A new job training center and a homeless shelter – two of the original goals of the Hugh Cale Revitalization Strategies Grant – were injected with new life Monday night by City Council.

First, the council accepted Northeastern Community Development Corp.'s withdrawal as sub-recipient to build a 5,000-square-foot job training center at 524 S. Road Street. The nonprofit group from Camden determined the lot was too small for the center.

To avoid losing up to $425,000 in state funding for the training center, now the city will build it, the council decided Monday night.

City Manager Rich Olson said it will be built with Hugh Cale grant funds, and then leased by the city to a group to operate it – all by the Nov. 18 deadline set by the state Division of Community Assistance, which is overseeing the $1.75 million, five-year grant.

"If we don't do it, it won't get built," Olson told council members.

First Ward Councilwoman Jean Baker said she was disturbed by reports that Northeastern CDC met resistance from residents to its presence in the Hugh Cale neighborhood.

"Does the neighborhood want it?" Baker asked.

But the city's community development officer in charge of the project, Sandra Anderson, told Baker she hasn't heard of any opposition.

Fourth Ward Councilmen Johnnie Walton and Kirk Rivers said previous grant sub-recipients are interested in running the job training center.

They didn't say which group, but at a community meeting two months ago, Shirley Simpson of Opportunities Industrialization Center said her group has resolved its problems with the Internal Revenue Service and is interested in returning as a Hugh Cale partner.

"There are still some sub-recipients that want to be involved," Walton said. "Some backed off without city support.

"When you close doors on people, (then) you have to build it and lease it out," he added referring to the city's current predicament of either building the center or losing it.

While Northeastern CDC was willing to pay the $125,000 difference between the total cost of $545,000 and the grant's contribution of $425,000, Rivers pointed out that the city will now need to find $125,000 to construct the training center.

Olson said the next step is to select a builder, then send requests for proposals to local organizations interested in operating the training center through a lease with the city.

The city is also negotiating to buy a lot that adjoins 524 S. Road Street, to make the site large enough for the training center, Olson said.

In another Hugh Cale matter, the council unanimously approved the city's purchase of a house at 709 Herrington Road from Elizabeth City Neighborhood Corporation for $58,822.

The city plans to lease the property to Tabernacle of Faith Outreach Center, whose director, the Rev. Oliver Robinson, wants to operate a homeless shelter for women and children. His group was one of the original grant sub-recipients that was later removed.

"The shelter would be used to provide housing for women and children who are low- to- moderate-income, who without services would otherwise be forced to live on the streets," Anderson said.

Two months ago, Tabernacle member Glendell Moore said a homeless shelter is needed not only as a temporary place for homeless former jail or prison inmates to stay, but for separated spouses, children and homeless people – many of whom end up sleeping in abandoned houses or cars.

Anderson said the property was originally bought and rehabilitated with Hugh Cale funds by ECNC, which owes a balance of $48,694.

With the council's approval Monday night, the city will purchase the property for $58,822, Anderson said. The difference between the purchase price and the appraised value of $91,000 will be given to ECNC as a $32,177 credit toward its loan owed to the city. That will leave ECNC with owing the city only $16,516, Anderson said.

The city intends to lease the property as a shelter to Tabernacle of Faith for $1 a year.