Major construction projects
Change the face of Kinston downtown

Two major thoroughfares in downtown Kinston have a new look.

The retail shopping center of Herritage Street between Gordon and Blount Streets is getting a new look with enhanced sidewalks, curbs and gutters thanks to the City of Kinston and the Golden Leaf Foundation.

Work on replacing the worn and often broken concrete began July 9, 2010 when employees from Snow Hill's Lanier Construction Company started cutting asphalt for curb-and-gutter work at Herritage and Gordon Streets. The construction firm predicts that the work will be completed by Sept. 1.

The City was successful with its request to the Golden Leaf Foundation, winning a $200,000 grant to do the work.

Storeowners along the construction path were supportive even though the construction interfered with easy access to their businesses.

Ashleigh Shirley, co-owner of Our Picnic Basket, (214-216 N. Herritage) told the Free Press: "I think, down the road, people will really like it and I think it'll bring more aesthetics (to downtown.)"

Barbara Rose, owner of Barbaros Kitchen Tools (204 N. Herritage) told the paper that she didn't "have anything negative to say" about the sidewalk improvement project.

Over on parallel Queen Street, crews working for the North Carolina Railroad have closed the street between Blount and Peyton to construct new rails across the main street.

The project entails massive earth moving to carve out a gully across the street which will eventually house a new rebuilt system to replace rails currently in use. Workmen at the site predict that this work will also be completed by Sept. 1, 2010...good news for the Community Council for the Arts at 400 N. Queen which has been almost marooned by the construction work.

The work implements a plan by the railroad company to straighten the tracks which run through the middle of Kinston. Earlier construction crews re-arranged the tracks over McLewean Street under the plan.

The new arrangement will permit trains to travel through downtown at a faster pace, as well accommodate large shipments of airplane parts to be manufactured by Spirit AeroSystems at the Global TransPark and shipped via rail to Morehead City state ports.

Pride survey details business growth in downtown

In a report submitted to North Carolina's Main Street program, the Pride of Kinston—one of 59 Main Street programs in the State—detailed nearly $5.7 million spent or committed in Kinston's downtown during the 2009-2010 fiscal year by private and public investors. (The fiscal year covered by the report is from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010.)

"We actually believe that a full accounting of downtown investment would exceed $6 million," according to Pride director Adrian King. "Our survey is just one more positive sign that Kinston is truly 'on the way' to a greater day. Our hat is off to those who have signed on to our downtown future with their hard earned investments. We are grateful."

The Pride survey reflects estimates of property owner expenditures to match facade grants, the cost of renovating or re-fitting buildings, expanding business inventories and equipment, as well as new businesses which have established offices in the Kinston Enterprise Center.

It also includes funds being made available by the State of North Carolina to begin construction of a new Civil War Museum on Queen Street, a $200,000 grant from the Golden Leaf Foundation to build new sidewalks along Herritage Street, and some $125,000 spent by Pride to renovate and expand a parking lot to serve the Community Health Center and nearby businesses.

The Pride survey also suggests a net of 18 new jobs have been created with the business growth in the downtown while one business—the Tied Bouquet—closed during the year. One property owner Isaac Hines moved his photography business to his home but was replaced by a new company, Living Well down east.

Pride of Kinston was established in 1984 to lead Kinston's downtown revitalization through several strategies. Conducting periodic surveys of business in the downtown is but one of the means to measure development.

Read the report...

Wade Layton, Kinston city executive for BB&T, looks over the new design for an entranceway into historic Maplewood-Cedar Grove-Hebrew cemeteries. Mr. Layton delivered a check for $5,000 to the Pride of Kinston in support of the South Queen Street initiative. The recent donation represents the second installment towards a $25,000 pledge by the bank to support the South Queen initiative.