Last Updated on June 24, 2025 2:41 pm
Town of Boone, North Carolina— The Town of Boone has been awarded an $850,000 grantfrom the North Carolina Department of Commerce to help fund the completion of the HowardStreet Project, the largest downtown Boone street revitalization effort in modern history. Thisgrant will specifically support the underground relocation of electrical utilities along the easternside of Howard Street, from Appalachian Street to Depot Street.
In April 2025, the Town applied for the Rural Downtown Economic Development Grant(RDEDG) program and was officially awarded the grant in late June. The RDEDG program isdesigned to support downtown revitalization and economic development initiatives that helplocal governments grow and leverage downtown districts as key assets for long-term prosperity.Eligible projects include improvements to publicly owned infrastructure within a downtowndistrict that serves a community-wide purpose, such as parking lots, alleys, streetscapes,waterfronts, and parks.
Downtown Boone is a certified North Carolina Main Street Community through the NC MainStreet & Rural Planning Center, a program through the Rural Economic Development Divisionof the NC Department of Commerce. It follows the Main Street Four-Point Approach: economicvitality, design, promotion, and organization. The Howard Street Project will drive economicdevelopment by creating a safer, more walkable, and bike-friendly downtown, while alsomodernizing utility infrastructure to support future growth.
“We are ecstatic to have received this grant! Our partnerships with state and federal agencies arekey to making long-awaited, much-needed projects like this possible. This funding brings us onestep closer to completing the Howard Street Project, which remains one of the most anticipatedprojects in our downtown community. As always, we ask that you continue to support ourHoward Street businesses during this period of transition. After Hurricane Helene, completingthis project is a powerful reminder of Boone’s resilience and our commitment to continuedgrowth. We want to remind everyone, and will continue to do so, that Western North Carolina isopen for business! This award is a testament to the value our region brings to the state, and wethank all those who helped make this project a reality.” – Time Futrelle, Mayor of the Town ofBoone
For more information about the Howard Street Project, please contact the Town of Boone at(828) 268-6200 or visit www.townofboone.net/howardstreetproject. For details about theawarded grant, please contact Laney Wise, Grants Coordinator/Communications, at (828)268-6206 or [email protected].