Smarter Water Management is Coming to Salisbury-Rowan Utilities!

Salisbury-Rowan Utilities has contracted with Vanguard Utility Service for the installation of an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system. Advanced metering technology enables the wireless transmission of water meter readings directly to the Salisbury Rowan Utilities from regional collectors located on existing water tanks and towers. This innovative system will collect multiple reads per day, allowing for better leak detection, increased billing accuracy, and improved customer service.

Monthly Newsletter

	Title	Description
	11/2024	Holiday Events \| Safe Shopping Tips \| Toss The Grease \| Greenway Committee \| 130 S. Main St. Survey
	10/2024	Halloween Safety Tips \| Sculpture Show Call For Neighborhoods \| Recycling Do's and Don'ts \| Leaf Collection Guidelines and Map \| Fall Spruce Up Week
	09/2024	Downtown Sewer Rehab \| BrewFest at BTG \| BlockWork Volunteers \| Neighborhood Beautification Grant \| Legacy Mural
	08/2024	Take A Tree Tour \| Officer Awarded For Saving Baby \| Sculptures in the Spotlight \| Go Out on a limb for the Tree Board
	07/2024	National Night Out \| Footbridge Repairs \| Approved City Budget \| Citizen's Academy \| Hurricane Prep
	06/2024	EDK Awards \| Street Repaving \| City Budget \| Rec/Senior Center Survey \| Spruce Up Week
	05/2024	Cheerwine Festival: Band Lineup, T-Shirt Contest Winner, Free Shuttles, Safety Guidelines and Ways to Stay Connected.
	04/2024	Strategic Plan \| Mental Health Crisis Line \| BlockWork Call For Neighborhoods \| Paint the Pavement Call For Artists \| Meet the Sculpture Show Artists
	03/2024	Vote on Cheerwine Festival T-shirt Design \| What to do for Water Line Breaks \| Sign Up For RoCo Alerts \| Spring Spruce Up Week
	03/2024	Vote on Cheerwine Festival T-shirt Design \| What to do for Water Line Breaks \| Sign Up For RoCo Alerts \| Spring Spruce Up Week
	02/2024	Sign Up To Steer Salisbury \| Save the Date for Cheerwine Festival \| City Begins Budget Process \| Protect Your Pipes This Winter
	01/2024	Holiday Decor Contest Winners \| MLK Celebration Weekend \| Tour Wines and Downtown \| Beautify Your Neighborhood!
	12/2023	Public Art \| Holiday Decor Contest \| Main Street Project \| Winter Spruce Up Week
	11/2023	Holiday Events \| Toss The Grease \| Housing Survey \| Bike Giveaway \| Sculpture Show
	10/2023	Dixonville Cemetery Memorial Dedication \| Halloween Safety Tips \| Empowering Women in Law Enforcement \| Leaf Collection and Map
	08/2023	An Outdoor Art Adventure \| Summer Program Inspires Youth \| Salisbury Invests In Community \| City Changes Up Departments
	08/2023	An Outdoor Art Adventure \| Summer Program Inspires Youth \| Salisbury Invests In Community \| City Changes Up Departments
	04/2023	Donations for Homeless \| City Election Process \| Landscape of the Month \| Main Street Awards\| Spring Spruce Up
	04/2023	Donations for Homeless \| City Election Process \| Landscape of the Month \| Main Street Awards\| Spring Spruce Up
	03/2023	Beautify Salisbury - Litter Sweeps, BlockWork, Adopt-A-Street, We Dig Salisbury \| Cheerwine Festival \| Salisbury311
	03/2023	Beautify Salisbury - Litter Sweeps, BlockWork, Adopt-A-Street, We Dig Salisbury \| Cheerwine Festival \| Salisbury311
	01/2023	Downtown Decor Displays Holiday Spirit \| MLK Celebration \| Humanitarian Nominations \| Wine About Winter Tickets On Sale \| Reader Survey
	01/2023	Downtown Decor Displays Holiday Spirit \| MLK Celebration \| Humanitarian Nominations \| Wine About Winter Tickets On Sale \| Reader Survey
	10/2022	Tips for Trick-or-Treaters \| United Way Rowan \| Crime Prevention Month \| 4th Cultivating Community Conversations \| Leaf Collection
	10/2022	Tips for Trick-or-Treaters \| United Way Rowan \| Crime Prevention Month \| 4th Cultivating Community Conversations \| Leaf Collection
	09/2022	Bell Tower BREWFEST \| BlockWork \| Salisbury Police Foundation \| Transit Month \| Rowan Creek Week
	08/2022	Kudos To Lifeguards \| Grant to Fund Flood, Road Sensors \| Funds for Family Water Bills \| City Awarded For Good Health
	07/2022	Sculpture Show \| Citizen's Academy \| Hurricane Season Tips \| West End Survey \| Council Approves Budget
	06/2022	Pool Opens For Summer \| Reels and Riffs: Movie and Music Series \| Wine About Winter ... In Summertime \| Summer Spruce Up Week
	06/2022	Pool Opens For Summer \| Reels and Riffs: Movie and Music Series \| Wine About Winter ... In Summertime \| Summer Spruce Up Week
	05/2022	New City Manager \| Cheerwine Festival \| Local Humanitarian Awards \| BlockWork Applications Open
	04/2022	Two Headline Bands To Rock Cheerwine Festival \| Spotlight on Fire Safety \| Salisbury Locals Win Big at NC Main Street Awards
	03/2022	Cheerwine Festival Returns \| 5 Ways to Pay Your BIll \| SPD Receives Grant \| Spring Spruce Up Week
	11/2021	Bell Tower Green Now Open \| Keep Salisbury Beautiful \| Shopping Tips For Black Friday
	10/2021	Fire Prevention Week \| BlockWork Looking For Volunteers \| Leaf Collection Map
	09/2021	Safe, Clean Transit \| McCoy Road Culvert Replaced \| Cheerwine Festival Music Lineup
	06/2021	Summer Camps \| Transit Director Award \| Hurricane Tips \| Wine About Winter
	06/2021	Summer Camps \| Transit Director Award \| Hurricane Tips \| Wine About Winter
	04/2021	School Officers \| New Look For Downtown \| Local Humanitarians Receive EDK Awards \| Employee Spotlight
	04/2021	School Officers \| New Look For Downtown \| Local Humanitarians Receive EDK Awards \| Employee Spotlight
	02/2021	New Fire Station & Memorial Event \| Protect Your Pipes \| Join A Board Or Commission \| Save The Date For Cheerwine \| Employee Spotlight
	01/2021	Holiday Storefront Winners, Celebrate MLK, Main St. Plan, Nominate A Local Hero, Funds For Fire Suppression
	12/2020	SRU Exceeds Water Standard \| Bring On 2021 Virtual New Year's Eve \| Public Input Wanted
	11/2020	Christmas Bike Program Returns \| Showcase Your Art In Salisbury \| Give The Gift Of Water \| Be Safe This Black Friday
	10/2020	ACCESS16 Now WSRG-TV \| Voting Coming Up Fast \| Volunteer For BlockWork \| RCUW Donates Cameras To SPD
	10/2020	ACCESS16 Now WSRG-TV \| Voting Coming Up Fast \| Volunteer For BlockWork \| RCUW Donates Cameras To SPD
	10/2020	ACCESS16 Now WSRG-TV \| Voting Coming Up Fast \| Volunteer For BlockWork \| RCUW Donates Cameras To SPD
	09/2020	Dixonville Memorial Phase 2 \| Leaf Map \| Census 2020 \| ADA/Parantransit Service \| Go Transit Month \| Safe Exchange Zone
	06/2020	Virtual Festival Is Big Hit \| Hurricane Season \| Spring Spruce Up \| City Prepares Next Year's Budget \| Flush Smart \| 2020 Census
	06/2020	Virtual Festival Is Big Hit \| Hurricane Season \| Spring Spruce Up \| City Prepares Next Year's Budget \| Flush Smart \| 2020 Census
	02/2020	Weathering The Storm \| Nixle Is Now RoCo Alerts \| EyeOnWater Is Smart On Money \| Cheerwine Festival Returns May 16 \| Employee Spotlight \| Census 2020
	10/2019	Fire Prevention Week \| City Park Lake \| Forward 2040 \| Fall Spruce Up \| Be Ready To Vote \| Employee Spotlight \| Leaf Collection Map
	10/2019	Fire Prevention Week \| City Park Lake \| Forward 2040 \| Fall Spruce Up \| Be Ready To Vote \| Employee Spotlight \| Leaf Collection Map
	10/2019	Fire Prevention Week \| City Park Lake \| Forward 2040 \| Fall Spruce Up \| Be Ready To Vote \| Employee Spotlight \| Leaf Collection Map
	10/2019	Fire Prevention Week \| City Park Lake \| Forward 2040 \| Fall Spruce Up \| Be Ready To Vote \| Employee Spotlight \| Leaf Collection Map
	10/2019	Fire Prevention Week \| City Park Lake \| Forward 2040 \| Fall Spruce Up \| Be Ready To Vote \| Employee Spotlight \| Leaf Collection Map
	10/2019	Fire Prevention Week \| City Park Lake \| Forward 2040 \| Fall Spruce Up \| Be Ready To Vote \| Employee Spotlight \| Leaf Collection Map
	10/2019	Fire Prevention Week \| City Park Lake \| Forward 2040 \| Fall Spruce Up \| Be Ready To Vote \| Employee Spotlight \| Leaf Collection Map
	10/2019	Fire Prevention Week \| City Park Lake \| Forward 2040 \| Fall Spruce Up \| Be Ready To Vote \| Employee Spotlight \| Leaf Collection Map
	09/2019	Butterfly Release \| Scoop the Poop \| Dog Swim Party \| Transit Month \| Blockwork \| Neighborhood Officer Map
	07/2019	Keep Salisbury Beautiful \| Save The Date for Cheerwine Fest 2020 \| Back To School \| National Night Out \| Beat the Summer Heat
	07/2019	Keep Salisbury Beautiful \| Save The Date for Cheerwine Fest 2020 \| Back To School \| National Night Out \| Beat the Summer Heat
	06/2019	Sculpture Show Returns \| Summer Camps \| Hurricane Season Tips \| Weather Alerts \| Pool Hours \| #PositiveGossip \| Employee Spotlight \| Summer Spruce Up \| Celebrate Garbage Man Day
	06/2019	Sculpture Show Returns \| Summer Camps \| Hurricane Season Tips \| Weather Alerts \| Pool Hours \| #PositiveGossip \| Employee Spotlight \| Summer Spruce Up \| Celebrate Garbage Man Day
	05/2019	Look Behind the Scenes \| Cheerwine Festival \| BlockWork Accepting Applications \| #FeelingCuteChallenge \| Watch Your Water Usage with EyeOnWater
	02/2019	Cheerwine Festival Vendor Applications Open \| Get Involved, Apply Now \| Fair Housing Seeks Volunteers \| Council Retreat Open to Public \| Snow Safety \| Employee Spotlight \| Main St. Conference in Salisbury
	02/2019	Cheerwine Festival Vendor Applications Open \| Get Involved, Apply Now \| Fair Housing Seeks Volunteers \| Council Retreat Open to Public \| Snow Safety \| Employee Spotlight \| Main St. Conference in Salisbury
	02/2019	Cheerwine Festival Vendor Applications Open \| Get Involved, Apply Now \| Fair Housing Seeks Volunteers \| Council Retreat Open to Public \| Snow Safety \| Employee Spotlight \| Main St. Conference in Salisbury
	02/2019	Cheerwine Festival Vendor Applications Open \| Get Involved, Apply Now \| Fair Housing Seeks Volunteers \| Council Retreat Open to Public \| Snow Safety \| Employee Spotlight \| Main St. Conference in Salisbury
	01/2019	EDK Nominations \| Holiday Storefront Awards \| Celebrating MLK Weekend \| Employee Spotlight \| Winter Spruce Up Week \| Transit Survey \| New Tools Keeps An Eye On Water

Downtown Salisbury, Inc. / Wednesday, September 22, 2021

/ Categories: News, Downtown Salisbury News

Downtown Salisbury, Inc and the Empire Redevelopment Task Force Announce Winner of Bid For Empire Hotel Block

Downtown Salisbury, Inc. (DSI) and the Empire Redevelopment Task Force (ERTF) have unanimously voted to move forward with a boutique hotel concept with residential and commercial mixed-use for the redevelopment of the former Empire Hotel, awarding the development bid to Charlotte-based developer, Brett Krueger, and his affiliate, Howard Kosofsky.

The Empire Redevelopment Task Force launched its Request for Proposal (RFP) in September 2020. Over the past year, the Task Force has engaged in an extensive and thorough evaluation process in its efforts to select a developer and project design that is the most economically-viable option for Downtown Salisbury. The Task Force released its evaluation timeline for public review. See Enclosure.

Krueger has over 25 years of experience in construction, residential, and commercial development. He served as VP of Operations for MRK Investments where he conceptualized and led the development of nationally recognized boutique hotels to include The Ivey’s Hotel in uptown Charlotte and The Windsor Hotel in Asheville.

Krueger intends for the luxury boutique hotel to be decorated with historic items original to Salisbury, to include a blend of boutique and antique design where the past meets modern convenience. He plans to solicit the public for assistance with the acquisition of “all things Salisbury from past, current, to future.”

Krueger’s vision for the Empire Hotel will also include a substantial number of apartments, ranging from one- to three-bedroom units, as well as a full-service spa, gym, and health club. The design includes approximately 7,000 square feet of retail space and 6,000 square feet for a restaurant and upscale historic hotel bar. He intends to restore the historic Empire ballroom with the intended use for a public convention space.

Downtown Salisbury (DSI), Krueger, and the City of Salisbury are expected to enter into a preliminary development agreement, which will outline any outstanding issues that will need be resolved prior to a final decision or sale. Still, Krueger intends to begin engaging the local community in the Empire’s development and has already begun the process of reaching out to local architects, contractors, investors, historians, and others with the goal of creating a community project that the local community will be proud of and invested in.

Whitney Wallace Williams, Chair of the Empire Redevelopment Task Force, stated, “This was not an easy process or decision for DSI or our Task Force. The Empire is a beast of a project but one that has the potential and capacity to transform our downtown and the Rowan County experience for decades to come. I express my gratitude to all developers for their excellent submissions, particularly developers local to our community. I commend the Empire Redevelopment Task Force members for their objectivity, expertise, collaboration, and passion devoted to this critical piece of Salisbury’s downtown and future.”

DSI Board Chair, Gianni Moscardini, stated, “Our team has worked passionately throughout this year, looking at this project from 20,000 feet elevation to evaluate the present and future economic and historic impact. I thank all of the developers involved in the process for their patience and understanding, and Whitney [Wallace Williams] for her leadership.”

“The Task Force is very pleased to have chosen an experienced developer with tremendous vision committed to redeveloping this historic community asset,” said Salisbury Mayor Karen Kirks Alexander. “Our downtown is the signature of our community and an economic generator. We look forward to taking the next steps with the chosen developer and his assembled team to make his vision a reality in downtown Salisbury.”

Members of DSI and ERTF

Empire Redevelopment Task Force
Whitney Wallace Williams (Chair), downtown property owner, attorney, Immediate Past Chair of DSI; Gianni Moscardini, downtown business owner and Chair of Downtown Salisbury, Inc. (DSI); Hannah Jacobson, City of Salisbury Development Director; Karen Alexander, Mayor and architect; Brian Miller, City Councilman and banker; Janine Evans-Davis, former educator, art museum developer and fundraiser; Edward Norvell, attorney and philanthropist; Samantha Haspel, downtown property owner and DSI board member; Davis Cooke, downtown business owner and DSI board member; Luke Fisher, commercial and residential developer; Mark Lewis, DSI Vice Chair and banker; Tonyan Schofield, downtown business owner; James Meacham, CEO of Convention Visitors’ Bureau, Rowan County; Rod Crider, President of Economic Development Commission for Rowan County; Elaine Spalding, President of Chamber of Commerce, Rowan County; and Sada Stewart, Executive Director of Historic Salisbury Foundation.
DSI Board
Gianni Moscardini (Chair), Mark Lewis (Vice Chair), Dileika Wilson Ballard (Secretary), Stan Jordan (Treasurer), Whitney Wallace Williams (Immediate Past Chair), Alissa Redmond, Bob Potter, Brian Miller, Carrie Bardinas, Davis Cooke, Dick Huffman, Elaine Spalding, Eric Phillips, Greg Shields, Hannah Jacobson, James Meacham, James Faust, Jayne Helms, Judy Klusman, Kristen Trexler, Rod Crider, Sada Troutman, Samantha Haspel, Tonyan Schofield, Zack Kyle
DSI Staff: Latoya Price (Interim Executive Director), Mel Drye (Administrative Specialist)

Empire Redevelopment Task Force | Developer Evaluation Timeline

September 2020: Establish Task Force, Press Release, Develop and Distribute RFP, Develop Empire Website with building history and developer resources (Environmental Site Assessment (Phase I and II), building floor plans, downtown average rental rates, post-COVID pre-development analysis)
October 2020: Developed Proposal Review Criteria; Nov. 2. Deadline for submissions
November 2020: Receipt of Proposals (3); In-Person ERTF Review of Developer Proposals; Letters developed and sent to all Developers by ERTF with specified follow-up questions; Receipt of Developers’ Written Responses.
December 2020: Zoom Interviews with ERTF and All 3 Developers; Follow up ERTF Meeting to Discuss Interviews; Assignment of ERTF Subcommittee to perform a deep-dive on developers and proposals.
December 2020 - January 2021: Private dinners with all 3 Developer Groups for discussions regarding proposals, developer resources, and best use of the property.
February – March 2021: Two developer groups merged; Task Force granted both developer groups 90 day due diligence period (through June 7, 2021) to respond to detailed inquiries by ERTF to include questions regarding hotel data and project design, construction timeline, hotel and building management plan, third party agreements, and funding and public support considerations.
March – June 2021: Worked with developer groups to answer any questions and to provide any resources needed. In April, one of the merged developer groups withdrew from consideration.
June 2021: In-person ERTF meeting to discuss developer groups’ due diligence responses; ERTF began to complete evaluation criteria.
July 2021: To evaluate the financial feasibility of both development proposals, ERTF contracted with experienced Development Advisors with the UNC School of Government, i.e. Development Finance Initiative (DFI), to perform a financial “stress test” on the financial models proposed by both developer groups to determine if each’s plan was economically viable. Provided DFI with necessary data and contacts to support its analysis.
August 2021: Received a preliminary financial feasibility analysis from DFI; Aided DFI to complete its evaluation by putting DFI in touch with both developer groups to respond to specific remaining questions.
September 2021: Unanimous determination by Task Force that based upon the extensive due diligence of the Empire Redevelopment Task Force, in combination with the financial feasibility analysis as performed by DFI, the Task Force unanimously recommends to DSI to pursue the boutique hotel concept with residential and commercial mixed-use as the most economically viable and prosperity-generating option for Downtown Salisbury.

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Downtown Salisbury, Inc and the Empire Redevelopment Task Force Announce Winner of Bid For Empire Hotel Block

Members of DSI and ERTF

Empire Redevelopment Task Force | Developer Evaluation Timeline

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Downtown Salisbury, Inc and the Empire Redevelopment Task Force Announce Winner of Bid For Empire Hotel Block

Members of DSI and ERTF

Empire Redevelopment Task Force | Developer Evaluation Timeline