BURLINGTON — The Burlington City Council has signed on to support a project by a stoneworking company to fill a vacant commercial building.
The council voted unanimously to back an application for a N.C. Department of Commerce building reuse grant for Armen Stone.
Armen Stone, a startup business providing countertops to business customers, is purchasing the 65,000-square-foot former Carolina Box Co. building at 322 Fonville St. and plans to invest $3 million there and create 33 new jobs. The average wage for the positions is $52,000.
The company is seeking a state grant of $200,000, Burlington Economic Development Director Peter Bishop told the council.
Bishop said the business would serve customers in the Piedmont Triad and the Research Triangle.
The state building reuse grant program requires local governments to obtain a promissory note on the property to provide further security in the case of a default. If the company fails to meet the contractual job commitment, the local government is responsible for reimbursement of N.C. Commerce funds.
Bishop said that since 2019 building reuse grants to companies in Burlington have generated $10 million in private investment and led to the creation of more than 170 jobs.
In other business, the council recognized the Cummings High School marching band for its honor as the only marching band from North Carolina that performed at the Sugar Bowl at the Superdome in New Orleans on Dec. 31. Members of the band attended the meeting at City Hall, and a video was shown of the band’s performance.
The council also received the results of its annual independent financial audit, which was conducted by the firm Stout, Stuart, McGowen & King. The city received a clean audit report for the 2021-22 fiscal year.
The city received a certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting, the 23rd consecutive year that the recognition has been awarded.