County moves to buy former Modicraft site for CTE center; planners, schools and finance advisers outline next steps

Franklin County supervisors voted to exercise an option to acquire the former Modicraft property and authorized the county administrator to sign the necessary documents as part of a broader plan to house a new career and technical education (CTE) center and related county facilities.

County and school officials outlined why the modular factory site is being considered: the building’s large shell, separated office space, and adjacent acreage could permit adaptive reuse for a CTE campus while preserving room for an industrial pad on the rear parcel.

Franklin County Schools Superintendent Dr. Sear s told the board that current CTE demand outstrips capacity. The division is turning away students from programs such as building trades, HVAC, automotive, and health occupations because lab and classroom space at the high school is limited. “If we were able to facilitate more enrollment,” Dr. Sears said, “we could provide hundreds more slots over time.” The school plans to keep some programs on the high school campus, such as early childhood education, and move trade‑intensive programs to the new facility. Superintendent and CTE director outlined transportation plans in which students would board buses at the main high school campus and be transferred to the CTE site; the division estimated it would need roughly six or seven buses for morning shuttles, with fewer buses between blocks during the day.

Financial advisers from Davenport & Company presented a financing approach that calls for roughly $20 million of interim debt to purchase the property and cover initial engineering and due diligence. David Rose, the county’s financial advisor, said the county’s strong fiscal standing — including a sizable unassigned fund balance and recent credit‑rating upgrades — makes interim borrowing feasible “without asking for additional dollars from the general fund” or raising current tax rates. Rose outlined a plan to close an interim financing facility this summer and convert to long‑term financing later, with construction financing to follow once project scope and grant opportunities are clearer.

Supervisors and town officials noted concerns about traffic, zoning, and impacts on the Rocky Mount community. County planners and school leaders said the modular‑factory site could be adapted so that public safety administrative offices, a 9‑1‑1 dispatch center, and the CTE facility are separated on the footprint and traffic flows can be managed with dedicated access and bus loops. County staff proposed a July workforce summit and a possible field trip to Patrick & Henry County’s Patriot Center CTE facility so local leaders can review an example of a comparable regional facility.

Why it matters: supervisors said the Modicraft site offers a potentially large cost saving compared with building a new CTE center on the high school campus, where initial cost estimates previously reached tens of millions of dollars. The board’s vote to exercise the option moves the county from planning into an acquisition and due‑diligence phase. The financial plan presented aims to limit short‑term tax impacts by using interim borrowing and pursuing grants and partnerships.

What’s next: staff will proceed with environmental and engineering due diligence, advance the interim financing vehicle, and coordinate with Rocky Mount town officials on zoning or text amendments that would allow a CTE and supporting uses on the industrial park parcel. The board said it will schedule a follow‑up work session for debt and capital planning.