Holly Springs Approves Downtown Investment Grant for Historic Renovation
The grant will help transform the historic Haywood Alfred House, built in 1910, into Explorer Discovery Pre-School.
Holly Spring, NC, Dec. 3, 2024 — The Holly Springs Town Council has approved a $25,000 Downtown Investment Grant to redevelop 109 East Center Street. The grant will help transform the historic Haywood Alfred House, built in 1910, into Explorer Discovery School, a preschool that promises to bring the area new jobs and economic growth.
Economic Development Project Manager Anna Murphy presented the proposal at the December 3 Town Council meeting. Explaining the project’s significance, Murphy“The Downtown Investment Grant…was created to stimulate job creation, private investment, and economic growth within our downtown area. The policy establishes how the town can assist in the cost of public infrastructure related to downtown development projects.”
According to Murphy, the project will create 11 jobs and involve over $500,000 in private investment. She highlighted the developers' efforts to preserve the house's historical character: “They are taking steps to rehab the home with the intent to maintain its original character and its exterior appearance to go along with the neighborhood that is there now.”
While the committee recommended a $25,000 reimbursement for public infrastructure costs, it did not endorse reimbursement of development fees. The grant will primarily fund the burying of power lines to enhance the site's infrastructure.
Town officials lauded the project’s role in boosting economic activity and preserving local heritage. “It’s got an investment of $530,000 into the town. It’s got 11 employees it’s going to impact. It’s also going to try and preserve the Alfred House…the Haywood-Alfred House, very well,” one council member remarked.
The council’s approval of the grant reflects Holly Springs’ ongoing efforts to balance development with historic preservation, setting a positive tone for downtown revitalization's future.