Contact: Kevin Elwood
Contact: 336-382-2775

Greensboro Transit Authority to Hold New Facility Groundbreaking November 19

GREENSBORO, NC -- (November 19, 2009) -- Today at 2 pm, Greensboro Transit Authority (GTA) will hold a groundbreaking for the new Maintenance and Operations Facility and Administrative Offices. Located at 223 W. Meadowview Rd., the event marks the end of several years of visionary planning and the start of physical construction to upgrade GTA operational and support space.

GTA and City of Greensboro staff will be joined by current and elected City Council members, GTA Board members and other invited guests for the ceremony. Speakers include Councilperson Robbie Perkins; Jim Westmoreland, Deputy Secretary for Transit from NC Department of Transportation; Jennifer Fountain, GTA Board Chair; and Adam Fischer, Director of Greensboro Department of Transportation. Kenneth Mayer of architectural firm Moser Mayer Phoenix will also provide an overview of the new facility’s major features.

The 64,000 square-foot facility scheduled to begin construction in January 2010 will be located on 17 acres of land formerly held by a local radio station. Ample operations and parking space will offer increased flexibility from the current 1.75 acre facility located on E. Friendly Ave.

Designed by Moser Mayer Phoenix, the state of the art facility was created with the goal of not only increasing flexibility for transit operational and administration functions, but also to be friendly to the environment. Anticipated to qualify for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold status, a number of energy-saving features were incorporated into the design, which will be presented during the groundbreaking ceremony.

Funding for the construction project is made possible by the Federal Transit Administration and NC Department of Transportation with additional supporting funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which provides an additional benefit of bringing new jobs to Greensboro.

The need for a new operational facility has been driven by increased demand in transit services for the Greensboro area. GTA has doubled the number of annual riders from two to four million over the past five years, resulting in doubling the size of the service fleet. As the need for transit services continues to grow, the new Maintenance and Operations Facility and Administrative Offices will provide a firm footing for accommodating future vehicle acquisitions and related resources. 

For media attending today’s event, contact Kevin Elwood at 382-2775 for special access.

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The City of Greensboro works in partnership with the community to build an increased quality of life for all residents by fostering an environment where inclusion, diversity, and trust are valued. As the seventh largest employer in Greensboro, the City has a dedicated professional staff of 2,700 employees who maintain four core values of honesty, integrity, stewardship, and respect. The City of Greensboro is governed by a council-manager form of government where a mayor and eight council members act as the legislative body. For more information on the City of Greensboro, please visit us online at www.greensboro-nc.gov.