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NOV 2 5 1998
Happy Thanksgiving
November 26,
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The Perquimans Weekly
350
Vol. 66, No. 48
The only newspaper for and about Perquimans County people
Hertford, North Carolina 27944
Goiranerce
center
primed for
activity
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
After years of planning and
preparation, The Perquimans
County Economic
Development Commission will
soon break ground on the first
building in the Perquimans
Commerce Centre.
Economic Development
Director Robert Baker said the
structural steel has been deliv
ered on site for the 30,0000-
square foot shell building.
Carolina Construction, the
contractor erecting the build
ing, anticipated receiving per
mits Monday, with excavation
for the foundation to begin
later this week. If all goes well.
Baker said the shell building
should be completed by the
end of the year.
The building is being con
structed by the county with
funds from the North Carolina
Electric Cooperatives. The
group provides affordable
loans on a competitive basis
for economic development.
Once the building is com
plete, it wUl be used as a tool to
get businesses to visit the com
merce centre. Baker said
many prospective business
owners want to see an avail
able building when they visit
an area. With the shell con
structed, the coxmty expects to
seU the building and repay the
funds to the electric coopera
tive agency.
Next door, Perquimans 2020
Vision Coalition is finishing
.plans for bids for the ARISE
building, a 10,000-square foot
business incubator. Baker said
that building is scheduled for
completion in late June.
Already, 2020 Vision has
had serious inquiries from
three prospective tenants for
the incubator — a micro
processor company, a chro
matography company and a
software development compa
ny. Baker said the three would
occupy about 7,000 square feet
of the building.
In addition. Baker said
there is a pending purchase
option on 8 acres in the com
merce centre. If the tract is
“ purchased, it will represent
the first private sale in the
development.
Baker said the company
negotiating for a waterfront
tract already has established
marine businesses in both
North Carolina and Virginia.
The company would provide
repair service to marine traffic
on the Intercoastal Waterway
for craft up to 50 feet. Baker
described the business as a
clean industry which would be
required to meet EPA, DENR
and CAMA standards before
opening.
The owner anticipates ini
tially hiring 25 employees,
' with a possible expansion to 50
employees in the future.
' The net investment for the
business would approach $2
million. Baker said.
The economic development
director said the owner of the
Morgan building is also begin
ning renovations there. She is
presently exploring options on
that building and is seeking
tenants for businesses like an
antiques mall or restaurant.
Hall of Fame Square opens
Vision turns
department store
into renovated
business complex
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
Randy Lassiter’s vision of a
downtown with less empty
storefronts and more business
opportunity became reality
Friday, when Hall of Fame
Square officially opened on
Church Street.
The building which for
many years housed Darden
Department Store is now home
to a plethora of small retail
and service businesses.
“I love this community and
I wanted to give something
back, to help make it better,”
Lassiter told the large crowd
that gathered to celebrate the
grand opening.
Last spring, the building
was a large, open space with
cement floors. Today, it fea
tures seven completed suites,
five of them occupied, one
under negotiation, and an area
for an eatery which wiU be fin
ished to specifications when
negotiations are complete. In
addition, Lassiter will soon
finish the mezzanine office
and plans to add suites on the
second floor.
Occupying Hall of Fame
Square to date are Carolina
Trophy, the Perquimans
Covmty Chamber of Commerce
(to open there Monday), The
Perquimans Arts League
Gallery, Stitch’N Time (seam
stress, sewing notions), and
Linda Weinbaum, clinical psy
chologist. Lassiter said he
anticipates the addition of a
real estate office in the com
plex soon.
Entering the building from
the street, shoppers will first
PHOTO BY SUSAN HARRIS
Randy and Lynn Lassiter (center), their children and their par
ents were among those who celebrated the grand opening of
the Hall of Fame Square in downtown Hertford Friday. The
Lassiters bought and renovated the former Darden Department
Store building, which now features retail and service business
es with the promise of more to come.
come to the showcase window
office of Carolina Trophy and
Engraving. Owned and operat
ed by Russell and Brenda
Lassister, Carolina Trophy
carries a wide variety of gifts,
including Christmas tree orna
ments, baby gifts and picture
frames, many of which can be
personalized with engraving.
The chamber occupies the
next suite. Chamber Exeuctive
Directory Sandra Smith said
she is excited about the organi-
zation’s move to historic
downtown Hertford. The
chamber plans to be opera
tional at the new site on
Monday.
Next is the gallery of the
Perquimans Arts League.
PALs members have created a
shop chock full of quality arts
and crafts from oil paintings to
jewelry and tatting. The
gallery is a perfect spot for
Christmas shopping.
Johnetta Forehand has
opened Stitch-N Time next
door to PALs. Forehand is a
veteran seamstress who can
handle alterations and other
needs from behind her sewing
machine. In addition, she car
ries sewing notions.
Next is the suite in which
Lassiter expects a real estate
office to open soon.
With both a hallway and
back entrance is Weinbaum
Clinical Associates. Linda
Weinbaum, a clinical psychol
ogist and social worker, has
opened Hertford’s first private
clinic of its kind.
The first suite on the right
as you enter the front door is
the future home of an eatery.
Lassister said he has had sev
eral contacts from those inter
ested in opening sandwich,
coffee and/or bakery shops in
HaUof Fame.
There is one suite remain
ing unoccupied on the right
next to the future eatery.
His daughter’s December
wedding has Lassiter slowing
down on his renovations right
now, but he plans to move
ahead again after the first of
the year. Even Saturday, when
he was on site taking care of
some small details, he was con
tacted by several people inter
ested in the possibility of mov
ing into HaU of Fame.
Lassiter said the monument
to Jim “Catfish” Hunter across
the street from Hall of Fame
Square on the courthouse
lawn inspired the building’s
name. He characterized
Hunter as a great baseball
player and a fine person who
has done much for the county.
Holiday kick-off
The Hertford Downtown Merchants Association kicked off the holidays Saturday with A
Christmas in Carolina. Entertainers provided music on the courthouse lawn while vendors
offered a variety of items.
Grants to correct
failing septic systems
Parade, ramble next holiday events
Holiday events will contin
ue in Perquimans County with
the annual Extension
Homemakers Christmas
Ramble tour of homes on Dec.
3, 6:30—9 p.m. Several homes,
a bed and breakfast, a business
and a church, all decorated for
the holidays, are on this year’s
tour. For information, call the
Extension Office at 426-5428.
Next up will the Christmas
parade on Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. The
Chamber of Commerce is still
accepting applications from
businesses, bands, marching
units, and school, church and
civic organizations for parade
entry. For an application or
information, call the chamber
at 426-5657.
The District Health
Department will use an
$857,000 state grant to help
low-income families replace
faulty septic systems.
The PPCC health depart
ment, which serves and gets
its name from Pasquotank,
Perquimans, Camden and
Chowan counties, secured the
grant from the state’s Clean
Water Management Trust. The
trust helps finance local pro
jects that protect or restore
water quality in state rivers,
creeks, lakes and estuaries.
According to a health
department news release,
PPCC’s Public Management
Entity Program will use the
grant to help families prevent
their septic systems from fail
ing.
Qualifying applicants will
be eligible to borrow 100 per
cent of the cost to repair a fail
ing septic system at 5 percent
interest for five years.
The borrower only has to
pay an $100 application fee and
$250 to cover the prepayment
costs of the program’s $50
annual inspection fee.
Loans under $4,000 will be
secured by the best lien avail
able. Loans over $4,000 will
require a deed of trust.
Low-income homeowners
also may qualify for special
deferred payment loans, the
health department’s release
states. Those who qualify will
not be required to repay their
loans in monthly installments.
Instead, their loans could be
forgiven, provided they keep
ownership of the property
throughout the term of the
loan.
Typically, homeowners are
responsible for maintaining
their septic systems. In most
instances, septic system per
mitting agencies have little
oversight of septic systems.
The only authority they do
have is the power to investi
gate a proposed site and the
power to provide design and
installation specifications
when the system is being built.
The Management Entity
Program was established four
years ago to supervise the
design, installationand opera
tion of non-conventional
wastewater systems in the
four counties served by the
health department.
Since then, Currituck,
Gates, Hertord, Tyrrell and
Washington counties have
joined the program, according
to the PPCC news release.