By Jheri Hardaway
High Point, NC - When people outside the Triad think of High Point, the immediate association is almost always furniture. Now, as North Carolina’s second fastest-growing city behind Charlotte, High Point is writing a vibrant new chapter centered on downtown density, equity, grassroots business development, and inclusive community support.
The revitalization of Washington Street, historically recognized as High Point’s "Black Wall Street," has been transformative. During segregation, the corridor was the thriving center of the city’s Black-owned business community, culture, and social life, anchored by landmarks like William Penn High School. However, like many historic Black business districts across the United States, the area suffered severe disruption from mid-20th-century urban renewal, including highway construction that displaced neighboring families. Through working with nonprofits, conveying properties over to them for development, and investing in programs like “Shop on Washington,” The City of High Point has birthed the revitalization of Washington Street. This venture connects directly with Thrive High Point, a minority entrepreneurship initiative founded by Mayor Cyril Jefferson. The initiative received significant backing from High Point University President Dr. Nido Qubein, who provided seed funding to back minority- and women-owned businesses. Dr. Qubein became the seventh president of High Point University in January 2005, and has implemented dozens of strategic growth accomplishments. A subsequent contribution supported the launch of "Shop on Washington," a project designed to transition entrepreneurs into their first brick-and-mortar storefronts.
To ensure long-term municipal solvency, the city leaned heavily into downtown revitalization. Among the major achievements was securing a professional soccer team (Carolina Core FC), which plays at Truist Point Stadium, bringing sustained foot traffic, local jobs, and energy into the city center. Mayor Jefferson shared, “All the big announcements you see about High Point downtown aren’t just about making sure people have a fun time on a Friday night,” Jefferson said. “Really, what that’s about is financial solvency for our city long-term. We want to make sure we pass this city off to our children and grandchildren better than we found it.”
High Point established a Special Populations Task Force and earned distinction as the first Certified Autism Destination on the entire East Coast. A Certified Autism Destination (CAD) is a special status awarded by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) to communities and tourism regions that offer sensory-inclusive accommodations, attractions, and trained hospitality staff. Organizations such as Q’s Corner, Extra Special People, and The Arc of High Point have helped establish the city as a welcoming home for individuals and families navigating intellectual and developmental disabilities.
At the same time, community-led violence intervention and grassroots partnerships have contributed to marked declines in violent crime and homicide rates. “That’s not just been because our law enforcement does good work,” Jefferson emphasized. “It’s because communities themselves are doing what they feel is important and empowered to do. When people see themselves in High Point’s future, they make choices conducive to being part of that growth.”
High Point’s momentum was recognized nationally when it was named a 2024 All-America City by the National Civic League, an honor awarded to just 10 communities across the country each year. The award recognized the city’s innovative efforts to tackle food insecurity, a critical milestone for a community that ranked among the country's most food-distressed regions a decade ago. Initiatives like Grown in High Point and its "Grow-dega," a retrofitted former public library bookmobile operating as a mobile grocery store, bring fresh produce directly into local food deserts. The recognition also celebrated High Point’s community-driven rebrand. Rather than relying on outside consultants, the city invited residents to design and shape the identity themselves, rallying around the theme: “What we create in High Point changes the world.”
With national accolades from U.S. News & World Report as one of the best places to live, High Point continues to chart an intentional path forward, one that honors its historic roots while forging an inclusive, forward-looking economy.
For Mayor Cyril Jefferson, that history is personal, and the very reason he is here today. “My mom and stepdad got married, and my stepdad is a furniture upholsterer,” Jefferson explained in a recent interview. “In many ways, I’m like so many other people when I say that: furniture brought me to High Point.” Born in Utica, New York, but raised in High Point from boyhood, Jefferson graduated from T.W. Andrews High School. His roots in the city run deep: his wife is a fourth-generation High Pointer, making their children fifth-generation residents. After serving on the High Point City Council, Jefferson became the city's mayor, and over his seven years in local government, he has witnessed and spearheaded a profound transformation in the city’s economic, cultural, and civic landscape.
Mayor Jefferson emphasized open communication and voluntary engagement: “A community does not have healthy prospects for its future when everyone moves out to the suburbs,” Jefferson noted. He pointed out that while core infrastructure was previously operating at roughly 40% of its planned capacity, outward sprawl forced the city to fund costly new services and emergency infrastructure on the periphery. “Every time you have to build a brand-new fire station out on the edge, that’s an eight-figure investment in construction, staffing, and maintenance, while your downtown stations sit underutilized.” Beyond physical developments and economic indicators, Jefferson points to High Point's investments in human capital and inclusivity as his defining legacy. Great things are happening in High Point.
