Address

215 W. South Street
Wilkesboro, NC 28697
United States

Phone
Occupied
Jul 2012
  • Wilkes County
  • 41 units

Overview

This development involves the rehabilitation of a historic elementary school in the town of Wilkesboro providing affordable housing for the elderly and disabled.  The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The school is completely renewed to include 9 senior apartments, a community meeting room with kitchen, craft room, computer room, library and office space.  A new construction building behind the school echoing historic features and containing 32 additional dwelling units has been added.  Laundry facilities are in the historic building as well as space for tenant supplied washers and dryers within each dwelling unit.  Wide hallways, tall ceilings and big windows remind the visitor of great public spaces of the past.

Site

The one and one half acre site includes community gardens, exterior courtyards and lighted parking available for community use.  The property is conveniently located one block off Main Street and only a few more steps from Cub Creek Park.

Affordability

All units have available Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers from Northwestern Regional Housing Authority (NRHA), ensuring that residents pay no more than 30% of their adjusted family income for rent and utilities.  All residents will be offered financial literacy and health option supportive services.

Local Support

Historic Wilkesboro School has received official endorsement of the Wilkes County Commission, the Wilkesboro Town Council and the Board of Trustees of NRHA.  Financial support in the amount of $350,000 or more than $8,500 per dwelling unit is pledged by NRHA.  Branch, Banking and Trust Company (BB&T) has committed construction lending for the development.

Mixed Finance

A significant majority of total development costs have been paid through private investment equity in exchange for housing and historic tax credits.  Government participation in project finance has been provided by the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.