Kinston resident Bernie Thigpen has lived in the Mitchelltown district for 14 years and had seen some the once historic area fall on hard times.
“There had been a lot of rundown buildings and crime was on the rise,” Thigpen said. “It’s great seeing how much better things are now.”
Stephen Hill — co-owner of Mother Earth Brewery — has been a major player in trying to bring Mitchelltown back to its former glory. In a process that started 18 months ago, Hill has been working with groups of builders and other investors to buy houses and restore them.
“We’ve seen improvement as far as housing renovations and commercial development being worked on,” Kinston Planning Director Adam Short said. “It’s been nice having renovations and getting more people interested in Mitchelltown.”
The change has been very noticeable among Mitchelltown residents. Kinston resident C.J. Ross had been living in the area for 10 years and had seen much progress as of late.
“I like it out here,” Ross said. “They’re turning houses where they’re supposed to be from back in the day. I hate to see 100-year old houses run down and it’s about time someone is taking pride in Kinston and buying these houses to restore them.”
Hill has been a member of the N.C. Arts Council, developing perspectives from other cities across the state and putting more of a focus on the arts to revitalize Mitchelltown.
“I’ve seen how the arts have changed communities throughout the state and nation,” Hill said. “It’s not a new concept that I’ve invented and just embraced. It’s worked in other cities across the nation. It started in New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia, trickling down into smaller areas. Asheville 10 years ago isn’t what it is now, but the arts changed the city and the arts are will what change Kinston.”
Hill’s vision is to turn the focus in the area to art and the broad definition of the word.
“Art isn’t just something you go look at, like a painting or welded material,” Hill said. “It’s not just visual. There are musicians, ship builders, brewers, bakers, butchers and people who make cheese. It’s a humungous category. That’s what we’re hoping for; a community that is self-sustained that won’t have to walk very far to get exactly what you need. The areas just make Kinston a better place to live, work and play.
“It’s based on building an arts and cultural district. We’re trying to bring artists across the country and the world to Kinston to live, work and show wares. It’s not just a revitalization, it’s historical preservation.”
Bobby Twing will be moving into Mitchelltown from Greenville. Twing — who works at Mother Earth Brewery — has been impressed with the changes being made in the area.
“I definitely like the area,” Twing said. “It’s close to my job and in a place where there is a lot of change being done to it.”
Recently, the Kinston City Council approved the planning department’s request for $8,000 to plan for a public art piece, which would be displayed as an entryway into Mitchelltown.
“There’s a big concept for a district that’s embraced by the city,” Hill said. “This is not something I couldn’t do without government support. It takes them understanding urban development and they get it.”
For now, Mitchelltown is on the rise and with community support, there doesn’t seem to be a decline any time soon.
Junious Smith III can be reached at 252-559-1077 or Junious.Smith@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JuniousSmithIII.