RALEIGH, N.C. (WGHP) – Four governments in the Piedmont Triad are among 14 statewide that are dividing more than $6.6 million being distributed by the North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority.

Two of those will go to the town of Mocksville, and Alleghany County and the city of Burlington will receive one apiece.

Mocksville is the county seat of Davie County. (WGHP)

Gov. Roy Cooper approved these payments to invest in the reuse and redevelopment of facilities across the state and provide improvements in infrastructure, too. More than $45 million in grants were reported earlier.

Cooper’s office said in a release that these latest grants would help bring 324 jobs, 62 of which were previously announced, and some $31.5 million in private investment, which sometimes ties into announced state incentives.

“North Carolina’s overall success is rooted in the growth of our rural communities,” Cooper said in the release. “These grants provide the necessary infrastructure support that will yield more jobs, investments, and increased prosperity.”

NC Gov. Roy Cooper (WGHP)

The Building Reuse Program provides grants to local governments to renovate and/or expand vacant buildings occupied by companies doing business in North Carolina.

The city of Burlington is receiving $200,000 to help renovate a 65,000-square-foot building to house Armen Stone, a startup that will make countertops and distributes slabs of stone. The company is investing $2,835,300 and promising to create 25 jobs, the release said.

Two grants will help improve existing buildings in the Triad:

  • Alleghany County will receive $180,000 to help a building in Sparta grow by 60,000 square feet to house the expansion of NAPCO, which the release describes as a designer and manufacturer of specialized packaging for video games, board games and gifts. NAPCO is investing $342,006 and promising to create 24 jobs.
  • The town of Mocksville will get $400,000 to help expand a building occupied by Avgol Americas, which is called a global supplier of “non-woven hygiene solutions.” The company will add 18,000 square feet, invest more than $1.6 million and create 52 jobs.

Mocksville also is receiving $1.089 million under the Economic Infrastructure Program to expand water lines. This program is designed for more economically distressed counties, under which Davie County falls. The money comes from the Industrial Development Fund’s utility account.

Mocksville will extend a water line to an elevated North Tank water tank that the release said serves two growing business parks and other businesses along I-40.

This program under the North Carolina Department of Commerce is based on funding requests for a variety of renovation, expansion, demolition and infrastructure and are paid for by the Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account. The Rural Development Team consists of 17 members appointed by Cooper, Speaker of the House Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) and Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger (R-Eden).

“Following another record year for economic development, increasing economic opportunities for North Carolina’s rural communities with improvements to building and utility infrastructure remains a top priority of mine,” N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders said in the release. “Our partnerships with local governments will enhance rural North Carolina’s competitive edge and increase our economy statewide.”

The Department of Commerce posts a full list of all statewide grants.