Patrick Woodie, vice president of the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center commented on Surry's rural potential at the thirteenth annual Surry Economic Development Partnership meeting Tuesday at Mount Airy's Cross Creek Country Club..
The Rural Center has been instrumental in developing sewer and water infrastructure in Elkin, Ronda and Dobson.
It's most recent aid went to renovation planning for the Reeve's Theater in downtown Elkin. Part of their rural funding is used for a Building Rescue and Restoration grant. Woodie posed the question "Do we view these preexisting and sometimes historical vacant buildings as a liability or an asset?" He believes they are an asset.
He offered a positive way of looking at closed factories in the area as a resource for attracting new businesses based on the preexisting electric and water lines needed for small businesses already in place. Vacant buildings could be used to entice new tenants, wishing to avoid the overhead of construction.
Woodie applauded Surry's recent initiatives to revitalize the area, saying, "Surry County is viewed as one of the communities that really gets it." In particular the county's willingness to diversify and redefine its communities impressed the Rural Development Center.
"You have invested and seen tourism as an important part of development plans," Woodie said. He mentioned the wine region as a tourism attraction but said that wasn't the only offerings in a new Surry County. "Small business is attracted to rural America. And businesses looking to relocate are interested in the rural base that Surry can offer.
Robin Rhyne, president of the Surry County Economic Development Partnership said that Surry has seen a lot of interest in it's rural setting in the last few years. "2007 saw a lot of starting interest that did not finish. For various reasons businesses were hesitant to complete deals," said Rhyne.
Rhyne said hey are working on courting data centers and server farms as possible new industries. Logistics, food processing and packaging were also being marketed to.
Rhyne said the Fibrowatt chicken litter processing plant would reach a decision end of March. It's been two years since they started the bidding process on the renewable energy plant.
Woodie spoke after his keynote address about the area's tri-county relationship between Surry, Wilkes, and Yadkin. "There are a lot of good things going on between the three." Woodie said, "Wilkes has a growing future in advance materials and composites as well as good relations with the Wilkes Community College." Surry Community College was also heralded in its support from the Surry community.
"Yadkin is planning sewer and water works. And Boonville applied for the same STEP program Surry is now apart of," Woodie said.
He mentioned an Entrepreneurship Grant opportunity that could further enhance the preexisting Wilkes, Yadkin, Surry relationship. It is a tri-county grant that helps provide funding for a partnership effort in an entrepreneurial effort. "Businesses that complement each other can apply to create a unified project within the three counties," Woodie explained. Information can be found on the grant which is due in April on www.ncruralcenter.org the Rural Center's Web site.
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