June was an extremely busy month, and most renovations and the addition are complete inside the Hickory Metro Convention Center. Hickory Construction Company has kept the crews busy with everything from installing new doors, painting and installing carpet in the original Convention Center section to laying down flooring in the addition.
This is all good news because the first meetings in the renovated Catawba space and addition will take place later this month.
That last piece of the project that is outdoors will begin in July and most likely be complete by late summer or early fall. This piece of this project includes a canopy that will connect to an extended covered area at the main entrance to the parking deck. This sounds simple, but there are several stages to this that could take a few months. More details about this piece of the project will be in the August update.
The best way to give the updates this month are through a few photos and captions.
The Visitors Center area has moved to the main entrance of the convention center. Information in the brochure rack includes Destination Guides from Visit NC, Hickory and several communities within our region. In the near future, there will be a display screen placed in the middle that will run videos about our community.
Renovations of the new offices for the Hickory Metro Convention Center and Visitors Bureau administration staff (formerly a few offices and the Visitors Center) and Catawba County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) are almost complete. Staff could move in by the end of July.
Last month we shared a photo of one of the hallways in the original building and work on another hallway and the Conover meeting rooms were updated throughout the month of June. Updating the original building with the Catawba renovations and addition is what we needed to spruce up the entire space.
It’s always important to have some spots for people to sit and network with peers or plug in phones or laptops and this picture shows this seating area in the renovated Catawba space. The cushions are being made by Catawba Valley Community College’s (CVCC) Furniture Academy.
The installation of the wooden gymnasium floor in the Multi-Purpose Sports Venue began in June and should be complete by the end of July. There are many steps to this process and the next will be staining and lining the courts for basketball, volleyball and pickleball. The Convention Center will also have a cover for the floor when it’s used for expos or other events that do not need to be on the wooden floor.
There was a lot of progress in this 2,500 square foot space during the month of June. The first step of the installation of floor began in June, and in July, the hardwood floor should be installed. Work is also almost complete in the restrooms and catering kitchen in the space.
Paving of the parking lot
The last layer of pavement for the parking space on the west side of the building was the last week of June. Striping parking spots should begin in early July and complete by mid-July.
Additional Updates Include:
The new audio-visual system throughout the entire building is underway and work should be complete by the end of July.
Lighting in the renovated spaces will be programmed this month. This new system offers many ways to control the lights which gives clients a variety of options.
New furniture for Catawba 1, Catawba 2 and the Lake Hickory Room arrived in June and it looks perfect in these spaces. A new desk in the lobby for the Receptionist and Visitors Services position arrived as well and fits the space the perfectly.
Lots of activity at the Hickory Metro Convention Center and as we like to say, “Turning Dirt Is Progress.”
Meetings and events are still being held at the convention center during this time of progress. Please remember to "Bear With Us" as we are all a part of this expansion and renovation. A minor inconvenience right now will bring significant growth in the future. If you have any questions, please call 828-322-1335.
