The long-rumored purchase by the county of the empty BB&T campus in downtown Whiteville came true Friday.
County commissioners, meeting in a special session, voted to purchase the three buildings around the old BB&T main branch and call center for $2 million. The property, along with the north call center, was closed when Truist took over BB&T last year and shifted all operations to the new facility on Powell Boulevard. BB&T began construction of the new facility in 2018.
“The purchase from Truist Bank will not only provide much needed office space and facilities for county departments, but it will also save millions of dollars in local tax money,” County Manager Eddie Madden said. “We want to thank our friends at Truist Bank, especially Mr. Evan Gore, for making the property available to the county for such a reasonable price.”
Estimated market value of the entire property is more than $7 million. The county will take possession by the end of the month, Madden said.
The county received a $500,000 grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation as well as state grant funding obtained by Rep. Brenden Jones to make the purchase, according to an announcement on the county’s social media. An estimate on renovations has not been released.
The former main branch will be home to an Entrepreneurship Center to promote small businesses in the county.
Eventually, the property will be home to the new 911 Call Center; Emergency Management; Building Inspections; County Administration; the Health Department; and Economic Development.
A number of county offices have been moved since Madden took over the county’s reins last winter. The Board of Elections has moved from property leased from the city school system to larger quarters on the old BB&T North campus on U.S. 701. The Housing Office has also moved. Just recently, the county administration and District Attorney’s Office exchanged buildings downtown. The county finance office also moved into a former BB&T facility, the Courthouse Branch.
