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Renovations To App Enterprise Center Complete, Local and State Workforce Solutions Operations Move In

July 2, 2014. With the conclusion of renovations to the Appalachian Enterprise Center, the High Country Workforce Development Board and the local operations of N.C. Division of Workforce Solutions have moved into the center, which also houses the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce, Watauga Economic Development Commission (EDC) and the Small Business and Technology Development Center.

In an email announcing the next regular monthly meeting for the EDC set for 1 p.m. on Tuesday, July 8, EDC Director Joe Furman wrote, “Attending the EDC meeting will give you a great opportunity to see this exciting change, so please feel free to attend as a guest.”

In a memo to commissioners in May, County Manager Deron Geouque noted that the renovations were connected to the approved lease with the High Country Workforce Development Board in which lease payments would pay for the renovations.

After receiving bids from four contractors, Kanipe Construction, the lowest bidder, was awarded the renovation work in the amount of $32,900.

“While the bid was somewhat higher than originally anticipated, the increase was due to overall maintenance and repair issues of the building being addressed at the time of the renovation. These maintenance and repair issues would have been handled over several years but it was more efficient and economical to do them during the renovation process,” Geouque wrote.

See more about the N.C. Workforce Solutions streamlining its local operations with the move here.

For more on the specific renovation work, click here.

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