Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 26, 2022 - FEBRUARY 1, 2022 UCW 9 e Cumberland County Board of Commis- sioners is moving forward to continue discus- sions about a multipurpose center — but now they will do so with a project manager. e center is expected to be approximately 89,000 square feet, hold a maximum capacity of 2,500 for large events, and cost anywhere from $75 million to $80 million. e county would like construction to start by the end of 2023 with a planned opening by 2025 — preferably on Oct. 1. e Board of Commissioners will now start the negotiation process with MBP Carolinas, Inc. Once there is a drafted contract, it will be pre- sented to the Board for review and approval. MBP Carolinas, Inc. will be in charge of the site selection, assist with securing a contractor, archi- tect and various sub-contractors, manage project accounting and coordinate the procurement of owner furnished equipment and materials. e location for the center is undecided; how- ever, it will be in Fayetteville. e county hopes the center will host various events, including concerts, comedy shows, family shows, theater, Broadway performances and other local and regional performances. Commissioner Michael Boose was the only one who voted against the approval, saying that he would rather see a couple of consensus contracts as he and other commissioners have not over- seen the building of a performing arts center before. He does not want to be taken advantage of by one company. Rental Assistance Program restarts e emergency rental assistance program in Cumberland County will start again now that the board has accepted $1,773,457.20 from the U.S. Treasury. However, that didn't come without discussion. Innovative Emergency Management, the con- tractor who helps administer funds for the ERAP program, asked the board to amend their con- tract. Instead of receiving 8% for administrative costs and other services, they are now asking for a maximum of 25%. Fifteen percent will go towards administrative fees, and 10% will go towards case management. Cumberland County Commissioner Jimmy Keefe expressed concern with the increased costs. "I think the rental emergency program is good," Keefe said. "But I will stand by that I believe that 25% of $1.7 million, which is $450,000, going to administration of this program is not in the best interest and not good for stewardship of this money because that's $450,000 that could pos- sibly help a lot of people and their rent." Five board members — Board Chairman Glenn Adams and commissioners Larry Lancaster, Jean- nette Council and Toni Stewart — voted in favor. ree commissioners — Charles Evans, Michael Boose, and Keefe — voted against. Expanding downtown Fayetteville e City of Fayetteville held a community meet- ing last week to discuss a plan that will expand the downtown footprint beyond Hay Street. Over 100 people attended the Zoom-only meeting to discuss the Downtown Urban Design Plan. e City Council adopted the plan in Febru- ary 2020 to guide development in the downtown area. e main initiatives talked about during the meeting were creating a downtown district and fostering downtown living. "What our plan calls for is those six districts to be consolidated into two," Craig Harmon, a senior planner, said. "You'll have a Downtown 1 district, which is basically what our downtown district is now, and then a Downtown 2 district that hopes to stretch the downtown off of that. Within these boundaries, we have everything from residential to office to commercial to industrial." Each district has different zoning standards. By turning the six districts into two districts, the city can provide more consistency in the types of businesses and licensures available downtown. For example, sexually-oriented businesses, principal-use parking lots and private golf cours- es would not be allowed in the two new districts. Right now, they are allowed in at least one of the smaller districts that are currently set up. "e main thing that this rezoning is looking to do is help with one, cohesiveness, and, two, some predictability for property owners," Harmon said. Alicia Moore, another senior planner for the city, says they want to focus on the walkability and living of the downtown area and the main way to do that is to focus on businesses that serve people who can walk there. "Another way that we support downtown as a holistic, complete neighborhood is by building on its existing draw as a destination for restau- rants and other activities that you enjoy and then leave, and rounding it out with more housing options to encourage more people to live there and by supporting more everyday commercial activities," Moore said. e Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on zoning text changes on March 22 and then the Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on map changes on April 12. City Coun- cil will hold a public hearing on all the changes on May 23. Fayetteville Technical Community College president to retire Dr. Larry Keen, president of Fayetteville Technical Community College for nearly 15 years, announced that he plans to retire next year. Keen joined FTCC as the College's president in August of 2007, succeeding Dr. Larry Norris, who retired after ten years. "To say this is bittersweet would be an understatement," Keen wrote in a letter to the FTCC's Board of Trustees. He thanked the board "for the incredible opportunity" to have served as FTCC's fourth president and said the College is financially secure, academically strong and dedicated to continuous improvement. Keen said he plans to continue to work hard until he retires. "I'll be with you for another year," he told the board. "If anyone expects me to be a lame duck, they're expecting the wrong thing." David Williford, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, said Keen will be missed when he leaves. "It is with great sadness that we hear this news," Williford said. "We appreciate your knowledge and your leadership. We wish you the very best." Cumberland County Arts Center sees future by HANNAH LEE NEWS DIGEST HANNAH LEE, Assistant Editor. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly.com. 910-484-6200.