Charlotte, NC Is Getting A New Black Innovation Center
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce is launching a new Innovation Center to support Black-owned businesses and address food inequality in Charlotte, NC.
“Think of it as a one-stop shop for professionals and small businesses,” Cathay Dawkins, a local entrepreneur and chairman of the chamber, told The Charlotte Observer.
What is the innovation center?
The property, located at 2601 Wilkinson Blvd, near Interstate 77, will feature spaces for business meetings, co-working areas, an agri-tech program to assist farmers in utilizing advanced technology, and a retail store distribution center for small businesses.
Dawkins highlights that something like this project hasn’t been done before in Charlotte. It will be the city’s first hub dedicated to empowering Black-owned businesses and Black professionals, according to the chamber. “As things in the community get taken away, like federal funding and grants, we want to be a safe space,” Dawkins told the Charlotte Observer.
The center will also have co-working spaces and offer 8,000 to 10,000 square feet of space for rent for events or outreach programs, as stated by Dawkins. Plans for the center include creating a food hall for Charlotte’s West Side and a conference space.
$3.7 million raise
Founded in 2004, the chamber advocates for Black entrepreneurs and professionals across the region.
The nonprofit is hoping to raise $3.7 million for renovations and has already spent $30,000 to secure the building, which had been abandoned for approximately three years. The chamber is currently working on renovations, which will probably take six months to a year to complete.
Image: Chase Jordan
