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Wilson This Week -- Aug. 27, 2025 |
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Officials celebrate new affordable housing opening
Mayor Carlton Stevens and Wilson City Council members joined local officials last week in the grand opening of Pender Crossing apartments, new affordable housing apartments near the explosive growth and redevelopment of downtown.
City officials had worked closely with developer Woda Cooper Companies Inc. and partners including the N.C. Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) to create the 48-unit apartment complex, including 18 one-bedroom, 18 two-bedroom and 12 three-bedroom units. Five units include adaptations for those with mobility issues and one with features for people with sight/hearing disabilities.
Rents are structured for those making between 40% and 60% of the area median income. The Wilson Housing Authority supported the development with rental assistance for 25 residents.
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"Pender Crossing provides high-quality, affordable housing for Wilson families in an excellent location in downtown Wilson," Mayor Stevens said during the event. “The City Council is thrilled to see this project completed and available to provide stable housing for Wilson families."
City Manager Rodger Lentz said, "The completion of Pender Crossing is another step in the revitalization of the area between downtown Wilson and U.S. 301, which has long been a focus for the City Council. The new Barnes Street Community Center will open next month adjacent to Pender Crossing, rounding out a long list of amenities available to Pender Crossing families. It’s extremely rewarding to have visible progress toward the city’s long-range redevelopment plans. We are extremely grateful to Woda Cooper, the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency and all the other partners that have brought this project to completion. We look forward to more projects like this one.”
Apartments at Pender Crossing have open concept design with ENERGY STAR appliances, including dishwashers, quality cabinetry, luxury vinyl tile flooring, attractive finishes, blinds, washer/dryer closets with connections. Each unit has a 16 square food dedicated storage closet. The community building includes a multipurpose community room with kitchenette that residents can use for social gatherings, fitness center, computer room, laundry facility, and an onsite management/leasing office. Exterior amenities at Pender Crossing include a playground and a covered picnic area with tables and grills. Additional benches are located throughout the property.
Leasing and property management is performed by Woda Management & Real Estate. For more information, call 984-422-8319 or visit the link below.
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City offices close for Labor Day
The City of Wilson will be closed Monday, Sept. 1, in observation of Labor Day. Here’s how the closure affects city services next week:
Environmental Services: Monday’s garbage and recycling routes will be delayed until Tuesday. Tuesday routes will be serviced Wednesday. Thursday and Friday routes will be on schedule. Environmental services will have no special junk pickups next week for appliances, bulky items, etc.
Customer Service: The customer service office on Nash Street will be closed Monday. Other options to pay bills are:
- Doing so online at WilsonNC.org;
- Using the automated system at 252-399-2200; or
- Using the kiosk in the first drive-thru lane to provide a contactless payment option that takes cash, check and card payments 24 hours a day. Payments through the kiosk apply to City of Wilson utility and Greenlight customer accounts instantly.
Parks: All city parks will be open.
Wilson RIDE: The city’s transit system will operate on Monday. Use the Via app to schedule rides.
All emergency services will operate on normal schedules. Utilities will be staffed and ready to respond to outages or other situations; call 252-399-2424.
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City accountants honored again for annual report
The city's Financial Service department received an honor last week that shows its continuing dedication to transparency and being great stewards of your money.
At City Council's Aug. 21 meeting, Mayor Stevens presented the Certificate for Excellence in Financial Reporting to Chief Financial Officer Amy Staton and her staff. This award for the 2024 Comprehensive Financial Report that took a deep look inside how we raised and spent money from July 2023-June 2024.
This is the 38th consecutive year that the Government Finance Officers (GFOA) has recognized the city for going above and beyond minimum requirements to have a comprehensive financial report.
Anyone who is interested can read that report right now or even look back eight years at those reports.
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Ribbon Cutting at the NEW Barnes Street Community Center
The City of Wilson is excited to invite the community to celebrate the official ribbon cutting of the Barnes Street Community Center on Thursday, September 4 at 11 a.m.. The event is open to the public, with an opportunity to walk through the new facility and enjoy the playground, which is now open and fully ADA accessible.
This new center continues the legacy of the former Pender Street Community Center, which served the neighborhood for decades. When Woda Cooper Companies partnered with the City to develop Pender Crossing, a new multi-use affordable housing community, the decision was made to re-build and re-imagine the community center just around the corner. Located only 0.3 miles from the original site, the Barnes Street Community Center provides updated amenities and space to better serve residents.
The project was made possible in part through an ARPA grant and Community Project Funding grant obtained with the support of Congressman G.K. Butterfield, ensuring this neighborhood resource could be reimagined for the future.
And this is just the beginning—Phase II construction begins in Fall 2025, bringing even more to the site, including a basketball court, a shelter, and a walking path.
Join us on September 4 as we celebrate a new chapter for this important community space!
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New Kayak Rentals at Lake Wilson
Wilson Parks & Recreation has partnered with Rent.Fun to launch a new self-service kayak rental program at Lake Wilson! Eight kayaks are now available daily from sun-up to sun-down, with paddles and life vests included. Rentals feature flexible pricing options or memberships, and the Rent.Fun app can be used at other locations across the U.S. as well.
Ready to hit the water?
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Fall Waters of Wilson Clean-Up
Our Stormwater Division is gearing up for the Fall Waters of Wilson Clean-Up, and registration opens in early September! This community effort helps protect Wilson’s waterways and keep our city beautiful. Volunteers of all ages are welcome to roll up their sleeves and make a difference.
You can even rent a kayak and be on a water team at Lake Wilson!
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