Dr. T.K. Gregg Community Center - Project Update

The official groundbreaking for the new Dr. T.K. Gregg Community Center was held on November 30th. The $16 million City led project, being constructed by Harper General Contractors, is a collaborative effort between the City, NDG, and other area partners.

In an interview with the Spartanburg Herald Journal, Erica Brown (District 6 Representative) said “The Dr. T.K. Gregg Community Center is about people. It is about our Northside residents, and it is about our residents across the city. It represents more opportunities for a healthier, more vibrant city, It will be about programs that help enrich the lives of our youth, and lift up those in need through our afterschool programs, financial literacy classes and the like.”

Construction is expected to be completed in the first half of 2020.

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Employment Available through Construction Training Program

A Construction Training program has been established through a partnership between the Northside Development Group, Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, Spartanburg Community College, SC Works, Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce, and the Upstate Workforce Board. This program offers scholarships for training in various areas of construction, including masonry, framing, drywall, tile work, and other specified building trades. Participants receive an NCCER (National Center for Construction Education and Research) certification. Graduates have the opportunity to enroll in a paid Apprenticeship program offered in partnership with SCWorks and Spartanburg Regional Hospital. 

48 participants have taken classes through the program since June 2017. Employment opportunities are immediately available after graduation with the potential to earn up to $22/hour. Plumbers are in particularly high demand. 

The Chamber of Commerce is currently taking applications for future classes, which may include Construction Core classes, plumbing, electrical, and other trades. Applicants may be eligible for scholarships.  If you already have experience in the construction field, NDG will be assisting Harper Corporation and Creative Builders in taking applications for projects related to the Northside. 

For more information please call Terrance Hawes at the Chamber of Commerce (864)594-5040, or call NDG at (864)598-0097.

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Request For Qualified Homebuilders

In an effort to create mixed income, diverse housing for all income and household types, the Northside Development Group (NDG) and its partners through the transformation planning effort have established a holistic housing strategy to include supporting the creation of mixed income rental housing on Brawley Street, to provide support to existing residents through an owner-occupied rehabilitation program, to the recent announcement to build 90 units of mixed income multifamily rental housing at the corner of Howard and College.

As part of this strategy NDG recognizes there is an ever-increasing need for affordable and market rate homeownership opportunities in the Northside. Through partnerships with Habitat for Humanity five new homes have been built in the Northside, yet these homes serve a limited population. In addition, there has been very little private or other non-profit homeownership built in the Northside although there is an increasing demand for homeownership opportunities both from existing and new residents.

To catalyze homeownership opportunities as part of the Northside redevelopment, NDG is seeking proposals from qualified home builders/developers, nonprofit or for profit to build up to 10 new homes on lots owned by the Northside Development Group and/or City-owned vacant lots. NDG is seeking partnership opportunities to co-develop and/or support the development of new scattered site homeownership in the neighborhood. In addition to properties owned by NDG, the City of Spartanburg is also interested in developing similar opportunities in the Northside as part of this Initiative.

Solar Panel Installer Program

This course is designed to give students the knowledge and hands on experience needed to qualify as a entry level solar PV panel installer. The Solar PV Installer course will run from 9:00am until 4:30pm Monday through Friday for three weeks from Monday January 8 through Friday January 26, 2018 at the C.C. Woodson Recreation Center (210 Bomar Ave, Spartanburg, SC).

Who is eligible? Spartanburg, Cherokee, and Union County residents who are veterans, displaced workers, unemployed or underemployed (e.g., working less than 30 hours per week). 

Qualified applicants will receive the following:

 

  • A scholarship to take the Solar PV Installer course for free
  • A Solar PV Installer Course, Certificate of Completion
  • OSHA 10 Construction Certification
  • First Aid Certification
  • A ticket to take the NABCEP exam
  • A meal & travel stipend for perfect attendance 
  • Referrals to local solar PV employers

Note: In 2018, Cypress Creek Renewables will spend 1.5 billion, on 80 solar farm projects in SC, that will generate 10,000 solar jobs.

For more information please contact Robert Robinson at (650) 284-8762.

 

Emergency Home Repairs

We are proud to announce that we have gained approval to coordinate emergency repairs through the South Carolina Housing Finance and Development Authorities Housing Trust Fund (HTF) program. Homeowners in the Northside earning less than 50% of AMI may be eligible to receive up to $8,000 in repairs for projects such as roofing, HVAC, accessibility ramps, and many other projects. To apply for emergency repairs, please call Carolyn at (864) 598-0097.

Northside Entrepreneurs are Working Hard!

The Northside Development Group is partnering with the USC Upstate Business School to pilot an entrepreneurship accelerator program. It is based on a successful model program in Atlanta, Georgia called Start: ME. Entrepreneurship accelerator programs work with aspiring small-business owners in their early stage of development to grow their business and business plan.

Start:ME began at Emory University in 2013 and has helped over 80 entrepreneurs kick-start their businesses. The program develops a small business environment in communities by identifying promising local entrepreneurs, providing them with 14 weeks of business training, connecting them with a robust business network, and financing the most promising businesses.

The George Dean Johnson Jr. College of Business and Economics at USC-Upstate is a key partner in this effort, providing support for the 14 weeks of training sessions and pairing future business owners with mentors from the local community.

At the end of March 2017, our program entered Week 7 for our 13 entrepreneurs, who are working diligently with 30 mentors on their businesses. At the end of the 14 week program, entrepreneurs will present their business services and products at a Customer Experience Event and Showcase at the Farmers Market at Harvest Park. The event will be from 8am-12pm on Saturday, May 6th.

Stay up to date on the progress of our Start: ME program by visiting their website: http://www.startmespartanburg.com/info-sessions

You can also follow their twitter updates at: https://twitter.com/startmehubcity

 

Brawley Street is Growing!

The NDG is delighted to announce that Phase 2 of the Brawley Street Housing Development is complete and the NDG is now working in conjunction with Homes of Hope on Phase 3 of the Brawley Street Development. Homes of Hope developed 8 new rental units to date to help meet the demands for housing in the Northside.

These new mixed income rental units will serve families earning 50%-120% of the area median income. Rents are expected to be in the  $575-$895 range for 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom units.

Current Northside Residents have the first choice to qualify for the new rental housing units. One of the first tenants will be a former resident of Oakview Apartments. Homes of Hope will be managing the new properties and continuing to work with the NDG for Phase 3 of the project. Phase 3 is planned to create an additional 7 new housing units.

The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony took place on October 31, 2016. Community leaders, partners, and residents gathered together to celebrate the new homes. The Chairman of the NDG and former mayor, Bill Barnet, attended the ceremony and spoke about progressive plans for the future of the Northside. The Voyagers were also in attendance and expressed their joy after seeing changes within the community.

Northside Service Spotlight: AFL Global and Advent Service of Day

AFL Global recruited several hardworking volunteers in early September and again in October to begin construction and clean-up as part of the Cleveland Heights Neighborhood Improvement Program. On September 11, 2016, The Church of the Advent also helped homeowners with minor repairs and painting as part of their annual Day of Service.

Volunteers working hard outdoors!

Volunteers working hard outdoors!

Building in the sun!

Building in the sun!

In-door construction is equally as important! 

In-door construction is equally as important! 

A lot of progress was made by the volunteers! 

A lot of progress was made by the volunteers! 

We're Seeing Spartanburg in a New Light

On October 4, 2016, residents across Spartanburg rejoiced during the celebration of the City’s Annual National Night Out event. This year’s celebration was unique in that Spartanburg was also celebrating the beginning of City-wide initiative entitled “Seeing Spartanburg in a New Light”. The City of Spartanburg was awarded a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies, an organization that awards four $1 million grants to cities addressing critical issues through public art projects. Spartanburg will focus their efforts on the City’s dedication to crime prevention and the safety of its residents. Art installations are located in 10 neighborhoods across the City, all of which debuted during the National Night Out celebration.

The lead artist for the Seeing Spartanburg in a New Light project, Erwin Redl, is working with the Chapman Cultural Center to install the art and inform local residents of the movement. So far, the project has been a catalyst for sparking conversation amongst Spartanburg neighborhoods and communities.

For more information, please visit the project’s website, seeingspartanburg.com.

Welcome to Carolyn Smith!

 

We are excited to welcome Carolyn Smith to the Northside Development Group staff as a Project Coordinator. Carolyn served as an AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer with the Spartanburg Housing Authority and the Northside Development Group through the United Way of the Piedmont in 2015 and 2016. During her time as a VISTA Volunteer, Carolyn helped develop and kick start the Cleveland Heights Neighborhood Improvement Program (CNIP), which currently provides repairs to homeowners in the Cleveland Heights Neighborhood of the Northside Community. Carolyn has been an invaluable member of the NDG Team since she began her work with the VISTA program.

Carolyn’s new position with the NDG, effective August 2016, will allow her to continue to focus on the CNIP and coordinate with contractors, volunteers, and community partners on Owner Occupied or NDG owned rental properties, in addition to other ongoing projects planned for the Northside revitalization process.  Carolyn is “excited to start [her] career with such a great non-profit with such a holistic view of helping this community, and [to] have the opportunity to learn many new skills along the way.”

Start:ME Spartanburg Coming Soon

Northside Development Group excited to partner with the University of South Carolina’s business school to bring training to the Northside area for aspiring small business owners. Northside will be hosting a four week Introduction to Entrepreneurship workshop and a 14 week pilot training course in the spring of 2017. The fall workshop will be hosted by Bernell Ingram, an experienced small business coach, and will cover key topics for starting or running a small business.

 

The 14 week spring program is modeled after an Atlanta based program designed by Emory University. The program is structure to provide knowledge, networks, and capital for promising entrepreneurs in a specific geographic area. Throughout the sessions, participants will develop their business plan, learn about their customer, learn to present their business to lenders, and build relationships with the individuals who will support their business as it grows. At the end of the program, the participants will vote on the best businesses, and the two or three top businesses will be awarded a loan of up to $5,000.

 

This program will be open to Northside and the surrounding neighborhoods that are in the Cleveland Academy of Leadership’s attendance area. Potential applicants are encouraged to attend an info-session in October (details below). The application will be accepted beginning October 14th and ending on November 30th. For more information call  864-598-0097.

Introduction to Entrepreneurship Workshop: Tuesdays, Nov 8th - 29th, 6PM to 9PM (Final location TBA)

Learn more:

Intro at Neighborhood Association: Thursday, Oct 13, 6PM to 7PM at the Cleveland Academy Library, 151 Franklin St, Spartanburg, SC 29303

Introduction to Entrepreneurship: Thursday, Oct 27, 5:30PM to 7:30PM at the Cleveland Academy Library, 151 Franklin St, Spartanburg, SC 29303

 

Apply or Request More Information:

Full application link (http://bit.ly/NDG_BizApp17)

Interest form link (http://bit.ly/NDG_BizWS).

We are moving!!

As of Wednesday, September 1, 2016, the Northside Development Group offices are moving from 410 Magnolia Street to our new space next to Cleveland Academy at 698 Howard Street, Spartanburg, SC 29303. We would like to thank VCOM for allowing NDG to use their office space for over 3 years. We would also like to thank District 7 for providing NDG a new place to call home in the Northside. Our new mailing address will be PO Box 3362, Spartanburg, SC 29304.

 

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