City has tremendous assets for Main Street program

ROANOKE RAPIDS — Coming back home to the Roanoke Valley, Chris Johnson

was impressed because he sees the potential the Main Street program has

in Roanoke Rapids.

The Northampton County native knows because he is now the Main Street

director in Smithfield. “You have a tremendous amount of inventory,” he

told a group of more than 50 people at a meeting last night organized

by the Roanoke Avenue Business Alliance, formerly the Roanoke Avenue

Merchants and Professional Association. “I would love to have half of

it.”

By inventory Johnson meant the buildings in the uptown and downtown

business districts, three-story buildings that would be perfect for

apartments.

Then there is the theater, not the Roanoke Rapids Theatre, but the

People’s Theater in the downtown business district. “That theater is an

asset,” he said. “It’s a shame to see something like that go away. You

need to do what you can to save it.”

Kim Simpson, president of the alliance, agreed. “Isn’t it amazing we

have let that battleship die for no reason,” she said of the theater.

“It needs to be saved. It’s something we definitely want to do.”

Johnson came to Roanoke Rapids last night to give the alliance and

other interested people an idea of what they will face, what they will

have to overcome and what they have to do to make the Main Street

program work.

“All small towns in Northeastern North Carolina are the same,” he said.

“You want to showcase the unique things to you. You want to take people

to Second Street Lunch because it’s not anywhere else.”

Johnson said there are a number of positive things to draw people to

and encourage people to open businesses on the Avenue. They include the

unique buildings, the theater, Kirkwood Adams Community Center, the

mill villages and plenty of off-street parking.

He said the city has a good relationship with the Halifax County Arts

Council and a school district with high test scores along with a strong

Chamber of Commerce.

The city must also promote the Canal Trail and the Roanoke Canal

Museum. “You have a great opportunity.”

Smithfield’s model for the Main Street program included a business

district property tax of 19 cents per $100 on top of city and county

taxes, a tax applied to businesses and not residences, Johnson

explained.

The town also sought grants and has numerous events in the business

district. He said business owners sought available tax credits. The

Main Street program in the town, Johnson said, has meant an $18.2

million investment over the last five years.

Paul Heaton, a businessman who attended the meeting, asked Johnson

about trees.

“I’m not a big fan of holly trees,” Johnson replied, referring to the

trees, which are currently planted on Roanoke Avenue. In Smithfield

there are places with trees and some places with green spaces. “Just

because it’s there doesn’t mean it has to stay there.”

Johnson said following the meeting he was aware city business owners

may not favor a tax increase because of economic conditions and trust

issues with city leaders on The Roanoke Rapids Theatre. “The city is

going to have to build back that trust,” he said.

Simpson said afterwards she was pleased with the turnout. “Our

long-term vision is to get people excited about this. We’re so excited

about the prospects, we feel positive we will get a group solidified

about becoming partners to make Roanoke Rapids a phenomenal place once

again, like it was years ago.”

The alliance will speak to the county commissioners at their July 6

meeting, Simpson said.