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Council tables Hamlet Hub's downtown community hub proposal pending fiscal and site details
Summary
The Hamlet Hub asked the council to back a USDA community facilities application to buy and convert downtown storefronts into an AI/3D lab, therapy and afterschool hub. Councilors raised parking, safety and funding-stage concerns and voted to table the request for further review.
Wendy Henson, president of the Hamlet Hub board, described a multi-building project at 218 Raleigh Street intended to be a community hub with AI/3D maker space, therapy/kinesthetic rooms, gaming and afterschool programming.
"There is a serious blight here in Hamlet with all the open storefronts in downtown," Henson said, arguing the Hub would address youth literacy and workforce readiness and proposing the city act as the grant's lead applicant and fiscal agent so the nonprofit can access USDA community facilities funds.
Henson said the Hub has applied to foundations (Cole Foundation, Golden Leaf) for renovation support and seeks the USDA grant primarily to acquire the property; she described a phased plan (site acquisition and stabilization, remediation/remodeling, finalization) and projected outcomes including workforce training partnerships and an expected 25% reduction in juvenile recidivism tied to programming.
Council members pressed on several practical and financial concerns: parking in the downtown site and potential need to remove an irreparable structure to create a small lot; safety for children near Highway 74; the risk of purchasing buildings before securing later-phase funding (one councilor noted the purchase would leave the Hub with "a building" if later grants do not materialize); startup funding and insurance; and the desire for more local contractor and minority-contractor participation in bids.
After discussion a councilor moved to table the requested resolution of support while TC and staff investigate legal/audit/clawback implications and confirm application deadlines and financial risk; the motion was seconded and the council voted to table the item.
