BY MILES LAYTON

EDENTON — Wanting the latest news about Tractor Supply’s plans, I went to the Edenton-Chowan Partnership meeting to find out more. Read more below, but Partnership officials said Tractor Supply is opening in less than a month in mid September.

The Edenton-Chowan Partnership met Thursday to share updates on major projects and economic developments in the community — even though the board lacked a quorum to take official action.

“We’ve got a lot of moving pieces, but each one of these projects represents growth and opportunity,” EC Partnership Chairman John Dowd said. “Seeing Tractor Supply about to open, Hotel Hinton making progress, and new housing proposals coming forward — these are all signs of momentum.”

One of the most visible changes on the horizon is the opening of Tractor Supply in the Edenton Commons Shopping Center. Partnership staff reported that the retailer has been conducting interviews and accepting résumés, with a tentative opening set for September 10 or 13.

Few minutes ago, Thomas Mullen sent me this — to be Sept. 13! Thx!

In July, we published a story saying the company posted job descriptions — meaning folks are being hired to work at the store that sells home improvement, agriculture, lawn and garden maintenance, livestock stuff, pet care equipment, and supplies. The center’s broker is also in final lease negotiations with another tenant and has three additional interested parties.

“Activity in that shopping center is really picking up,” Main Street Executive Director Ches Chesson said. “Tractor Supply will be an anchor, and we expect more tenants to follow.”

Forgive the old photo of the sign announcing Tractor Supply — instead of biking to Edenton Commons Shopping Center around sunrise for a new photo, I opted to go kayaking instead so I’ll get a better photo next week — there have been a lot of changes.

The long-awaited renovation of the Hotel Hinton is also moving forward. Developers have resubmitted an amendment to the National Park Service to expand their concept from 33 units to 56, a change necessary to retain historic tax credits, Chesson said. An update is expected at the Edenton Town Council’s early September meeting. Partnership members described the progress as “positive movement” after months of planning.

Project Teapot, a downtown development that will include six apartment units, received a boost last week with a $500,000 Gold Leaf grant, fully funding the project pending state budget approval. Renovations at 211 South Broad Street are expected to begin in late September or early October, keeping the project on track for Provolis’s Main Street timeline.

The meeting also touched on housing efforts tied to the Beechwood phased development plan, which includes a proposal for 144 multifamily units aimed partly at workforce housing. Beechwood is targeting a September presentation to council.

Also, a private business has made inquiries about purchasing the county’s firing range — used primarily by the Chowan County Sheriff’s Office and Edenton Police Department. 

Other updates included:

• Broadband Expansion: County broadband projects under the state’s CAB program are making steady progress, with round one nearly complete — 34.5 of 36.1 miles built — and 264 of 287 addresses now having service. Round two is still underway. Once complete, officials estimate coverage for 98% of the county.
• Industrial Development: The Ruddell Group recently toured the Edenton Chowan Industrial Airport property as part of a proposal to build a 20,000-square-foot speculative industrial building and secure a tenant on a 10-year lease, with possible expansion to 50,000 square feet. The plan is still under review by the  EC Partnership Industrial Park Committee.
• Education and Workforce Development: The College of the Albemarle Small Business Center and Edenton-Chowan Schools discussed the success of last spring’s career forum and the need for more student internships, especially in trade and technical fields. The schools plan to host a business breakfast to encourage local participation.
• Upcoming Events: A downtown “Merchant Mingle” is scheduled for Friday morning to gather feedback from retailers on past events and discuss the fall season. On August 18, the Hampton Roads Workforce Council will visit Edenton to explore education-to-career pathways linking local students to opportunities in Virginia shipyards. On August 20, Congressman Don Davis will hold a small business meet-and-greet at Kraken Coffee from 8:15 to 9:15 a.m.

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