Last Updated on June 24, 2025 2:41 pm
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 laney.wise@townofboone.net.
