On Thursday, December 8th, the North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority announced two grants made to Yancey County to support economic development projects. These grants were announced in a round of funding of projects across the state that concluded a record-setting year for investment of state grant dollars in rural communities across North Carolina.
A $100,000 grant to support the development of Mountain Community Health Partnership’s new behavioral health clinic to be opened in the Micaville Community, in the former Taylor Togs building, was announced through the NC Rural Building Reuse Grant program. The new mental health clinic will result in a total of $1.2M in capital investment by Mountain Community Health Partnership and the commitment of eight new jobs in the healthcare sector along with the project. This grant marks the third building reuse grant received by Yancey County in 2022, in addition to previous grants which supported Mountain Community Health Partnership’s general practice clinic on Pensacola Road in Burnsville, and the restoration and renovation of the historic NuWray Hotel property.
A $600,000 grant from the North Carolina Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account was also announced to fund site development of the West Burnsville Industrial Park project which is located at 104 George Brown Road between West Burnsville Church Road and the State Employees Credit Union, along US Highway 19E. The 47-acre proposed development was formally certified by the North Carolina Department of Commerce as a North Carolina Certified Site on October 26, 2022 and is being marketed as North Carolina’s newest certified industrial site in western North Carolina. The $600,000 grant from the Utility Account will be invested alongside additional infrastructure grant dollars administered by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality toward development of the site, with design, permitting, and development of the park scheduled to begin in 2023.
“We are deeply grateful for these state grant investments in impactful projects for us here in Yancey County. This funding will help strengthen the healthcare and industrial sectors of our economy and will pay dividends for years to come. I want to also thank the Yancey County Board of County Commissioners and County Manager and Finance Director for their consistent and dedicated support of these and other projects which promote economic development success in our community for all our citizens and residents.” -Yancey County Economic Development Director Jamie McMahan.