A Vision of Revitalization

a vision of

Revitalization

It’s no secret the excitement surrounding Capitol Broadcasting Co.’s redevelopment project of the Rocky Mount Mills derives from the success and economic impact of the American Tobacco Campus within Durham.

“Like the American Tobacco in Durham, the Rocky Mount Mills is being revitalized with the vision and cooperation of so many leaders in both the public and private sector,” said Capitol Broadcasting Co. Development Manager Evan Covington Chavez. “ ere are challenges both similar and unique to each project, but creative, innovative thinking is being applied to both to create a success.” e mixed-use project of American Tobacco is a poster child for urban redevelopment, with office space, entrepreneur space, retail, restaurants and entertainment and educational venues. Just like the old Rocky Mills, a former cotton mill, which initially closed in 1996, American Tobacco’s mill fell into a state of despair.

American Tobacco sat vacant in downtown Durham as the factory declined into a center of decay in the 20 years following its 1987 closing. However, with Capitol Broadcasting Co. coming to take over and reopening the American Tobacco Campus in 2004, it has been referred to nationally as the definitive example of re-purposing and re-developing historic properties. e district has been dubbed the Durham Renaissance of downtown.

Since the resurrection, North Carolina’s largest historic renovation project has expanded to 200,000 square feet of parking space and 800,000 square feet of office, residential and entertainment facilities. On any given summer night, residents can be seen catching a baseball game at the Durham Bulls’ stadium, attending a concert on the ”island” beneath the Lucky Strike water tower or watching a showing at the $48 million Durham Performing Arts Center, ranked among the top theaters in the country.

Matt Honeycutt, real estate development manager for Capitol Broadcasting Co., said one of the major economic developments of the restoration project has been the influx of jobs. e hope for the continuing redevelopement of Rocky Mount Mills is to bring much-needed jobs to a city lacking employment opportunites and help spur economic development throughout the Eastern North Carolina region.

“We have 4,000 employees at American Tobacco everyday, which means people going to eat lunch down there, eating dinner, getting a drink, needing a place to stay from time to

Written By Corey Davis Photography by Adam Jennings

I THINK THIS PROJECT HAS THE POTENTIAL “ TO PUT ROCKY MOUNT ON THE MAP” - MARGO KNIGHT METZGER

time or going to a baseball game,” Honeycutt said. “We’re hopeful to have similar impact with that much space at the Rocky Mount Mill in creating plenty of jobs and bringing people together.”

One of the main reasons for Capitol buying the once abandoned Rocky Mount Mills in 2007 was transforming it into North Carolina’s first craft beer incubator in Rocky Mount, while making craft beer an economic development tool for Eastern North Carolina, as the state continues to have a thriving beer industry.

Margo Knight Metzger, executive director of NC Craft Brewers Guild, a not-for-profit 501(c)6 taxexempt organization comprised of brewers, vendors, retailers and craft beer enthusiasts focused on promoting North Carolina beer, said craft brewing in North Carolina contributes $1.2 billion to the state’s economy annually and generates 10,000 jobs for North Carolina. e state boasts the largest number of craft breweries and brewpubs in the South, with more than 160 breweries. Metzger said the Triangle region has the most breweries followed by Asheville and Charlotte regions. Overall, North Carolina ranks in the top 15 nationally in the number of breweries, according to NC Craft Brewers Guild.

Honeycutt said with Capitol still in phase one of the project, it hasn’t fully determined the sort of economic impact the Mill will potentially have on the area. Metzger said Rocky Mount Mills has the potential to make Rocky Mount economically viable again.

“I think this project has the potential to put Rocky Mount on the map for manufacturing again, as well as make it a bona fide tourism destination and enhance qualify of life,” she said.

American Tobacco has about 80 apartments, Honeycutt said. e mill village will have more than 100 renovated homes or apartments equiped with amenities such as a patio, grill, fenced-n yards and landscape done by Capitol. e Mill has a 71/2 acre island for outdoor entertainment and will have outdoor seating, a playground and running and cycling trail.

“ is is less about economic impact and numbers and more about community growth,” Honeycutt said. “People have left this area and we’ve got to find a way to bring people back. Ultimately, we want people who work in Rocky Mount to live in Rocky Mount. At the American Tobacco, in addition to creating jobs, we wanted to create a place where people want to come live, work and play and this is the same thing, we’re doing here.”