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Burlington In Motion
Lumos Fiber Project
UPDATE JULY 2023- The City of Burlington has long sought out the opportunity to develop the next generation of broadband infrastructure needed to meet the technological needs of current and future businesses, public institutions, and residents. In July of 2022, the Burlington City Council approved an agreement between the City of Burlington and Lumos Fiber to implement a proposed fiber pathway between the City of Burlington and Greensboro. This long-term initiative led by the City’s Director of Information Technology, Scott Bibler, created a city-owned fiber connection to Greensboro’s 911 center via Highway 70. This partnership, a continuation of the City’s 2016 Tri-Gig initiative, served the dual purpose of improving the City’s disaster recovery system and enhancing inter-agency emergency service communications.
In October of 2022, Governor Roy Cooper released an announcement regarding the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) grant award, signifying that Lumos Fiber was awarded over $7 million to serve more than 2600 households and businesses in Alamance and Randolph counties. Lumos Fiber’s point of presence (POP) sight is located at the Corner of Beaumont Avenue and Graham Street in Burlington. On July 11, leaders from Lumos, local municipalities, Alamance County, the State of North Carolina, and the federal government gathered to mark the groundbreaking reality of Lumos’ presence in Alamance County.
Lumos’ Vice President of Market Development, Derek Kelly, announced that the company is laying 3.9 million feet of fiber to serve over 40,000 homes in Alamance County. Kelly noted, “This is fun to talk about, but this is about helping people. At this facility, we are connecting the fiber to the internet and connecting the community to the rest of the world. Burlington Mayor Jim Butler remarked, "As government officials, our job is to provide a better quality of life for our citizens. This is a wonderful piece, and Burlington is proud to be a part of it.”
Labcorp Hangar / Aviation Headquarters
UPDATE JULY 2023- Labcorp is making plans to build a $71 million new base for its fleet of aircraft at Burlington Alamance Regional Airport. Dring a February meeting, the Burlington City Council Meeting approved a proposal to allow $2 million to build a new water line to serve the Labcorp facility and help with site preparation. The proposal also allows economic incentives for the project in the form of a sum of $2,000,000 to be applied toward development costs and to waive City development fees in an amount not to exceed $200,000. In turn, Labcorp will develop approximately seven acres for Labcorp Aviation, invest approximately $71,000,000 in Project Sky King and create five full-time employment positions.
The facility would have about 50,000 square feet and include general hangar space, maintenance space, a conference room, parts room and offices, according to Peter Bishop, economic development director for Burlington. It would replace the approximately 15,000 square feet the company leases now at the airport for its fleet of craft used to move specimens and samples.
“This is the closest airport to all of their main mid-Atlantic laboratory functions that are here in Burlington, so it just makes a lot of sense for them to use our airport that's in very close proximity to that laboratory,” Bishop said. In addition to being close, Burlington-Alamance Regional does not have commercial airline passenger flights and an air traffic control tower, allowing more flexibility to operations like that of Labcorp, Bishop pointed out.
Synthetic Soccer Fields
UPDATE JULY 2023- The City Council recently awarded a contract to construct three synthetic turf soccer fields on the upper tier of the Springwood Park soccer complex to GeoSurfaces Southeast, Inc., which submit the lowest competitive bid.
A budget amendment in the amount of $3,523,060 for the project was approved in the May session of Council. Previously during the April 18, 2023, Council meeting, Council directed staff to prepare a bid package for three synthetic turf soccer fields at Springwood Park.
GeoSurfaces Southeast, Inc, will install these fields during the summer season with the intent to reopen the soccer complex for the fall BRPD soccer season.
Sock Puppets Entertainment Venue
UPDATE JULY 2023 -The City of Burlington is in the process of completing a new structure located along the first baseline spanning the outfield. This offer new and unique views of the games. Work continues in-between home games through the season completing this multi-level entertainment deck. The project currently includes an exterior level open to the public for socializing and connecting during the game which is open now.
"The new entertainment venue will greatly enhance the atmosphere and functionality of Burlington Athletic Stadium,” stated Burlington Mayor Jim Butler. “The Sock Puppets are great community partners, and they are committed to assisting the city in programming this facility on a year-round basis which adds strength and stability to our eastern neighborhoods. This venue will be exciting, and it will be one that corporate citizens, individual citizens, and visitors from out of town, can all enjoy."
The project looks to finish construction by early fall 2023 and will allows the Sock Puppets to activate the ballpark year-round, hosting an array of events outside the team’s June through August season. The type of events may include a Christmas Lights display or a half-marathon that ends with rounding the bases.
The entertainment venue will be available for rentals. It can be sectioned off so that a family could rent part of the venue for a birthday party or business could rent the whole thing for an employee appreciation event. More news coming soon!
Pickleball Courts
UPDATE JULY 2023- During the August 2022 Work Session, the Burlington City Council received a report from City staff regarding impending Recreation & Parks capital projects, including the addition of pickleball courts to the City’s outdoor facilities. Recognizing the need for this necessary investment in the community given the sport’s rise in popularity, the Council instructed City staff to proceed with design plans for potential installation.
At the June 5th Work Session, Assistant City Manager Nolan Kirkman, City of Burlington Capital Projects Manager Davis Montgomery, and a design consultant from Stewart Inc. briefed the Council on the scope of completing the two-fold addition of pickleball courts to the City’s recreational spaces. The first half of the proposed design plans include converting two tennis courts to six pickleball courts at Fairchild Park. This conversion was suggested after an assessment revealed that pickleball accounts for 2/3rds of the demand for the park’s current dual-use courts. The second half of the project includes the construction of a tournament-sized pickleball facility, including 17 pickleball courts at Burlington’s City Park, bringing additional parking, spectator and court shading, lighting, and a new set of restrooms.
During the presentation, Montgomery remarked, “If you look regionally, from Charlotte down to Raleigh, there would not be another facility the size of this one.” Energized by the potential economic impact that the hosting of U.S. Pickleball Association tournaments could induce and the apparent demand for more courts, City Council instructed staff to proceed toward final design work for the addition of 23 pickleball courts in total.
While designs have yet to be finalized, city staff are working with design consultants to incorporate the recommendations of the City Council to develop a final proposal.
Paramount Theater Expansion
UPDATE JULY 2023 - At the September 19, 2022, City Council approved the allocation of funds for design services for the Paramount Theater Expansion. The expansion will include two floors plus a rooftop deck allowing for multiple performance/rental spaces for the community to enjoy. Staff also plan to expand the programming offerings at the Paramount with a view to significant increases in the number of nights per year when the facility is open to the public. Each of the spaces will be built such that they can operate independently so there can be a performance one the main stage, a second performance in the new first-floor space, a rehearsal in the second-floor space, and live music and beers on the roof deck.
Design and construction is expected to take 26 months. The one-story building that is currently part of the Paramount lobby will be demolished to maximize the usable space for the new structure.
Construction is slated to being in July 2024 and the theater will be closed during the process.
Steri-Tek to Anchor Future 84-acre Life Sciences Industrial Park
Update September 2022 - Steri-Tek, an electron beam and x-ray sterilization company, announced this week that the company will establish its first East Coast facility in Burlington, North Carolina.
The company plans to construct a 150,000 square-foot facility on a 13-acre site at 1404 Anthony Road, investing $71 million in real and personal property and creating 50 jobs with an average annual wage of $56,800.
Founded in 2016 in Fremont, California, Steri-Tek provides X-ray and E-beam sterilization services for complex medical devices and sensitive biologic materials. The company counts as customers several industries, including medical, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and tissue industries.
In addition to constructing their own facility, Steri-Tek will purchase an additional 72 acres adjacent to their building with plans to develop a life sciences-focused industrial park. There is potential for four additional building sites to be developed, serving as a longer-term opportunity to support new life sciences investment in Burlington.
COMPLETED 2022- The carousel has reopened in an indoor building just yards away from the previously outdoor spot. In 2019, the ride was closed for renovations after a 6-million-dollar investment for needed changes. In December of 2022, days before Christmas, the carousel opened to the public, with a fresh coat of paint and an enclosure to protect from the elements and flooding. It will be open year-round for the public for everyone to enjoy. During the warm summer months, the enclosure can open up allowing the sunlight and breeze in.
During the opening event, many Burlington locals reminisced about their days riding the 100-year-old ride. Mayor Jim Butler and the rest of City Council were there opening day for a ribbon cutting event and to ride the carousel. Mayor Butler says “Most pieces of art say do not touch, this one says please come ride”