N.C. A&T Alumni Times

Over 60 top state and local leaders gathered at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University on Friday, May 10, to discuss the North Carolina Opportunity Zones initiative in East Greensboro. The Office of U.S. Representative Mark Walker hosted the Congressional Breakfast and Conversation which featured panel speakers, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and White House Special Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy Ja’Ron Smith.

Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr., brought greetings and began the discussion of opportunities in East Greensboro referencing North Carolina A&T construction projects currently in process or recently completed to include the current construction of the $90-million Engineering Research and Innovation Center (ERIC), the 150,000-square-foot Student Center and a new residence hall set to begin production on the west side of campus. The chancellor concluded that the university is “a catalyst for short- and long-term economic growth and development in those efforts.”

Congressman Mark Walker moderated the conversation of the implementation, goals and potential outcomes for this federal economic development program.

The Opportunity Zones incentive is a new community investment tool initiated by Congress in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 to encourage long-term investments in low-income urban, and rural communities nationwide.

A large part of east Greensboro was officially designated as a North Carolina opportunity zone on Friday, May 18, offering unique tax incentives for those who make a significant investment in the area.

The North Carolina Department of Commerce stated “North Carolina has a total of 252 sites labeled as Opportunity Zones.” More specifically, the Rhino Times reported, “almost all of downtown Greensboro is included in the opportunity zone, with most of the property east of Edgeworth Street and Freeman Mill Road and north to Cone Boulevard being included. To the south the boundary is roughly Alamance Church Road and I-85/I-40 and to the east of Youngs Mill Road and Rankin Mill Road.”

The open dialogue with guests included questions from Greensboro developer and University of North Carolina Board of Governors member Marty Kotis, N.C. State Sen. Gladys Robinson and other community leaders. Senator Tim Scott made it a point to direct his staff to follow up with guests inquiring about the incentive and development plan.

Once the breakfast event concluded Walker, Scott and Smith moved site locations to the Gateway Research Park, to tour Core Technology Molding Corp. Owned and managed by A&T alumnus Geoff Foster with his wife, Tonya Foster. The company is a global leader in precision molding customers such as Merck & Co. and BMW Manufacturing Co.