The City of Salisbury has been awarded $850,000 through the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Rural Transformation Grant Fund. The grant will support renovations to the 30,000-square-foot building located at 130 South Main Street, formerly known as the Wells Fargo Building, with improvements to lighting, flooring, fire and HVAC systems. When completed, the facility will house event and office space.
Salisbury Mayor Tamara Sheffield highlighted the local impact of the grant. “This funding will directly support downtown revitalization efforts by improving critical infrastructure, construction and rehabilitation that support economic development and public accessibility for a growing city. We are very thankful for support from the Department of Commerce.”
Parks and Recreation Director Keisha Coxe led the application process. "We are incredibly grateful for this grant, which represents a vital investment in our community. We look forward to the enhanced services and welcoming spaces it will create for our residents.” Design plans are slated for completion by Spring 2026 and construction is expected to begin in Summer 2026 and last approximately 12 months.
This is Salisbury’s second major award through the Rural Grant Transformation Fund. In October of 2022, the city was awarded $800,000 towards the purchase of the building.
The Rural Transformation Grant Fund provides local governments with grants and expert guidance to improve economic vitality and overcome the unique challenges many rural communities face. Grants support community and economic development projects that include building renovations, public infrastructure, demolition and remediation, as well as downtown revitalization projects. This year Governor Josh Stein approved 21 grant requests for local governments totaling $9,815,885.