Our Projects

Concord, NC (pop. 105,000) commissioned Benchmark to prepare a Downtown Urban Design Plan and final Master Plan document in 2016 and an update in 2021.  Concord is on the northern border of Charlotte, NC and is home to several large tourism draws including the Charlotte Motor Speedway, zMAX Dragway, Concord Mills Mall, and Great Wolf Lodge.  Concord is also the home of Carolina’s Medical Center and an array of related medical facilities serving the northern Charlotte metro area. In addition, Concord continues to grow its economy with industrial and distribution facilities being developed in its International Business Park and at its burgeoning commercial airport.

Benchmark Planning was selected to update the Downtown Suffolk Initiatives Plan prepared by Urban Design Associates in 1998.  The original plan was created as part of the City’s comprehensive plan update process and carried out as a separate study.  This updated study focused on downtown’s relationship to the natural environment; local architectural character and tradition; transportation framework; market potential; and overall downtown initiatives. During the process, an empty storefront was utilized for the design workshops that were attended by more than 175 people.  In addition, the City setup pop-up cafes along downtown sidewalks to increase visibility for the workshops and encourage outdoor dining.  The plan outlines key public and private investments such as a refreshed downtown streetscape, a new library, new downtown housing and several public/private partnership development opportunities.

In 2017, the City of Greenwood hired Benchmark Planning to provide a market feasibility study for the redevelopment of a City Center area including the site of the former Kitson Mill. The former textile mill closed in 2008 after being in operation for 118 years. In 2011, the City acquired the property and awarded assessment funds in 2012. After observing concentrations of contaminants above the Environmental Protection Agency Standards, the City worked with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control to clean up the site. The City then contracted with Benchmark Planning in 2017 to provide a market feasibility study to assist in the redevelopment of the site.

The Economic Development Division of the American Planning Association announced the City of Portsmouth as a 2025 Economic Development Award winner. The city was honored for their work on the Innovation District Plan that was adopted by the City Council in September last year. The award category was “Innovation in Economic Development – Planning.”

From 1936 until 1974, the Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation operated a wood treatment facility on the banks of the Brunswick River in the historic African-American community of Navassa. When the plant ceased operation, the plant was dismantled, but years of operations prior to meaningful environmental regulation left behind a legacy of creosote contamination on the 245 acre site. Following the bankruptcy of a holding company created by Kerr-McGee, the Multistate Environmental Response Trust was appointed to oversee the remediation and redevelopment of the now designated Superfund site in partnership with EPA, the State of North Carolina, the Town of Navassa, and other local, state, and federal stakeholders.

The North Carolina Railroad Company, founded in 1849, is a private corporation created to attract development and promote jobs through investments in the State.  The NCRR freight rail line directly serves hundreds of employers and three military installations in 16 counties via its long-term agreement with Norfolk Southern.  As important, the railroad’s value to economic development continues to help sustain and grow our entire state’s economy through connections with other railroads, intermodal terminals, and freight hubs.