All the leanest developments in Rocky Mount NC, including new businesses, openings, announcements, and current events.

Moorefield Real Estate named by Halle Companies as Exclusive Realtor at Belmont Lake Preserve

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Moorefield Real Estate

The Halle Companies has recently announced a partnership with Moorefield Real Estate of Rocky Mount, naming the company as the Exclusive Realtor at Belmont Lake Preserve NC golf community.

“We are excited as the leaders’ in Rocky Mount Real Estate for over four decades to represent the premier development in our city, and absolutely thrilled to work along side, the Halle Companies, who also bring over 40 years of experience and excellence in residential development with them to the table,” said Kenneth Moorefield, Founder of Moorefield Real Estate. “With the unique amenities that are exclusive to this community- it’s golf course, the swimming pools, the restaurant, and so forth- we just can’t wait to put our brush to the canvas and paint this picture that we have been envisioning for all the families and residents of Rocky Mount at Belmont Lake Preserve.”

Upon their purchase of Belmont Lake Preserve in late 2011, the Halle Companies have invested millions of dollars into the development of the 1400-acre forested community. In a prepared statement released at the time of the purchase, Halle spoke of the difference between the community’s previous developer who struggled with financial issues and the Halle Companies, explaining, this was a cash purchase and that The Halle Companies continue to operate on a debt-free basis with no lenders. Halle added that by purchasing the community with cash it allows us to move at the proper pace and keep the community on a sound financial footing.

Once the purchase was finalized, the Halle Companies began focusing on providing retreat-like amenities that include both an indoor and outdoor pool and a full fitness facility at the Belmont Lake Community Clubhouse, which finished construction in 2014. The Golf Clubhouse also was added to the community and finished in 2014, hosting a full golf pro shop and the highly acclaimed Main Course at Belmont Restaurant. The 18-hole David Johnson golf design, Belmont Lake Golf Club has previously been named to the “Top 100 You Can Play” by the NC Golf Panel and also was recognized among the top course designs across Eastern NC.

About Moorefield Real Estate

With an emphasis on integrity, in-depth community and market knowledge, and a “client-first” approach, Moorefield Real Estate and its Founder/Manager, Kenneth Moorefield brings an unmatched customer and broker relationship with Rocky Mount residents and the surrounding area for nearly 44 years in his training of every broker on his team.

A multi-million dollar producer in each and every one of his 43-plus years in real estate, Moorefield, the 2011 Realtor of the Year, and the exceptional Moorefield Real Estate management team that will represent Belmont Lake Preserve includes Broker-in-Charge, Jay Hooks, who has been a multi-million dollar producer for seven consecutive years and the 2011 and 2014 REALTOR Associate of the Year, Trevor Foote, who likewise has been a multi-million dollar producer for all seven years she has been with the company.

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Downtown Live Signals the Official Start of Rocky Mount Summer Events

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Rocky Mount Summer Events

A sure sign that the sunshine and warmth of the new season is growing near is one of the great outdoor traditions just a few minutes away from your new home in the Belmont Lake Preserve North Carolina golf community, as the Downtown Live concert series will kick off the Rocky Mount Summer Events this Thursday, May 12.

Running every other Thursday night throughout the late spring, into the summer and straight through until early fall, the Downtown Live concert series has become one of many community themed Rocky Mount Summer Events that is greatly looked forward to by residents. The Summer Music Series is free of charge and takes place in the heart of downtown on the lawn at the Imperial Centre for the Arts & Sciences, located at 270 Gay Street. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. each Thursday and the music starts rocking at 6:00. While there are not coolers allowed, food and beverages are available each week at these Rocky Mount Summer Events.

The schedule for the Downtown Live series has been announced and week one of the Rocky Mount Summer Events will feature the popular grooves of Legacy Motown Revue this Thursday. Then, following a week off on May 19, the concert series returns on Thursday, May 26 with The Entertainers. The June lineup for Downtown Live will see Jim Quick and Coastline take the Imperial Centre stage on June 9 and The Castaways on June 23.

Keeping the Rocky Mount Summer Events schedule “red hot” heading into the month of July, The Band of Oz will headline the July 7  Downtown Live concerts, with the sounds of Liquid Pleasure filling downtown Rocky Mount on July 21. August’s lineup should prove to be equally as fun, with Hip Pocket playing on the 4th and The Tams on the 18th.

Rounding out the Rocky Mount Summer Events at the Imperial Centre lawn for Downtown Live will be three September concerts. These include Steve Owens and Summertime on September 1, East Coast Rhythm and Blues on the 15th, and then closing out the series will be The Embers featuring Craig Woolard.

For further information on the Downtown Live concert series and all the great upcoming Rocky Mount Summer Events, visit rockymountnc.gov.

(Photo Courtesy of the City of Rocky Mount)

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Rocky Mount Health Care Facility Recognized as “Cutting Edge”

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Rocky Mount Health Care

A major decision that one has to undertake before deciding on where to relocate to in their retirement years is the quality and convenience of the available health care facilities and services. Making the Belmont Lake Preserve North Carolina retirement community is an easy one as there are several state-of-the art hospitals near by, including the Nash UNC Rocky Mount Health Care facility which was just honored for the second consecutive year by Blue Cross Blue Shield as a “Cutting-Edge Hospital.”

Blue Cross Blue Shield’s recognition of the Rocky Mount Health Care facility was detailed in a recent issue of Business North Carolina magazine. Particularly impressive were the accolades dealt out from the representatives of Blue Cross Blue Shield in regards to the Nash UNC Rocky Mount Health Care facility’s Nash Surgical Weight Loss Center and Joint Replacement Center. Citing their reasoning behind bestowing the honor on the Rocky Mount Health Care facility, the expertise of the hospital’s medical staff and the impressive track record of positive results were noted.

Additionally, Nash UNC Rocky Mount Health Care was evaluated on overall patient satisfaction and the willingness of said patients to recommend Nash UNC to others. Larry Chewning, President of Nash UNC Health Care, spoke enthusiastically with the Rocky Mount Telegram newspaper on the recognition, noting that it “reflects thousands of hours of clinical experience, expertise, and patient satisfaction.”

Chewning continued on, heaping praises and beaming with pride in talking about his employees. “Our team members work hard to provide high quality care for our patients, and we couldn’t be prouder of their achievements,” he concluded.

Nash UNC Health Care is located in Rocky Mount, under ten minutes from Belmont Lake Preserve at 2460 Curtis Ellis Drive, for more information on all their departments, services, and facilities visit their website at nhcs.org.

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Economic Development in Rocky Mount on the Rise

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Economic Development in Rocky Mount

With an influx of new businesses and industry in the area, none may have a larger positive impact on the local economy than a merger that has taken place right across the street form your new home at the Belmont Lake Preserve NC golf community, as the recent acquisition of Hospira by Pfizer figures to have huge implications on the Economic Development in Rocky Mount.

A recent article in the Triangle Business Journal by staff writer, Jason deBruyn, detailed the impact that the Pfizer purchase will have on Economic Development in Rocky Mount. The piece, titled “What Pfizer-Allergan means for manufacturing in Rocky Mount,” explains that the merger between Pfizer and Allergan, combined with the purchase of the Rocky Mount plant that employs about 3,000 workers, will make the group the largest pharmaceutical drug maker in the world.

Krista Ikirt, the Vice President of the Carolina Gateway Partnership, which is a recruitment agency dedicated to the Economic Development in Rocky Mount as well as all of Nash and Edgecombe counties, noted in the article, “It’s been very important to our community.” She continued, speaking on the long-term impact the purchase will have on Economic Development in Rocky Mount, adding, “I don’t think any business makes that kind of investment and then thinks about getting rid of it…we just hope that they continue to invest in the Rocky Mount plant.”

Echoing Ikirt’s enthusiasm toward the acquisition of Hospira upon the finalized agreement this fall, Pfizer Chairman and CEO released the following statement, “We are pleased that Hospira, the world’s leading provider of injectable drugs and infusion technologies and a global leader in biosimilars, is now part of Pfizer. We want to welcome our new Hospira colleagues to Pfizer. We are excited to add their talents and proud of the shared commitment of all Pfizer colleagues to serving patients worldwide.”

To read the full Triangle Business Journal article on the Pfizer/Allergan acquisition’s effect on Economic Development in Rocky Mount visit bizjournals.com and to see more on the Pfizer company got to www.pfizer.com.

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Craft Brewery in Rocky Mount Opens Doors

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Craft Brewery in Rocky Mount

Founded in 2014 and aiming to provide “high quality, interesting, and delicious craft beer,” the first ever Craft Brewery in Rocky Mount, Koi Pond Brewing Company has officially opened its doors for business at 1107 Falls Road, just minutes away from your new home at the premier NC golf community, Belmont Lake Preserve.

What began as a request from a friend and eventually turned into a hobby for Koi Pond founder, Eric Ghiloni has resulted in the opening of the first Craft Brewery in Rocky Mount after said hobby became more of a passion and the responses from those tasting his product were increasingly positive.

Ghiloni explains on the official website of the Craft Brewery in Rocky Mount, “I had a friend, Jeff May, who asked me to make some beer. I was at a point in my life where I wanted to try something new, s I bought a homebrew kit and made up a batch.” He continued, “Jeff told me the brew was the best he’d ever had for a beginner. My mind raced with enthusiasm and ideas, from the single, heartfelt compliment.”

The rest of the story, as they say, “is history,” as Eric continued his exploration into the world of brewing and for more than a year began developing recipes that would include much of what you can expect to find at the new Craft Brewery in Rocky Mount. He would encourage his friends to taste the vast catalog of Indian Pale Ale’s(IPA’s), Witbiers, Stouts, and other tasty selections he created, basing his next moves on the essential feedback he received from them.

“The response has been overwhelming,” he noted. “There is a strong foundation for support of products like these in Rocky Mount, and an even stronger desire to see local businesses start up and become part of the action.”

The name, which was decided upon for the first ever, Craft Brewery in Rocky Mount, Koi Pond Brewing Company, comes from very deep and personal reasoning from Ghiloni. “I literally wear my life and heart on my sleeve,” he said in explaining how the name was decided upon as he has two koi fish tattooed on his arm representing each of his two sons. “My two sons…are responsible for the greatest joy in my life and provide the harmony, symbolic to many with Koi, that each of needs to succeed and do good.”

After opening production several months back at their production and bottling facility on South Grace Street near downtown, Rocky Mount’s first ever Craft Brewery opened it’s doors on January 3 and along with his wife, Mary and long-time friends and partners in Koi Pond, Matthew and Deborah Sperati they look forward to helping with the growth of the local business community.

“There is plenty of opportunity out there, especially in the Rocky Mount area.” My partners and I want to see Koi Pond grow, and we also want to see the establishment of other local breweries and supporting businesses.”

To see more on Koi Pond Brewing Company including their full selection of craft beers and hours of operation, visit their website at koipondbrewingcompany.com.

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Forbes Names North Carolina No. 2 Best State for Business and Careers

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Best State for Business and Careers

Another among many factors supporting your decision to buy a home at the award winning NC golf community, Belmont Lake Preserve in Rocky Mount is the recent Forbes ranking of the state of North Carolina, placing it second among all 50 states in the prestigious annual listings of the Best State for Business and Careers for 2015.

Improving even on last year’s lofty ranking as Forbes’ number three Best State for Business and Careers in the 2014 listings, North Carolina finished ahead of all states in the union other than Utah, which clung to the top spot for a second consecutive year. Maintaining the consistent growth that has many professionals taking notice of the “Tar Heel State,” it was noted in the Forbes’ article on the Best State for Business and Career that North Carolina is the only state in the entire country that has ranked in the top five every year since they have conducted the rankings.

Speaking to the lofty ranking on the Best State for Business and Career listings, the profile on North Carolina on forbes.com said, “With one of the highest net migration rates in the U.S., people have been flocking to North Carolina for the past decade. They are chasing jobs.” It continued to say, “The unemployment rate was stuck above 10% for most of 2009 through 2011, but has dipped to 5.4% in 2015. North Carolina has the smallest union workforce in the U.S. in terms of percent of total employment. The resulting benefit is labor costs that are 10% below the national average and fifth overall lowest in the country.”

Forbes’ also cited a cost of doing business in North Carolina at 10 percent below the national average, in addition to the state ranking tenth in prospective growth and ninth overall in labor supply as major factors in being ranked as the number two Best State for Business and Careers.

To see the entire listing and for more detail on North Carolina’s ranking as the number two Best State for Business and Careers in 2015, visit www.forbes.com.

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Safe and Sound: Rocky Mount NC crime rate at a 35 year low

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Rocky Mount NC Crime Rate

In addition to achieving the personal serenity and peace of mind which you desire in opting to move to the premier NC golf and retirement community, Belmont Lake Preserve, obviously safety in one’s home town is a factor which plays into the decision to relocate. As a result of the hard work and dedication of city officials working side by side with law enforcement and residents, Police Chief, James Moore was happy to report at a recent town meeting that the Rocky Mount NC crime rate has reached a 35 year low.

In bringing the good news to members of the  city council, Moore gave much credit to the efforts of city residents in the improvement of the Rocky Mount NC crime rate. He noted the collaborative work between the police department and the residents, as well as an overall community effort by concerned citizens to lend a hand to improve the community and lower the Rocky Mount NC crime rate in any way they possibly can.

Speaking with a sense of pride after seeing such positive results, Moore seemed very pleased to deliver the following statistics regarding the decrease in the Rocky Mount NC crime rate 2014 in comparison to just one year priors data.

  • A 45 percent decrease in commercial robberies
  • A 16.5 percent decrease in individual robberies
  • A 16.2 percent decrease in property crime.
  • A 10.9 percent decrease in violent and dangerous crime.

Moore, who was applauded for his efforts by city officials, has made a concerted effort during his tenure as chief of police to see the residents and his department work hand in hand through offering different programs to the public and educating the citizens in several areas that can be of assistance in lowering the Rocky Mount NC crime rate. These would include the “Citizen’s Police Academy,” which is described on the city’s website as “a program designed to acquaint citizens who are not sworn police officers with the activities of their local police department. Citizens gain an appreciation for the problems and challenges facing law enforcement and have an opportunity to offer comments, ideas, and solutions.”

The “Law Enforcement Explorers” program is another way the Rocky Mount NC Police Department has been educating residents. Holding meetings twice a month, officers discuss and educate interested young men and women between the ages of 14-20 on law enforcement culture in addition to offering hands-on training and demonstrations.

Utilizing the latest in technology to build stronger and safer neighborhoods in Rocky Mount NC, the Police Department also offers the “Nextdoor Program.” This is a free private social network for members of the community to communicate with one another and bulid happier and safer neighborhoods.

To learn more about these programs and other ways that you can work with Chief Moore and the police department to lend a hand in continuing to see the Rocky Mount NC crime rate decrease, visit their “Police to Citizens” here.

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Rocky Mount Brewmill announces first two tenants

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Rocky Mount Brewmill

Speaking to the point that recently saw the city of Rocky Mount NC included as a part of the nerdwallet.com listing of “Cities on the Rise in North Carolina,” the development of new businesses in the community continues, as just minutes up the road from the Belmont Lake Preserve North Carolina golf and retirement community, one of the most anticipated additions to the city’s business community, the Rocky Mount Brewmill was excited to announce it’s first two tenants in the mixed-use redevelopment project.

The Rocky Mount Brewmill is on the site of what was formerly the Rocky Mount Mills cotton mill and century old brick showplace, located on the historic Tar River. The site, which once was one of Rocky Mount’s most significant economic engines has been dormant for several decades and has the local business community abuzz with the influx of interest shown since the Rocky Mount Brewmill project has been undertaken.

The first two homegrown businesses to reside at the Rocky Mount Brewmill were announced this past week, as Koi Pond Brewery is set to become Rocky Mount’s first brewery, and SpringBoardNC Inc., a non-profit organization which is headed by a conglomerate of local business leaders will call the site home and offer space to entrepreneurs throughout the region.

The separate business models and visions of each of these two businesses speaks to the diversity that can be expected at the Rocky Mount Brewmill site, and officials from each spoke enthusiastically about becoming part of the project. Eric Ghiloni, co-founder and head brewer, Koi Pond Brewing Company, noted, “Koi Pond’s mission is to bring great, hand-crafted beer and social responsibility together to reflect the rich cultural heritage of Eastern North Carolina.” He added, “The idea of breweries co-locating in a common space and sharing resources, knowledge and ideas to make everyone better and the customers’ experience unparalleled is intriguing to say the least. We are very excited to be the first and look forward to watching our industry grow right here in Rocky Mount.”

Jeff Tobias, the Vice President of operations for SpringBoardNC Inc. also spoke of the company’s goals at the new site, saying, “Our region is filled with entrepreneurs and innovators with big ideas but up until this point they’ve lacked a physical location or the intensive day-to-day assistance found in a business accelerator.” He concluded, “Our goal is to create a home for networking resources to foster startup activity, business growth, and capitalization so that we can create a thriving ecosystem of entrepreneurs who add jobs to the local economy.”

For more information on the Rocky Mount Brewmill project included current developments and breaking news, visit their website at brewmill.com.

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Rocky Mount listed among Cities on the Rise in North Carolina

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Cities on the Rise in North Carolina

With a significant increase in both the number of jobs and income over the course of the past five years, the time is now to build your dream home at Belmont Lake Preserve NC golf and retirement community, as these factors played into a recent study at nerdwallet.com that listed Rocky Mount among its list of Cities on the Rise in North Carolina.

The nerdwallet study on Cities on the Rise in North Carolina was explained in a blog post written by Maggie Clark, who noted that the entire state has been seeing and upward swing in employment, income, and population, which are the three main factors touched on in compiling the rankings. It was also said in the article that North Carolina as a state saw the second highest job gain in the country last year and that there were more people moving to the state than had left. Personal income state wide is projected to continue to grow throughout this year, while on the contrary, the unemployment rate has seen a continuous drop which is predicted to continue on a downward swing.

Cities on the Rise in North Carolina

Downtown Rocky Mount NC

In analyzing population growth, the working age population numbers were measured for a four year period. Likewise, the overall percentage of residents who were employed during this same time frame were evaluated for the Cities on the Rise in North Carolina rankings in employment growth. For the income growth, the median wage of full time workers over this same span was calculated to arrive at the final ranking.

The numbers supporting Rocky Mount cracking into the Cities on the Rise in North Carolina rankings start with its employment growth, as the city saw a 6.6 percent increase in this area during the period in which nerdwallet conducted its study. An increase in working-age population growth and in median income growth gave Rocky Mount a 23.1 overall growth score, putting it firmly with in the list of the top Cities on the Rise in North Carolina.

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Rocky Mount NC : Outdoor Beauty that Honors the Past , Focuses on the Future

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Retiring-in-North-Carolina

Whether you are relocating from the Northeast for your retirement years or a born and bred North Carolinian, your choice to build a dream home at the premier North Carolina golf community, Belmont Lakes Preserve puts you in one of the fastest growing cities state wide as historic Rocky Mount NC combines its proud lineage from days gone by with the scenic beauty of the present to preserve the legacy of one of the Tar Heel State’s most storied locations.

Rustic Reminders

Steeped in a rich history, Rocky Mount NC pays tribute to the city’s proud beginnings in a variety of ways. Taking a stroll down the scenic Tar River Trail can give you a look into the city’s storied military past as you pass by Battle Park and Panther Island as well as their railroad heritage as you bypass the railroad trestle that was once part of the longest railway in the United States.

The man made City Lake has stood since 1933 as a beautiful reminder of the past as well, with a lighted fountain, wildlife island, gazebo, and observation decks being added over the years to enhance its beauty.

A “Dream” that Lives On

Adding not only to the countless outdoor attractions in Rocky Mount but also recalling the city’s tie to one of the most famous speeches in American history is Martin Luther King, Jr. Park.

Prompting the dedication of the park to the legendary Civil Rights trailblazer, was when Dr. King spoke before a crowd of nearly 2,000 at the Booker T. Washington High School gymnasium in Rocky Mount on November 27, 1962, uttering the now fabled words, “I Have a Dream” among many other pieces of his landmark address given nine months later at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. as a part of the “March on Washington.”

The spectacular scenery that can be enjoyed in Rocky Mount NC, most of which blends the city’s historic past with it’s bright future shows just one of many ways that the members of the local community and city officials alike share in “dreams” like Dr. King spoke of that November night in 1962. Continuing to work hard to beautify and create more history as they bring Rocky Mount NC into the future will continue to make such dreams come true.

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