About Salisbury, NC

In the heart of the Piedmont region of North Carolina, lies the City of Salisbury.

Salisbury, founded in 1753, has a population of approximately 34,000, and is centrally located on the I-85 corridor between metropolises Charlotte, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem. These cities boast a combined population of approximately 3.2 million total.

What makes Salisbury attractive is the variety of experiences for all cultures and ages. Catch a play at one of our three performance theaters or enjoy a Salisbury Symphony concert under the stars. Dine and enjoy a cold beverage in one of our 30+ local restaurants and breweries or take a short drive to the second largest lake in North Carolina – High Rock Lake. If health and fitness is your focus, take a walk along our many tree-shaded greenways, play a round at one of six golf courses or take a yoga class in a downtown studio.

Our residents come from a variety of backgrounds, each with a unique set of experiences and beliefs. It is our mission to be an inclusive community, whether it’s through the Salisbury Human Relations Council, the grassroots efforts of the West End Community Organization or the Salisbury Youth Council. In addition, our four higher learning institutions welcome students who can lend a unique, worldly perspective in the classroom.

Salisbury’s downtown is nationally recognized as a model for preservation and downtown development, benefitting from $130 million in investment, $60 million of which has been in the last 10 years.

In the past, most planning efforts have focused on a hotel use as the preferred development scenario for the Empire Hotel property. However, DSI has remained flexible in seeking development plans for the property. DSI has designated a number of issues as community preferences for the project including: hotel rooms, retail, courtyards, green space, outdoor dining and possibly condominiums or apartments, street level bar/restaurant/city club and use of green building techniques.