Town of Boone Awarded a $850,000 Grant

Town of Boone Awarded a $850,000 Grant from the North Carolina Department of Commerce for the Howard Street Project

Town of Boone, North Carolina— The Town of Boone has been awarded an $850,000 grant from the North Carolina Department of Commerce to help fund the completion of the Howard Street Project, the largest downtown Boone street revitalization effort in modern history. This
grant will specifically support the underground relocation of electrical utilities along the eastern side 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 is designed to support downtown revitalization and economic development initiatives that help local governments grow and leverage downtown districts as key assets for long-term prosperity. Eligible projects include improvements to publicly owned infrastructure within a downtown district 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 Main Street & Rural Planning Center, a program through the Rural Economic Development Division of the NC Department of Commerce. It follows the Main Street Four-Point Approach: economic
vitality, design, promotion, and organization. The Howard Street Project will drive economic development by creating a safer, more walkable, and bike-friendly downtown, while also modernizing utility infrastructure to support future growth.

“We are ecstatic to have received this grant! Our partnerships with state and federal agencies are key to making long-awaited, much-needed projects like this possible. This funding brings us one step closer to completing the Howard Street Project, which remains one of the most anticipated projects in our downtown community. As always, we ask that you continue to support our Howard Street businesses during this period of transition. After Hurricane Helene, completing this project is a powerful reminder of Boone’s resilience and our commitment to continued growth. We want to remind everyone, and will continue to do so, that Western North Carolina is open for business! This award is a testament to the value our region brings to the state, and we thank all those who helped make this project a reality.” – Time Futrelle, Mayor of the Town of Boone

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 the awarded grant, please contact Laney Wise, Grants Coordinator/Communications, at (828) 268-6206 or la********@*********ne.net.