Abdul Sm Rasheed
Chief Executive Officer
Let me first express our sincere appreciation to both the state and our banking partners for making the capital available that has resulted in this unique pool of resources intended to further our work in underdeveloped neighborhoods and communities.
I would also like to congratulate Everett Wallace, President of Initiative Capital and his team for having brought the expertise and perseverance to get the deal closed.
Our big challenge now is to work with all of you in our community of interest, to use the money to create opportunity for business and residential development that will result in jobs, affordable housing, small business ownership and expanded tax base all over our great state.
This is another opportunity for us to raise the bar of expectation for ourselves and to demonstrate how collaboration produces a win – win for all.
With warmest regards,
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Liberty Street Soars Once Again
Grand Opening a Sign of the Changing Times
There’s a familiar buzz these days on a historic street in Winston-Salem. From the Smith Reynolds Airport to the EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Pilot, it’s business as usual on Liberty Street. Yet just a few years ago, this area was drowning in the wave of urban sprawl that has consumed so many of North Carolina’s historic downtowns.
Liberty CDC, whose primary mission is the revitalization of the Liberty Street Corridor, has been working tirelessly since its inception in 1999 to
Sen. Linda Garrou addresses the crowd.
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spark a fire under this corner of Winston-Salem. In January of 2007, this group organized the grand opening of Liberty Plus Deli & Grill, a locally owned small business that truly is a sign of the changing times. Initiative President, Ebonie Alexander, spoke at the ceremony alongside State Senator Linda Garrou and a number of city officials.
Board President of Liberty CDC, Jim Shaw, was encouraged by the event’s turnout. “We owe a lot of our success on Liberty Street to the elected officials and local residents who have fully endorsed the work that we’re doing,” remarked Shaw. “We are, as our slogan suggests, rebuilding Liberty Street one brick at a time.”
And there is plenty of work yet to be done. The CDC, who has received financial support from the city, will not stop until Liberty Street is a thriving commercial district, a change that will benefit not only the greater Northeast and East Winston areas but the city as a whole.
At the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for Liberty Plus, elected officials and residents alike demonstrated their support for Liberty Street.
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Mayor Allen Joines; Mayor Pro Tem Vivian Rourke; Initiative President, Ebonie Alexander; Liberty Plus owner, Becky Flowers; Liberty CDC Board President, Jim Shaw; Police Chief Pat Morris
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