Hickory credits $40M bond referendum for housing boom

HICKORY, N.C. — Hickory leaders are crediting a $40 million bond referendum for a housing boom, which has more than 2,600 houses and apartments under construction.

The money is being used to build several walkways across the city and a more than 300-acre business park.

Construction has begun on apartments across from city hall that will have more than 100 homes for senior citizens.

Mike Sowyak has lived in New York City and Charlotte but is now in downtown Hickory to be closer to family.

“People don’t run red lights and tailgate you and shoot at you if you blow your horn at them,” resident Mike Sowyak said. “There are some restaurants we like in downtown and even outside of downtown. It’s just very convenient.”

Planned housing projects include 340 new homes at the Hamptons of Hickory.

“We have a lot of people coming in from Charlotte,” said Brian Frazier, director of Planning. “We’ve been targeting various population segments … California, New York. You see a lot of out-of-state tags here. People are coming here for the quality of life.”

Ten years ago, voters passed a $40 million bond referendum allowing the city to build four major walkways in Hickory and the Trivium Corporate Center, which has brought in hundreds of jobs.

City leaders said the projects have also generated private investment in the form of new restaurants, housing opportunities, and entertainment venues.

There are 1,500 homes and apartments that are in the pre-application phase so more growth coming to this area.

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