North Wilkesboro, NC – NC Tech Paths released digital 3-D renderings of their first Rural Tech Outpost, or “RTO,” at 711 Main Street in North Wilkesboro and announced the beginning of pre-leasing activity.

The building, named “The Masthead” in recognition of the building having served as the longtime home to The Wilkes Journal-Patriot newspaper, is scheduled to open in Fall 2022. It will house more than 80 technology workers, entrepreneurs, and other professionals, as well as provide modern teleconference suites and community meeting space. A significant portion of those individuals will be graduates from technology education programs sponsored by NC Tech Paths to provide economic mobility for residents of Wilkes County.

“The Masthead gives us a flexible space to serve our employer partners and the local technology community, as well as the broader business community in the area,” said Zach Barricklow, Executive Director of NC Tech Paths. Barricklow noted that several graduates of the initial educational programming with Per Scholas and Wilkes Community College will work in the building, reinforcing the NC Tech Paths motto: Live. Train. Remain. “This building gives local talent the opportunity to remain in Wilkes County to work and support a family while collaborating with other professionals.”

The phrase ‘masthead’ refers to the location on the front page of a newspaper where you find out all the information about the publication. Craig DeLucia, President and CFO of NC Tech Paths noted that “Our building will be that front page, first-stop physical space for the technology and entrepreneurial community – the top of the proverbial technology mast. It is a great way to pay homage to what the space has been previously, as a pillar in downtown North Wilkesboro, and announce what it will be going forward.