3/28/14

January 13, 1994; "Sit-In Movement, Inc. (SIM)..." "$2.5 million to $3 million necessary for renovation"

GREENSBORO, N.C., Jan. 13, 1994 /PRNewswire/ -- Sit-In Movement, Inc. (SIM), a non-profit organization with headquarters here, today announced that it has been granted an option to purchase the F.W. Woolworth store building from First Citizens Bank for SIM's offered price of $700,000.

...The building will be converted into a civil rights museum after its purchase.

It has been the site of F.W. Woolworth Co. operations in Greensboro since it was built in 1929.

"First Citizens Bank has made an extraordinary effort to help us realize our dream of a civil rights museum," said Melvin "Skip" Alston, a county commissioner from District 8 in Greensboro and one of the co-founders and chairman of SIM. "They've not only given us the option on the building at a favorable price but have provided us counsel and assistance to acquire the building," he said. "The bank has also provided us some working capital and generously offered us office space in their bank building in Greensboro until the facility is renovated." Earl Jones, a member of the Greensboro city council and the other co-founder of SIM, was also highly complimentary of the support of Woolworth Corporation.

The idea for the museum was born earlier in 1993 when, for business reasons, Woolworth Corporation decided to close down its operations at the downtown Greensboro location.

"Even though we are getting the building at a reasonable price, it is going to be a major challenge to raise the $2.5 million to $3 million necessary for renovation and ongoing maintenance and operations," Jones said...

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/SIT-IN+MOVEMENT,+INC.+TAKES+OPTION+TO+PURCHASE+F.W.+WOOLWORTH+STORE...-a014698180

No comments: