What is McNair Heights?

BACKGROUND

McNair Heights is Habitat for Humanity of Goldsboro-Wayne's upcoming subdivision development project. This community is located in Goldsboro, off of Harris Street and along Dr. H.E. McNair Street (formerly Poplar), in an area known as Webbtown. Other community landmarks are New Stoney Hill Church, First African Baptist Church and St. Andrew's Episcopal Church.

This project was named for the late Rev. Dr. H.E. McNair who served as pastor at New Stoney Hill Church for more than 40 years. According to his widow, Veda McNair, longtime Habitat Goldsboro-Wayne Board of Director member, the church has always taken a special interest in their surrounding community. In fact, she shared, one of Dr. H.E. McNair's visions and goals for this community was the creation of more affordable housing opportunities, especially for seniors.

With that knowledge then in mind, the Habitat for Humanity of Goldsboro-Wayne Board of Directors then decided to name this new development in his honor, calling it McNair Heights. And we are honored to have the opportunity to carry out Dr. H.E. McNair's vision for this community, including, we hope, senior living opportunities.

TIMELINE:

• Fall 2022: Offer made on property & environmental / feasibility studies begun
• Winter 2023: Property purchased & environmental / feasibility studies completed
• Fall 2023: Engineering & Phase 1 planning work begun
• Spring 2024: Community forums (informational meetings & listening sessions) held
• Summer 2024: Phase 1 submitted for permitting
• Fall 2024: Lot clearing and infrastructure repairs on Dr. H.E. McNair St. projected to begin
• Winter 2025: Home building on Dr. H.E. Mcnair St. projected to begin
• Winter 2025: Infrastructure work on the extension of Berry St. projected to begin

PHASE 1

Plans for Phase 1 (preliminary layout pictured above) have been submitted to the Goldsboro Planning Department for permitting and to the Goldsboro Community Relations and Development Department for funding through the City's HUD CDBG monies. This first phase will involve 31 single-family homes.

This is a challenging project, though, because it will involve the relocation of water lines and the extension of sewer lines, the installment of a new road, sidewalk and curb/gutter system along a Berry Street extension, as well as sewer and road rehab work along Dr. H.E. McNair Street. All total, this is expected to cost approximately $1.8 million. And that's before we even begin building homes!

PHASE 2

But what really has us excited is the blank space on the map. That space is currently mostly wooded and is blank slate. Currently we are going through a community listening and planning process in order to begin to determine what this neighborhood might look like. Our goal is mixed-income, mixed-housing (single-family detached, duplex, town home) and possibly mixed-use.

GET INVOLVED

If you are a member of the community or have ties to the community, we'd love to hear from you with you about your hopes and dreams for this area, as well any concerns you may have. Please email mwhittle@habitatgoldsboro.org.

If you are interested in applying for homeownership in this community, you can learn more about our application process here. If you are living in this community and are interested in our homeowner home repairs, you can learn more about our critical home roof repair program here.

If you are a developer or a home builder and would like to discuss partnering on this project, we are interested in potentially selling parts of this property and we'd love to talk to you, too. Please email mwhittle@habitatgoldsboro.org.

If you'd like to make a donation to support this effort, you can do so here and we thank you for your interest and support!

Habitat Goldsboro-Wayne Executive Director Matthew Whittle talks at a McNair Heights community forum at New Stoney Hill Church where Dr. H.E. McNair was pastor for more than 40 years.

Equal Housing Opportunity Statement: We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. Policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, handicap, familial status or national origin.