Economic Development Year in Review 2021-22

ACADEMY EXPLORES RETAIL OPPORTUNITIES In September 2022, the City of Greensboro, East Greensboro Now and the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce hosted a Retail Academy, a day-long program on retail recruitment in east Greensboro. Participants included East Greensboro Now board members, community members, and elected officials. Led by the national consulting firm Retail Strategies, participants learned about east Greensboro retail opportunities and how to promote and market the area.

CITY REVISES IMPACT ZONES In December 2021, City Council added new northeast and southeast Greensboro Census tracts to its Impact Zones, areas where growth is encouraged with enhanced economic development incentives. The areas are chosen based on the scale of economic distress determined through analysis of demographic data reported in the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Eligible projects may receive an additional $250 per job filled by an individual who resides in an Impact Zone. AMBASSADORS IMPROVE SAFETY AND FRIENDLINESS In partnership with the city, Downtown Greensboro Inc. provides “ambassadors” throughout downtown to create a friendly and inviting presence. The ambassadors assist businesses, residents, and visitors with services such as wayfinding, safety escorts, event support, and outreach to those with quality of life needs. The COVID-19 relief funds will jumpstart plans to turn the facility into an urban manufacturing and innovation center called The Steelhouse – a $38 million, four-phase project that could create up to 600 jobs. The space will also become home to a NC A&T State University Machine Operator Training Facility and Forge Greensboro, a nonprofit makerspace with 250 members. In June 2022, City Council designated $2 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds to the Nussbaum Center for Entrepreneurship to begin redevelopment of the 220,000 square-foot former Carolina Steel facility at 1431 S. Elm Eugene Street. COVID FUNDS SUPPORT THE STEELHOUSE REDEVELOPMENT

CITY WINS NATIONAL PLANNING AWARD As this report shows, Greensboro is growing its economic competitiveness, which is one of the City’s main focuses in the GSO2040 comprehensive plan. In October 2022, the City was awarded the national Daniel Burnham Award for a Comprehensive Plan by the American

Planning Association. The plan was called an example of how planning and planners work to make our communities better, stronger, and more resilient.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION UPDATES At the start of the 2022-2023 Fiscal Year, the Office of Economic Development moved under the management of the City of Greensboro Executive Department and a new programs analyst, Agnes Szarka, was added to the team. In the fall, Economic Development moved to a new location in city hall with space for staff offices and collaborative meetings with clients.