Guilford County Unveils $572M Plan Including New Complex, Truist Demolition

Guilford County staff presented a roughly $572 million long-range capital plan at a Board of Commissioners work session on Jan. 15, outlining a wide-ranging package of projects in Greensboro and High Point that would reshape county facilities and services.

The centerpiece is a proposed new centralized "New Government Complex" in downtown Greensboro: a four-floor building of about 118,325 square feet accompanied by a three-level parking deck of roughly 279 spaces. The plan calls for demolition of the county-owned Truist Bank building to make way for the complex. County staff also showed detailed renderings and cost estimates during the session as part of the capital improvement planning process.

Beyond the new complex, the proposal includes a $148 million consolidated Health and Human Services campus in Greensboro, $30 million in courthouse renovations, a $29 million expansion to the county EMS base, $26 million allocated to the Old Guilford County Court House, and a $15 million renovation and renaming of the Independence Building. The package further anticipates a new EMS substation, park improvements, and additional investments in High Point including courthouse work.

County leaders framed the plan as an effort to modernize aging facilities, consolidate services for efficiency, and improve access to health and human services. For downtown Greensboro, the project would concentrate county operations at a single campus, potentially reducing travel between locations and increasing foot traffic in the city center. The parking deck and new office space aim to support both employees and visitors to county services.

The proposal also triggered familiar debates about public priorities and fiscal impacts. Supporters argue that consolidation can lower operating costs and streamline service delivery. Critics raised concerns that the timing and scale of spending should be weighed against other pressing needs such as schools, public safety budgets, and taxpayer burden. The plan has not been formally approved by the Board of Commissioners; it remains part of the county's capital improvement planning process and will require further review and formal action by the Board.

For Guilford County residents, the proposal presents tangible trade-offs: potential improvements to county operations and downtown infrastructure alongside questions about long-term costs and priorities. The detailed renderings and price estimates shown at the work session mark the start of a public and political conversation that will determine whether the county moves forward with demolition, construction, and the broader $572 million investment. Residents should expect additional Board deliberations and opportunities for public input as the plan advances.