such as carpet and phone lines, but I expect we should be in there very shortly,” Swanner said.

Expectations are high for the new facility, which will provide several similarities to the bank’s current location on South Street, where the company has been housed since 1964.

The ADDC is excited about the look the newly remodeled building provides to the center of downtown.

“It truly is a beautiful building and it really enhances the look of this section of downtown,” Bramlett said.

Though the project is nearly completed now, it experienced several delays throughout the process, such as a delay with installing the windows and the decision to completely strip down the brick instead of overlaying it.

Home Savings Bank was organized June 27, 1911 and has several offices throughout the county.

Firehouse

Espresso Cafe

The projects continue along Second Street with the hopeful recruiting of a coffee shop to fill the vacated Firehouse Espresso Cafe at 114 S. Second St.

Vicki Coggins, executive director with the ADDC, believes a coffee shop would be perfect due to the close proximity of several businesses.

“Home Savings is in the area, along with the Sheriff’s Office, the courthouse and various other businesses. It would be the best location for this type of business, which the downtown area desperately needs,” Coggins said.

Bramlett agrees with Coggins opinion, not only in that the area would be a perfect fit, but also that the area lacks this integral part.

“People are looking to try to get a first-class coffee shop because that’s one area Downtown Albemarle is missing and needs badly,” Bramlett said.

Coggins and Bramlett both said several people have requested information about the building that has been vacated for about two months, but nothing has been determined at this time.

Stanly County Detention Center

The downtown district’s projects continue by making a turn onto Third Street.

The Stanly County Detention Center is in its last stages of construction, according to Bramlett.

Construction of the center began in August 2006 with the groundbreaking, which followed nearly two years of planning.

“It’s coming along. They’re (the builders) moving towards substantial completion,” said Stanly County Manager Jerry Myers.

Myers says he expects construction to be completed by late August to early September, but it will be approximately 45 days from completion before inmates can be moved.

“We have to make sure all the bugs are worked out in the electric system and the cameras,” Myers said.

He also said the security system and door locks have to be tested to make sure there are no faults in the system.

Once completed, the 28,000-square-foot expansion will bring bed capacity to 96 at a total project cost of nearly $8.2 million.

The decision to complete the project was to address the need for additional space created by inmate overcrowding.

Farley Associates, Inc. of Fort Mill, S.C. is the contractor for the project.

Myers said the project has taken approximately two years, though it was supposed to be a one-year project.

Stanly County Museum

Final in the long list of projects is the Stanly County Museum at 245 E. Main St.

The museum is in the planning stages for major additions, which would bring the building to 4,500 square feet.

In the spring 2007, the museum’s board of directors contracted the architectural firm of Ramsay, Burgin, and Smith to evaluate the museum’s public spaces, storage area and future spatial needs.

By late summer the firm presented the board with a conceptual rendering more than doubling the size of the museum’s exhibition and public space.

The plan also expanded staff work areas and added some much needed storage space.

Two new exhibit galleries, a conference room and a welcome center-type entrance hall is included in the expansion project.

The reason for the project, Director Jonathan Underwood said, is due to the growth of the museum’s artifact collection. More than 17,000 artifacts have been donated to date.

“We want to be a vital part of the downtown area, especially the Five Points area, but we need more room,” Underwood said.

Stanly County Commissioners have pledged three-fourths of the money needed for the project, or nearly $400,000.

The museum will be starting a fundraising drive in the near future and it will also be seeking assistance through grants.

Everyone is asked to help the museum continue to save Stanly County’s local history. Anyone interested in giving or volunteering can contact the museum at (704) 986-3777.

ADDC

The motivator behind many of these projects is the vision the ADDC has for the downtown district.

“We are continually looking for new businesses, especially those that cater to younger people, such as clothing stores. We are always in a continuing state of recruitment,” Bramlett said.

The ADDC is a member of the North Carolina Downtown Development Association (NCDDA), which is a non-profit, statewide, membership-based organization made up of towns, downtown development organizations, merchant associations, chambers of commerce and other professionals.

The ADDC’s mission is to create a charming and socially friendly environment for private investment.

Support for the ADDC is greatly appreciated and can be achieved through many avenues.

One can offer services to the ADDC and volunteers are always appreciated. Anyone interested can contact Coggins at (704) 984-9415.

Other ways to get involved is through committees, which include the design committee with Bill Hatley as chairperson, the economic restructuring committee with Bramlett as chair and the gateway to Albemarle committee with C. B. Crook and Jack Phillips as co-chairs.

Other committees include the organizational committee with Betty Crook as chair, the promotions committee with Jennifer McSwain as chair and the funding committee with Don Abernathy as chair.

Parking Task Force/Master Plan

One of the major issues the ADDC is investigating is the want for housing in the downtown area.

“We are definitely aiming at getting people downtown to live here, but one possible hindrance is lack of parking dedicated to residents,” Bramlett said.

As a result, the city has asked the ADDC to complete a parking study for the area, according to Bramlett.

This will be incorporated with the completion of a new master plan, the funds for which were approved in the 2008-2009 budget for city council.

Arnett-Muldrow Associates, an urban planning team from Greenville, S.C. conducted the initial master plan, which was completed in 2001, and they will also be responsible for the update.

As part of the updating process, ADDC will conduct a survey of businesses to determine how many people are employed in the downtown district.

During the next several weeks, a survey team, consisting of several volunteers, will be analyzing businesses in the downtown area to determine the number of full- and part-time employees.

“We will be establishing a core group of customers to the area, as well, as many drive to the area and park along the streets, limiting the amount of parking available to employees,” Bramlett said.

For more information contact Coggins at (704) 984-9415.

Grants and

Tax Credits

Funding for many of these projects may seem out of reach, but the ADDC is also available to assist with this concern.

“I believe about $25-$30 million was spent for actual construction projects in various stages of completion throughout the downtown area,” Bramlett said.

One way of assisting is through the facade grant, which is a 50 percent matching funds grant up to $1 million.

It provides design assistance, and approval from the design committee is needed.

Another grant is the landscape grant, which is also a 50 percent matching funds grant for up to $750.

It also provides design assistance and needs approval.

The third grant is the sign grant, which is also a matching funds grant for up to $500 with design assistance that must have approval.

Contact ADDC at (704) 984-9415 for details.

Grants are not the only form of relief for businesses looking to improve their structures.

“Our goal is for businesses to be able to improve their look. They could improve or build the value of their property, which would allow for better businesses. Rent is a real bargain right now. We’d like to see businesses enhanced so owners can get higher rent and work on business development,” Bramlett said.

Tax relief is another form of assistance, but it is not granted through the ADDC. Instead it comes from the city and county governments.

Owners that make significant improvements to their businesses that increases the property value are eligible to receive grant relief.

Businesses would still be required to pay taxes, but the city would reimburse 100 percent of the payment, and the county 85 percent in the form of a grant for five years.

Another way of assisting businesses with the expense of remodeling is a tax credit.

“They are used mainly for larger projects, and in some cases, those larger projects could not be completed without them,” Coggins said.

Tax credits are mainly used for income producing structures and the person receiving the credit must own the structure for seven years or they would be required to pay back the credit.

An application must be completed and if approved the owner of the structure could receive up to 20 percent each from both the state and federal governments in the form of tax credits.

Lillian Mill

One example of tax credits at work is the Lillian Mill project, which was completed in March after 18 months of collaborative effort between local construction and engineering agencies who also serve as part owners.

Stephen Chambers of Chambers Engineering, J.T. Russell & Sons and Mitchell and Sherrill Smith of S&D Construction were hard at work with the facility, which was made possible by receiving tax credits.

As a contributing structure in the National Register of Historical Places, the owners of this building receive perks if renovations are made and the history and integrity of the building is preserved. Perks include a 60 percent tax credit for the next seven years, which also means the space must be leased up until that point.

When one has a project that costs $5 to $7 million, it’s worth the while, Coggins said.

In addition to the tax credit, Albemarle applied for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), which gives approximately $800,000 to the Lillian Mill Project fund being administered by the Centralina Council of Government.

One of four grants used to do this work was awarded to Albemarle for its efforts at Lillian Mill.

Their job is to create more jobs and preserve old buildings.

“For this particular loan to the Lillian Mill Project, if owners pay back the interest, the city will put funds back into a revolving fund and make it available for other projects,” Coggins said.



Contact Tiffany Thompson at (704) 982-2121 ext. 24 or snaponline24@carolina.rr.com.