BAKERSVILLE — Mitchell County Economic Development Commission Director Mickey Duvall this past week released his report for May.
Duvall’s report starts with touting the EDC’s Project Red Hawk, which is a North Carolina Department of Commerce Building Reuse industrial expansion project for the county.
The EDC will bring the project to the Mitchell County Board of Commissioners for a public hearing on Monday, June 7.
The amount of up to $25,000 will be used to provide matching funds for a North Carolina Department of Commerce Building Reuse Grant and the amount of up to $10,000 as incentives for job creation of up to $1,000 per job created over 18 months.
The public hearing notice from the county notes that “Mitchell County has determined that the expenditure of public money will increase employment in Mitchell County and will increase industrial output and increase the value of taxable property in Mitchell County and that these factors justify the expenditure of public funds in the amounts of the aforementioned proposed project.”
The EDC also continues to work with Mitchell County Recreation Director Brock Duncan and his department regarding the establishment of a Bakersville recreation facility near Gouge Elementary.
The EDC, Duncan, the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the Town of Bakersville and Gouge Principal Colby Calhoun have met recently to discuss a new NCDOT access road into Gouge with the remainder of the plot of land near the school being used for a recreation facility.
The EDC on April 12 met with NCDOT District 13 engineers, town officials and county and school leaders to work on coordinating the project moving forward.
The access road is now being reviewed by NCDOT officials in Raleigh. At a later date, the county plans to apply for North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grants and other available project grants.
“We are working closely with the NCDOT Municipal and School Transportation Assistance as we continue to plan and bring this much-needed project in Bakersville to fruition,” Duvall said.
Duvall’s report goes on to tease the fact that acreage for two large-scale housing developments has been identified and is gaining interest from developers. One project is being planned and marketed toward “senior housing” while the other will focus on “affordable housing,” the report says.
Duvall said additional information on the projects will be released in the future.
Duvall’s report concludes with an update on vacant commercial properties in the county.
Duvall said the EDC is working with a second franchise restaurant that has an interest in possibly relocating to the former Burger King building at the intersection of U.S. Highway 226 and Halltown Road in Spruce Pine.
Duvall added that the Spruce Pine Wells Fargo building is now under contract and is expected to close soon. The building was on the market for less than one month.
Finally, the Pine Valley Motel property has gone under contract and is expected to close within days of the release of the report.
“A closing is expected within a few days,” Duvall said. “More to come on this property soon.”
Additional details on all of the aforementioned commercial properties will be released as the EDC is given clearance to do so.