Downtown Wilson Investment Facts Since 1998
$28,592,493 and still growing!

Public and Private Investment since 1998
with the Grand Opening of the Edna Earle Boykin Theater Cultural Theater

$1.2 million to purchase and renovate the Wilson Theater which was a former X-rated theater into the Edna Earle Boykin Cultural Center, which opened in January 1998.

$1.8 million by the City Of Wilson to complete a six-phase Streetscape Project with participation from Wilson County and Wilson Downtown Development Corp.

$2 million by the NC Department of Transportation for the renovation of the historic Wilson Train Station serving over 36,000 people a year.

$1.3 million to renovate the Wilson Community Health Center.

$6 million to double the size of the Wilson County Public Library.

$2 million to purchase and renovate of the children’s science museum, Imagination Station.

$9 million for the renovation of the historic Charles L. Coon High School into the fully occupied Golden Leaf Apartments offering housing for senior citizens.

$1.4 million by Jackson Chapel First Missionary Baptist Church for “the Block of Hope” on Nash Street.  Jackson Chapel is a faith-based community leader with programs that encourage economic independence for adults and children in the surrounding neighborhood.

$1.8 million in private investment for the following projects:

·        St. John AME Zion Church for a child care facility and building improvements.

·        Wilson Chamber of Commerce to buy and renovate a former bank building in 2001 to meet its growing demand of business.

·        Purchase and renovation of a long time vacant retail store into the E. Sharpe Newton professional multi-tenant building.

·        First downtown new construction project in 25 years for the 8,000 square foot office building for the NC Employment Securities offices.

·        Purchase and renovation of 6,000 square foot building creating it into retail and professional space.

·        Purchase and renovation of former BB&T Insurance office converting the building into two separate professional spaces - including the NC office of Congressman G. K. Butterfield.

$22,493 in nine building facade improvements completed throughout the downtown area using the WDDC Facade Grant Program.

$70,000 by the City of Wilson to install Wi-Fi - free wireless fidelity technology - in the downtown area as another incentive to attract new businesses to the historic commercial district.

$2 million development of a business incubator, The Upper Coastal Plain Business Development Center, in the 41,000 square foot former Belk Building. Grand opening was November, 2007. Anchor tenants are WDCC, Wilson Community College Small Business Development Center and the administrative offices of the Upper Coastal Plains Council of Government.

Construction Projects Currently Underway

• Spring 2008
  Future site of Torero's Mexican Restaurant at 124 East Nash Street, increasing the restaurant chain's number of locations to 10 with the first location opening in downtown Durham in 1996. Development will include full facade improvements and 4,000 square feet of outdoor dining area.

• Summer 2008
  Construction and design of the Paul V. Berry Hickory Grove Commemorative Park is underway for a professionally-landscaped greenspace area with a public art interest at the intersection of Kenen and Pine Streets.

• The City of Wilson purchased and will renovate a former bank building located at 208 West Nash Street for city customer service use.

• Purchase and renovation of the 85-year old Drake Theater which is the sole remaining historic cinematic theater in Wilson. Plans are underway for a three-screen movie theater for a broad spectrum of historic, cultural, foreign, and new movies complimented with upscale concessions. Two adjacent buildings have been purchased in order to expand the lobby area.

• Downtown Wilson has completed a public art master plan and has begun implementation with five Whirligigs in place and plans to have a total of twelve in the downtown area.

• Downtown Way finding project is in the works with Visitor Parking Lot Identification, Pedestrian Orientation Signs, and Pedestrian Directional Signs. Future plans are for Downtown Gateway signs and a banner program.

• Purchase and renovation of 126 and 128 Goldsboro Street using the Historic Tax Credits. These buildings were saved from condemnation!

Milestones

1981     -     The Wilson Downtown Development Corporation was formed.

1982     -     Wilson was designated as a North Carolina Main Street Community because of its outstanding architecture and strong building inventory. Today, WDDC is still a part of this NC Department of Commerce program.

1997     -     Downtown Streetscape Project begins offering new life to Nash Street.

2002    -     Downtown Wilson is recognized as a National Main Street Community for achieving national standards for commercial district revitalization. This recognition has been earned annually.

2002     -     Wilson Downtown Properties, Inc. earned its 5013c no-profit status in 2002 as the redevelopment arm of WDDC to acquire properties by accepting property donations, purchasing properties through options and acquiring properties for third party owners.

2004     -     Nash Street Streetscape Dedication Ceremony.

2008     -     Awarded as recipient of the 2007 Best North Carolina Downtown Special Event - Theater of the American South, a celebration of the South located in downtown Wilson.

2008     -     Capital investment in the downtown area of $28,592,493 and still growing!