"So not every kid wants to play a team sport," Stephanie Brea told the Kinston City Council on Oct. 20, according to Neuse News. Brea is executive director of smART Kinston Foundation. She was explaining The Line Action Sports Park, an indoor BMX, skateboarding and scooter park meant to run all year inside the former Glen Raven Mill at 800 Manning St.
At that meeting the council voted on a deadline extension, and the extension covers the whole mill, not the skate park. The Line is aiming for early 2027. The council moved the construction deadline for the larger redevelopment from October 2027 to October 2028. Both dates are about the same property, but they describe different buildings. The warehouse is almost done. The main mill still needs most of its work.
The Building That's Almost Ready Is the Warehouse
The Line is the first major attraction planned for Unicorn City Park, smART Kinston Foundation's redevelopment of the city-owned mill property. It sits in the mill's old warehouse, and organizers told the council construction there was nearing completion, with finishing work, safety preparations and program planning underway.
The main mill is much further back. Here is each part of the site and where it stood as of the Oct. 20 meeting:
| Part of the site | What's planned | Where it stands |
|---|---|---|
| Former warehouse | The Line: indoor BMX, skateboarding and scooter riding | Construction nearing completion, targeting early 2027 |
| Former standalone office | Restrooms serving the park | Converted |
| Main mill, two roofed ends | Rehabilitation for future uses | Foundation asked for more time |
| Main mill, damaged middle section | Open-air courtyard for music, arts and events | Future phase |
Workers have already stripped the metal cladding off the main mill and cleared out old equipment. Stephen Hill, smART Kinston's founder, told the council the foundation needs more time for that broader work and that the project will go in phases, with some future uses still undecided. "This project is feasible, and we will have to do it in phases," Hill said, as Neuse News reported.
So the skate park can open while the mill next door is still a work site.
How a City-Owned Mill Reached This Point
Kinston owns the property, and the city opened it to proposals before smART Kinston got involved.
- August 2025. The council held a public hearing on a proposed development agreement with smART Kinston for the Glen Raven Mills property on Manning Street. Planning Director Elizabeth Blount said the nonprofit was the only group that answered the city's request for proposals. Hill described concerts, festivals and a BMX and Olympic training facility. Some residents asked about parking, financing and the city's broader redevelopment plans, and others spoke in support, Neuse News reported.
- Early 2026. Inside the warehouse, the team replaced lighting, removed old machinery, built out a pro shop, made repairs and painted. Founder Kevin Albritton told Neuse News in March that the team had paid for most of that work itself.
- Oct. 20, 2026. The council approved the one-year construction extension by voice vote, with no opposition voiced.
- After Jan. 1, 2027. City Attorney James P. Cauley said the existing agreement already authorizes transferring the property and the deed is ready. Hill asked that the transfer happen after the first of the year.
- Early 2027. The Line's target for welcoming riders.
- October 2028. The new construction deadline for the broader redevelopment.
Right now the mill still belongs to the city. If the deed moves when Hill asked, the property changes hands around the same time the warehouse is expected to open.
Volunteers and Donations Are Paying for the Pace
The reason the work is going in phases is the way it's being paid for. Under the development agreement, smART Kinston must invest at least $2.5 million. Hill told the council nearly $1.6 million had gone in so far, about 64% of that minimum, counting cash, volunteer labor, donated materials and equipment, and pro bono work.
Brea broke out part of that total. Volunteer hours were valued at $110,643, and donated materials at $476,051. Those materials include ramps from professional BMX rider and Olympic coach Ryan Nyquist. Together the two figures come to about $587,000, more than a third of the $1.6 million invested so far. Local residents and businesses have given building materials, equipment use and services, and others have bought smaller supplies through an online registry.
Council members asked about emergency repairs, parking, accessibility, first aid and seating for spectators. Asked about money set aside for surprise repairs, Hill said there was no dedicated contingency fund at the time and that any such costs would fall to the foundation. The warehouse is close to done, and the main mill gets finished as fast as that kind of support comes in. That explains why one building is ready for 2027 and the rest got until 2028.
What's Going Inside the Warehouse
The ramps came before the park did. In March, Albritton told Neuse News about "The Unit" ramps, which Nyquist donated in 2019. He said he had long pictured them in this very building.
"The warehouse itself is almost perfect for a skatepark. It's actually a little bigger than the building the ramps originally came from."
That's Albritton in the same March Neuse News story. Ron Kimler, whose work includes jobs for the X Games and riders such as Travis Pastrana, Dave Mirra and Nyquist, is designing and building the course. Albritton said the goal is a park that welcomes beginners but can also handle top-level riders and Olympic-level training.
The October update listed what organizers plan to offer:
- Classes, lessons and after-school activities
- Open riding sessions with experienced mentors
- Youth programs and summer camps
- A scholarship program to help with the cost of taking part
- A possible athlete residency that could bring Olympic hopefuls to Kinston to train
These are plans. No schedules or prices have been announced. Organizers also said they were in talks about hosting a large national competition, but no agreement had been finalized. On safety, Albritton described a first-aid area, procedures for reaching injured riders, and instruction that stresses helmets and protective gear.
Manning Street Is Near Other Planned Projects
For Albritton, the address is personal. He told Neuse News in March that the warehouse is only a few blocks from where he grew up. He also linked the mill to the Riverwalk planned nearby and said fixing up the site could help revitalize the surrounding area.
The Riverwalk is still a plan, too. On Oct. 19, Lenoir County commissioners approved a $33,000 purchase of about seven acres along the proposed route. Possible uses include parking, emergency access or park amenities, but none are committed yet, according to Neuse News. At the same meeting, the county approved $400,000 for a new inclusive playground in the Kinston/Lenoir County Parks and Recreation system and $200,000 for improvements at Neuseway Nature Park. All of these are approved spending, not finished projects. The indoor park in the warehouse is the one closest to opening its doors.
How to Help Before Opening Day
Because volunteers and donors make up such a large share of the investment, residents can help now, before the park opens. The Line takes donations through its GiveButter page. Supporters have also bought supplies through the project's online registry and given materials, equipment use and services. Organizers said finishing The Line and getting ready for riders in early 2027 is their top priority right now.
We follow projects like the Glen Raven Mill because they change how Kinston feels day to day, well before they show up in any market report. If you'd like to talk about how projects like this are shaping Lenoir County, New Bern Property Group is glad to share what we're seeing. Schedule a free consultation and we'll walk you through it.
