FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 1, 2004
Mixed-use "Gateway" Project Caps Smithfield's Downtown Revitalization
SMITHFIELD, NC - A $6-million mixed-use development in the heart of Smithfield will blend with the city's charming downtown and serve as an attractive gateway to visitors as they cross the Neuse River.
Construction is under way on Neuse River Commons, the 34,000-square-foot medical, office, retail and residential project at the intersection of Market and Front Streets. The two- and three-story buildings will complement the town's historic structures. The new buildings will front the sidewalk with parking concealed behind them.
"The developer realizes that this isn't just another block; this is right on Market Street, and it's a gateway to downtown as you cross the river," said Chris Johnson, executive director of Downtown Smithfield Development Corp. "It will be a showpiece as well as being functional. It's a huge investment, and we're excited about that."
The project is proof that success breeds success. Smithfield is the seat of Johnston County government, and its downtown has undergone a renaissance since DSDC was formed in 1986. Investors have renovated buildings one-by-one, and entrepreneurs have opened new shops and restaurants. Downtown buildings have gone from 50 percent to 95 percent leased.
Neuse River Commons is easily three times the size of any previous downtown investment, Johnson said. He notes that infrastructure, such as roads, sidewalks and utilities are already in place, so the project constitutes smart, efficient growth for Johnston County.
Local officials laid important groundwork for Neuse River Commons during the 1990s by passing development rules allowing urban-style, mixed-use development downtown rather than strip centers, he said.
Developers Jonathan Duea and Whitney Bales have attracted several medical offices to anchor the project, including Bales' dental practice. The 1.8-acre site had been vacant since a tobacco warehouse burned down there in 1982.
Located 28 miles southeast of Raleigh, Smithfield is a classic Southern small town with just over 11,000 residents. Founded in 1984, the Downtown Smithfield Development Corp. works to promote, enhance, and develop the historic downtown. Downtown Smithfield won designation as a state and national Main Street community in 1986.
Smithfield and Johnston County are part of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership, which promotes economic development for the 13-county Research Triangle Region of North Carolina comprising Chatham, Durham, Franklin, Granville, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Moore, Orange, Person, Vance, Wake and Warren counties.
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