Author: Downtown Salisbury

By David Whisenant

Published: Nov. 15, 2022 at 6:20 AM EST

SALISBURY, N.C. (WBTV) – Salisbury Academy has announced that the Salisbury Academy Upper School will be located at 316 Depot Street in downtown Salisbury.

According to the school, the new downtown location enhances the SA experiential education model by leveraging the community as a classroom and community leaders as educators. Salisbury Academy Upper School students will engage in authentic work daily enhanced by the wealth of resources in the community to build their life skills and personal interests.

Internships with local businesses, visits to local art and theatre centers, and connections to governmental and nonprofit agencies will all be within a few blocks of the school’s location.

The school’s website describes the SA Upper School as an “academic journey is a thoughtful, four-year progression designed to develop students in alignment with the graduate profile (above). Annual themes, such as self-discovery and civic collaboration, braid together learning across all classes and are accentuated by a signature course experience called Compass.”

In their personal and social journey, upper school students have the benefit of engagement in their personal passions, encouragement to grow to their maximum potential, and inspiration from a diverse community of learners. SA students are celebrated as individuals as they, likewise, celebrate the individuality of their peers.

The Upper School provides its students a rich student experience by developing traditions and experiences that mark movement and achievement through these important four years, according to the website. From interest and service clubs to performances, socials, and annual field trips, the Upper School will build enriching student experiences that unite the student body across and within grade levels.

SA Upper School seeks to create partnerships to complement the work of other local educational institutions. For example, dual-enrollment opportunities with Catawba College provide juniors and seniors course options ranging from highly-transferrable general education courses to specific electives addressing personal interests. Collaborations with Rowan-Salisbury Schools and other local institutions continue to develop as well.

The SA Upper School experience can be both affordable and accessible.  A variety of scholarship opportunities are available.  See tuition rates here.

Copyright 2022 WBTV. All rights reserved.

SALISBURY — More than 120 business leaders attended the Rowan Chamber’s Power In Partnership breakfast on Thursday morning to hear Josh Barnhardt and Brett Krueger speak about the redevelopment of the Empire Hotel property. The event was held at Trinity Oaks and was sponsored by Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.

“The feedback we have had from their presentation has been fantastic,” said Chamber President Elaine Spalding. “The Empire Hotel was featured on the recent Historic Salisbury Homes Tour with one of the hotel rooms completely refurbished. They also did a pilot television show for HGTV.”

Sada Troutman, executive director of Downtown Salisbury, Inc. (DSI) introduced Barnhardt and Krueger and said she sees them out of her window every week meeting with investors, giving tours and working on the property. DSI owns the Empire Hotel and has a task force working on the transition to the developers.

Barnhardt and Krueger shared a detailed presentation on the Empire Hotel re-development. At completion, the property will include a boutique hotel with 25 luxury historic rooms; the original 1906 Grand Ballroom completely restored with seating for 200 guests; 38 apartments; a full-service spa and gym; a fine dining restaurant/bar area; and, four to six retail spaces on the first floor. Their timeline calls for the plans to be complete by the second quarter of 2023. Construction would begin shortly after that and take approximately 24 months.

“Please be patient with us. We want to restore everything back to the original historic details. As may of you know with historic preservation, it takes some time to peel back the layers of decades of neglect and previous renovation projects,” said Krueger.

“Our team is passionate about this community and we want you to be proud of the Empire Hotel once again,” said Barnhardt. He listed The Sherbert Group in Charlotte and Rowan County native Eddie Belk with Belk Architecture as the other partners in the project.

Krueger has over 25 years of construction and development experience with signature projects like the Ivey’s Hotel in Charlotte and the Windsor Hotel in Asheville.

Being a second-generation builder and having an early strong real estate sales background gave him the experience to form his own company, Corinthian Development. He excelled as one of the top builders and developers in his market producing over $70 million in homes and developments. With over a dozen developments, Krueger has directly developed properties from Charlotte, Lake Norman and Banner Elk.

Barnhardt was raised in Salisbury, where he developed a fascination with history and old buildings. His mother, Debbie Barnhardt Bassinger, owns Barnhardt Jewelers in Salisbury.

Coming from a family of entrepreneurs and construction trades he learned the value of hard work at a young age. After living in historic neighborhoods in New York City, Charleston and Charlotte he has a passion for creating distinctive downtown living spaces. His 20-year career has included international technology consulting with IBM, growing a London-based startup, and leadership positions with Bank of America and Wells Fargo before founding Iron Horse Development. He has a B.A. and MBA from UNC Chapel Hill.

The Chamber’s next PIP breakfast will be on November 17 with Hotwire Executive Sue Kelly speaking. For more information, contact the Rowan Chamber at (704) 633-4221 or info@rowanchamber.com or www.rowanchamber.com

SALISBURY, N.C., (Friday, Oct. 21, 2022) –The City of Salisbury issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to purchase and redevelop the Plaza building located in downtown Salisbury. The mixed-use seven-story building, completed in 1910, was the tallest in North Carolina when it was constructed and still serves as an iconic image of the city. Salisbury is located along the Interstate I-85 corridor and is mid-way between Charlotte, NC, and the Triad region.

The building was a gift to the city from Ralph and Anne Ketner in 1991. The Ketners bought the building and completely renovated it in 1988. The goals of the rehabilitation were to establish downtown residential and to allow for workforce housing in Downtown Salisbury. Some 30 years later, Salisbury and its downtown corridor are currently experiencing noted growth in commercial and residential development.

The City is seeking qualified and experienced developers to respond to the RFP. The building is currently occupied by tenants and houses 20 apartments, six office spaces, and three commercial businesses. While the City believes the highest and best use of the building remains mixed-use inclusive of ground-floor retail and market-rate apartments, other uses can be considered. The City is also seeking proposals for a parcel located behind the building that could serve as parking for the building’s users.

Electronically-submitted proposals will be due to Hannah.Jacobson@salisburync.gov by 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2. Tours are encouraged and will be scheduled for the week of Monday, Oct. 31, through Friday, Nov. 4. 

The full RFP is located on the city website at salisburync.gov/bids.

The City of Salisbury is located in the heart of the Piedmont region of North Carolina, midway between Charlotte and Greensboro. Salisbury is the county seat of Rowan County, and provides a full range of municipal services, including law enforcement, fire protection, zoning and code enforcement and water and sewer systems. For more information regarding the City of Salisbury and its services and departments, please visit us on the web at www.salisburync.gov. To receive updates regarding local initiatives, meetings, programs and events, please follow us on Twitter at @CitySalisburyNC and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CitySalisburyNC.

Music & Lyrics by Tim Rice & Elton John
Additional Music & Lyrics by Will Van Dyke, Lebo M, Mark Mancina, & Jay Rifkin
Book by Roger Allers & Irene Mecchi
Based on the Broadway production directed by Julie Taymor
Directed by Titus Quinn
Music Directed by Jenny Carrol & Laura Raynor-Williams
Choreographed by Krystal Stukes

THE LION KING, JR. is based on the 1994 Disney animated feature film of the same
name. The Lion King is the story of Simba, an adventurous and energetic lion cub who is
next in line to be king of the Pride Lands, a thriving and beautiful region in the African
savanna. When Simba’s father Mufasa is killed by his uncle Scar, though, Simba is led to
believe that his father’s death is his fault, and he is encouraged to run away forever.
Scar seizes power and with his already unstable mind deteriorating, the Pride Lands
experiences a darkness and desolation from which only Simba can save the animals of
the kingdom. Featuring classic songs from the film such as “Circle of Life,” “I Just Can’t
Wait to Be King,” “Hakuna Matata,” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” The Lion King
is a story and a spectacle about identity, family, and responsibility that is enjoyed
worldwide by people of all ages.

Piedmont Players Theatre’s cast includes: CJ Benjamin as Simba, Kara Holt as Nala, Sari
Lewin as Rafiki, Isaac Welch as Zazu, Isaiah M. Walker as Mufasa, Mary-Ellen A. Rakin as
Scar, Finley Driggers as Timon, Aidan Melton as Pumbaa, Kimora Cooper as Shenzi,
Asher Pethel as Banzai, Jackson Walters as Ed, Keira Coley as Sarabi, Zana Smyre-Rouse
as Sarafina, and Kayla Graham, Jada Neely, Shiloh Ricks, Londyn Williams, Vida S. Mejia,
Ariyana Walker, Trinity C. McCormick, Keianna Holliday, Thierry Agnant, Jamel Freeman,
Teague Rowland, Thomas Freeman, Amira Priester, Daleiah Waters, Annagail Murray,
June Tilley, Z’Laya Stockton as ensemble.

PRODUCING PARTNER: Bill & Shari Graham

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Friday, September 16 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, September 17 at 7:30 PM
Sunday, September 18 at 2:30 PM
Friday, September 23 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, September 24 at 7:30 PM
Sunday, September 25 at 2:30 PM
Friday, September 30 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, October 01 at 7:30 PM
Sunday, October 02 at 2:30 PM

Doors open 30 minutes prior to each performance.

VENUE
The Norvell Theater
135 E Fisher Street
Salisbury, NC 28144

TICKETS
Tickets: $16 for adults; $14 for seniors/students/military.
Tickets are available at www.piedmontplayers.com or by calling 704.633.5471

PRESS: For more information, please visit the Piedmont Players Theatre website
or contact Executive Director Bradley Moore directly at bradley.moore@piedmontplayers.com.