ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A planned health care facility in Black Mountain is among 11 projects across North Carolina receiving more than $4.9 million in state rural development grants, Gov. Josh Stein announced Friday.
The $480,000 grant to Buncombe County will help renovate an 8,740-square-foot building in Black Mountain for Appalachian Mountain Health.
Appalachian Mountain Health will operate an integrated health care facility offering primary care, behavioral health, dental and pharmaceutical services, according to the state.
The project is expected to create 48 jobs and bring $14.6 million in private investment to Buncombe County.
The grant was approved by the N.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority, which reviews funding requests for projects involving building renovations, expansions, infrastructure improvements and other economic development efforts in rural communities.
“These grants will help them make important improvements, strengthen local infrastructure, create good-paying jobs, and bring new investments to the places people call home,” Stein said in a news release.
The Black Mountain project was the only project in Western North Carolina included among the 11 grants announced Friday.
State officials said the grants are expected to support 673 jobs statewide, including 342 new jobs tied to projects that had not previously been announced. The projects are expected to generate more than $1 billion in private investment.
The Buncombe County grant comes through the state’s Building Reuse Program, which provides funding to local governments to renovate vacant buildings, expand existing businesses and develop health care facilities that will create new jobs in eligible rural areas.
The authority approved $3.44 million in Building Reuse Program grants for 10 projects.
Other projects include a manufacturing expansion in Claremont, a new U.S. manufacturing facility for an uncrewed aircraft systems company in Fayetteville and expansions by several existing North Carolina businesses.
The largest grant approved Friday was $1.49 million to Wilson to upgrade sewer infrastructure at Wilson Corporate Park. The improvements will support a Johnson & Johnson expansion expected to create 128 jobs and bring $900 million in private investment, according to the state.
The Rural Infrastructure Authority is supported by the N.C. Department of Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division. Its 17 voting members review grant and loan requests from local governments and establish policies for programs administered by the Commerce Department’s rural economic development team.
Joe Sam Queen of Haywood County was elected chairman of the authority during the meeting. Ronald Wesson of Bertie County was elected vice chairman.
The state did not provide a specific timeline for completion of the Appalachian Mountain Health facility.
