Construction bond will boost local economy

East Carolina University Chancellor Richard Eakin (left) and Pitt Community College President Charles Russell have told city, county and legislative leaders that passage of the higher education construction bond package would have economic impacts totaling about $1.4 billion in Pitt County.

ECU’s share of the $3.1 billion package would be $190.6 million and PCC would receive $18 million. The package will be on a statewide ballot in November. An analysis prepared by the Regional Development Services staff at ECU showed that the direct impact of those construction projects would be $694.4 million in goods, services and earnings.

The indirect impact, resulting from the first round of direct impacts, would total $707.6 million. Eakin and Russell joined area legislators on Monday (May 22) in presenting updates and reports to the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce. Eakin said the highest priority projects that would be funded by the package at ECU include construction of the Science and Technology Building, expansion of the Rivers Building, and relocating the Schools of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences to the medical campus near Pitt County Memorial Hospital.

Russell said that $2 million of the package would go toward repair and renovation of PCC buildings that are as much as 40 years old. The remaining $16 million would be used for classroom space, technology laboratories and educational support services, he said.