Checking out thedevelopment along Washington's main street, spawned by the the community's investment in developing its waterfront, are members of Pride's Kinston Waterfront - Now! Task Force, left to right: Bill Ellis, director of Kinston-Lenoir County Parks and Recreation; Tommy Lee, director of planning for City of Kinston, Dr. Lyn Turner, co-chair of the task force; Ely Perry III, member of Pride's board of directors; John Shimer III, member of the task force; and Tommy Pressly, co-chair of the task force.

The Kinston group, headed by Task Force co-chairs Tommy Pressly and Lyn Turner, met with Bobby E. Roberson, director of planning and development for Washington.

Roberson told the group that the Washington’s riverfront development program began some 14 years ago, and was based on a Renaissance plan for the town’s downtown. The plan envisioned 30 different projects with a total cost, at the time, of $25 million. Development along the Pamlico riverbank—which spilled over into the adjacent business district—was a $6.2 million part of the overall vision, he said, with funding from the Town of Washington and the Clean Water Trust Fund.

Members of Pride of Kinston's waterfont development task force stop to admire the architectural drawings of a condo complex under construction along Washington's waterfront which has become a model for riverside developments in North Carolina. From left to right (with their backs to the camera) are: Ely Perry III, John Shimer III, Bill Ellis, Lyn Turner and Tommy Pressly. The Kinston group toured Washington's waterfront to gain insights on how such a plan could be implemented along the Neuse River.

He told the Kinston group that 50% of Washington’s downtown consisted of empty storefronts when the development project began. Today, he said, there are few empty buildings and five major development projects underway in the downtown area representing a total of $15-$18 million in investments.

The new investments include a $6.2 million renovation for Washington’s Turnage Theater, a project with both profit and non-profit features.

Roberson said the success of Washington’s waterfront development had several components:

• A plan with priorities clearly established;
• Partnerships between local government and private entities;
• Success in attracting major investors, much of it coming from outside Washington;
• A local political and business commitment to the vision.

Following a 90-minute briefing from Roberson, the Kinston group walked the length of the Washington waterfront, toured the North Carolina Estuarium, and visited the downtown shopping district. The group lunched at Washington’s famed Bill’s Hotdogs café.

Making the visit, in addition to Pressly and Turner, were Kinston city planner Tommy Lee, Bill Ellis, Director of Kinston-Lenoir County Parks and Recreation, Pride board member Ely Perry III, task force Member John Shimer III, and Pride director Adrian King.

The task force is slated to brief the Kinston City Council at its regular Oct. 23rd meeting (7:00 pm) on the report prepared by NCSU College of Design outlining several concepts for development along the city’s stretch of the Neuse River. Members of the public are invited to attend the briefing to be held at City Hall on King Street.