ROCKINGHAM — There is no tenant yet for the former Food King property, but Assistant City Manager John Massey will provide updates on improvements to the area at the Rockingham City Council meeting on Tuesday.

Massey said the City of Rockingham is in the process of installing curbs and landscape islands in the former Food King parking lot “improve aesthetics and to better delineate parking and traffic flow.” The islands will be filled with trees, shrubs and light fixtures.

The retaining wall behind the Food King, which has rotted, will be replaced and a wheelchair ramp will be added by the City between Studio 3 and Creative Hair Designs, according to Massey.

The improvements to the former Food King property are all in preparation for a potential tenant, but the property remains vacant. The city has repaired the roof and removed asbestos in recent months and repairs to the floor will soon begin.

“No tenant is yet committed for the former Food King building,” Massey said in an email. “There have been discussions with interested parties.”

The wheelchair ramp and improvements to the Food King property were budgeted at $25,000 in the 2019-2020 budget, according to Massey.

“The landscape improvements and wheelchair ramp are under construction now and should be completed in the next month or so,” he said. “The retaining wall will take longer – probably some time after the first of the year.”

Last month, the City of Rockingham completed its annual contribution of $50,000 to Discovery Place Kids. Catherine Wilson Horne, president and CEO of Discovery Place, wrote a letter to the city thanking them for the funds, saying that they would help them provide “hands-on, minds-in STEM education to children in the Sandhills region.”

City Manager Monty Crump said the annual contribution helps keep DPK’s programs affordable to school groups and families in the community.

“DPK Rockingham has proven to be an invaluable asset for a host of reasons and the city is committed to the long term success of DPK Rockingham,” Crump said in an email.

In other business, Executive Director of the Richmond County Partnership for Children Katrina Chance will give a presentation on the organization and the council will declare November “Hospice and Palliative Care Month.”

The Rockingham City Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12 in the council chambers located at 514 Rockingham Rd., Rockingham.

Gavin Stone | Daily Journal The construction in the former Food King parking lot which will improve aesthetics of the area with shrubbery, lighting and curbs.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/web1_IMG_4350-1.jpgGavin Stone | Daily Journal The construction in the former Food King parking lot which will improve aesthetics of the area with shrubbery, lighting and curbs.

Gavin Stone

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Reach Gavin Stone at 910-817-2674 or [email protected].