By: Andy Heins
Wingate Triangle contributor
Wingate University, the Town of Wingate and Monroe-based developer True Homes are planning to break ground during the upcoming academic year on a 130-acre project near the U.S. 74 bypass that university officials expect to transform Wingate into a “New American College Town,” according to key WU administrators.
The mixed-use project will be called West Village and is set to include townhomes, restaurants, a brewery and a park that will be funded in part by a $17 million government grant obtained by the town that will pay for all streets, water and sewer involved with the development.
West Village will stretch from Irwin Belk Stadium to Northeast Residence Hall along Austin Chaney Road.
James Bullock, Wingate’s senior vice president for university advancement, said the main goal of the plan is to house students and staff at a walking distance from the main campus. Along with that, university and town officials are eager to bring more entertainment and dining options to WU students and residents of Wingate.
The first part of the project to break ground will be a 12-acre campus/town park that will cost at least $4 million to construct. An additional entrance to the university with prominent WU signage near the U.S. 74 bypass exit will lead into the new complex.
“One thing that the campus is lacking is an entrance to the university from the bypass,” said Bullock. “A new modern entrance sign will bring a new look to the campus. Behind the entrance sign will be the land for a park holding an event space, tennis and pickleball courts in addition to a food truck area and playground.”
Bullock said the hope is that the development will increase enrollment at Wingate and help it grow more appealing as a college town. Students say such an addition is needed and will be highly anticipated.
“Many students discuss that Wingate lacks in a lot of areas around campus and feel that there are not enough dining options or many things to do around campus without driving all the way to Charlotte,” said Wingate student Dylan White, a senior Business Administration major.
In addition to West Village, Bullock said several new projects funded exclusively by donors have either been completed or are currently breaking ground, including an expansion of the baseball clubhouse, a graduate residence hall that will house 78 students and a $4.3 million athletic training facility to be named the Smart Center for Athletic Excellence.
Led by Bullock, Wingate has a team of fundraisers that communicate and develop relationships with donors, alumni, foundations and companies to help bring funds to the university. The main goal of the fundraising team is to bring in “unrestricted dollars” to maintain the buildings and operational costs.
Only after being able to cover these basic expenses can the school invest in future projects like West Village, according to Wingate Major Gift Officer Richard Heins. “Donations are always impactful to the university and over the next few years we plan to develop more scholarship and financial-aid programs for students to make Wingate a more affordable school,” Heins said.
“Hopefully this will spark an interest in more students wanting to attend the university. Donations are strategically managed to go to multiple things around campus such as maintenance on buildings and operations around the university.”
Heins said Wingate’s goal for total giving each year is $10 million and on average the university sees about $1.1 million come in per year in unrestricted dollars.
With the West Village plan becoming a reality in the next year, Heins and Bullock say much of their attention is now focused on funding the long-awaited 75,000 square-foot science building at the corner of Haskins Drive and North Camden Road across from the Batte Center.
“[The] goal now is to help contribute our efforts to raising enough money for the new health science building to be built,” Heins said. “There are not many successful health science programs in the state of North Carolina and Wingate’s program already ranks among the top. I believe that focusing on that will grow the university and bring attendance growth.”
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