Glen Alpine eyes a downtown district to attract economic development

With the closure of long-time Glen Alpine business Clinic Drug, all of the town’s five downtown storefronts now sit empty, leaving less opportunities for residents to shop or dine in town.

With the creation of a downtown district, some solutions could soon be on the way.

On Jan. 14, Phil Boggan of the North Carolina Department of Commerce visited Glen Alpine to tour the downtown area and brief town officials on strategies for improving economic development.

The first step to bringing more businesses into Glen Alpine is creating a downtown district, according to Beth Heile, who is the executive director of the Burke River Trail Association. Heile asked Boggan to visit Glen Alpine and talk to leaders about their options for revitalization.

The downtown district would allow the town to set its priorities, while also unlocking a plethora of grant funding opportunities, Heile said. The idea is that the district shows grantors that the town is focused on revitalization and economic development opportunities.

The district won’t tax property owners, create new restrictions, or regulations, Heile said, adding that the main idea really is to unlock grant funding.

The Glen Alpine Board of Aldermen plan to vote on a resolution, implementing the downtown district at its regular meeting on Feb. 9. The district itself will stretch along the U.S. 70 corridor, where Glen Alpine’s businesses are located.

Boggan will also be aiding Glen Alpine in the creation of a five-year economic development plan, which will take about six months to complete. The master planning will identify the entirety of the town’s needs through key stakeholders, including interested residents and town officials.

The master planning process won’t interfere if an economic development opportunity pops up before its completion. Heile said that Boggan will lead the town through the process should someone be interested in bringing business to the town.

It’s not just Glen Alpine that is taking advantage of the opportunities that come with creating a downtown district. Heile noted that Boggan has also been working with the Town of Granite Falls and the Town of Sparta.

“It’s just extremely exciting right now that, like the momentum that the park brought and showing that others were willing to invest in Glen Alpine,” Heile said. “I mean, for that park that was $200,000 that was not Town of Glen Alpine money.”

Heile pointed to the same funding for the Veterans Memorial, which brought in donations with over $10,000 from the community.

“Everyone’s showing they believe in Glen Alpine and want to have good things happen,” Heile said.

Another aspect of bringing in more grant funding for economic development would be the possibility of the Town of Glen Alpine purchasing some of the downtown properties, so that they can apply for Rural Downtown Economic Development Grants.

Local governments are applicable if they’re located in Tier 1 or Tier 2 counties, and rural census tracts in Tier 3 counties, according to the North Carolina Department of Commerce. Burke County is considered a Tier 1 county, so if the Town of Glen Alpine were to purchase a downtown property, the town would be able to apply for a grant to renovate or make additions to the property, fixing it up for future businesses.

With guidance from Boggan, Heile said that Glen Alpine will also receive a market analysis that will provide information on what the town needs, whether it’s a general store, a clothing store, or another restaurant.

“That’s going to be awesome that they will use their resources to say, ‘here’s the gap, here’s what we’re missing in this town.’”

With nearby trails, kayak accesses, and the possible Amtrak rail route that could bring thousands of passengers through the town, Heile said the Town of Glen Alpine has a lot of potential to see growth over the next few years. Her role with the Burke River Trail Association is directly intertwined with making sure that small towns in Burke County succeed.

“Burke River Trail Association was started to connect all nine towns with the pedestrian trail,” she said, adding BRTA’s mission goes beyond trails. “We’re really about helping our communities thrive.”

Heile said that the services provided by N.C. Commerce would not be a cost to the town. The board plans to sign a memorandum of understanding, essentially saying that the town agrees to the services and goals of the partnership. Boggan plans to be back to Glen Alpine to make a presentation at the regular monthly meeting on April 13 to provide more information, Heile said.