A High Point building that has sat empty for more than a decade is about to get an upgrade. And One Plaza Center could play a key role in the downtown’s revitalization.
You can’t miss the building while driving down Main Street, says Rebekah McGee, president and CEO of the nonprofit Downtown High Point.
Some folks remember it as the former First Citizens Bank. Others recall when it housed a Noble’s restaurant, or recognize its eye-catching pyramid out front.
Most recently, the 50-year-old building, also known as Showplace West, is known simply for being vacant. McGee says new tax incentives could jumpstart the move to transform it.
“There’s a big effort in downtown to revitalize our core and bring new businesses downtown, and one of the pieces that we’re really missing is housing," she says. "And it’s a huge impact to say that we have possibly 100 to 130 units in this building.”
One Plaza Center was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in April. More recently, state officials chose it for historic mill status due to its ties to two important furniture companies.
McGee says those designations provide tax incentives to offset what could be millions of dollars in restorations.