Here's What's Happening in Davidson County: Davidson Medical Ministries has purchased the former Family Services of Davidson County building in Lexington, paving the way for a larger community resource hub, anda Thomasville's historic building has been sold for $1.5 million.
Davidson Medical Ministries purchases former Family Services building
Davidson Medical Ministries is preparing for a major expansion after purchasing the former Family Services of Davidson County facility on Greensboro Street Extension, a move leaders say will allow the nonprofit to better serve residents by bringing multiple community resources together under one roof.
The nonprofit purchased the building at 1303 Greensboro Street Ext. on Aug. 20 for $1.2 million. The 20,000-square-foot facility sits on seven acres and will replace Davidson Medical Ministries' current location at 302 W. Second St., where the organization relocated in 2023.
Executive Director Janise Hurley said the move became necessary because the organization quickly outgrew its current 1,600-square-foot space.
"We outgrew the space and wanted to have a one-stop shop for the hub," Hurley said.
The concept for the hub emerged in 2019 to help connect residents with essential serves and resources. DC Connect, which launched in 2022 and is an outgrowth of Davidson Medical Minitries, is a non-profit community resource, that coordinates services and acts as a gateway to local charities and support systems for residents experiencing homelessness, substance misuse, or post-incarceration.
"In 2019, we envisioned having a spot where multiple agencies could be one or two days a week that would break down all barriers to access for our participants," Hurley said. "Partners are asking to have space here. They will come and look at the space to see if it works for them."
The new facility is expected to house a variety of partner organizations and services focused on issues such as housing, employment, food insecurity, transportation and connections to social services.
"People need all the barriers broken down to access resources to be able to move from crisis to hope to long-term stability," she said.
Transportation has long been one of the biggest obstacles facing many of the people served by Davidson Medical Ministries and DC Connect. Hurley said participants often either do not have a vehicle or share one with a family member who uses it during working hours. To help address that challenge, Davidson County Transportation buses will stop at the new facility hourly, providing transportation for participants to and from the site.
"There will be multiple partners in here such as Smart Start, the Dragonfly House and Goodwill," she said. "We'll look at having clinicians here for therapy. Davidson Prison Ministries may have a place out here as well."
The expansion reflects DMM'a longstanding emphasis on addressing more than just medical needs.
Founded in the late 1980s by Dr. James Slyman, DMM began as a provider of medical care for uninsured and underserved residents. Hurley said the organization's mission evolved as leaders recognized that health outcomes are often connected to social and economic challenges.
"We focused then on the medical needs, but we also look at the whole person's health," Hurley said. "We've always done these things, but now we are looking to focus on the person's whole health. Having good health is medicine."
Paul Jarrett, chairman of the Davidson Medical Ministries Board of Directors, said board members have been discussing the move for about a year. The organization hopes to complete renovations and begin operating from the new facility by Dec. 1.
The building previously housed Family Services of Davidson County's therapeutic services and clinic. Family Services ceased operating those programs from the facility about 18 months ago.
In addition to the building itself, Hurley said the organization is exploring ways the seven-acre property could be used to further benefit the community.
"We're looking at how best to use that for our community," she said. "All of it (property) is not buildable and there are no decisions that have been made yet, but our board is looking very strategically at how we can best use it."
Hurley believes the move marks the beginning of a larger vision for community support in Davidson County.
"I think this is just the beginning," she said. "There's much more to come for this space. This building was built to bring hope to the community, and I think it's going to continue to do that in a manner that is available for everyone in Davidson County."
Historic Finch Mansion sold for $1.5 million
For generations, the stately Finch mansion overlooking East Main Street has been one of Thomasville's most recognizable homes, a reminder of the city's furniture-making heyday and the family whose name became synonymous with Thomasville industry. Now, the historic property is changing hands.
The T. Austin Finch House, which in recent years has operated as an event and wedding venue, has been sold for $1.5 million as part of a multi-property real estate transaction, according to recent filings with the Davidson County Register of Deeds.
The approximately 7,000-square-foot mansion at 17 E. Main St. was purchased by Big Nest Enterprises LLC. The seller was A&H Development LLC of Hinton, Virginia.
The home was built for Thomas Austin Finch Sr., one of the most influential business leaders in Thomasville's history. Finch served as president of the family-owned Thomasville Chair Co. during the 1920s and 1930s, helping guide one of the companies that made Thomasville a nationally recognized furniture manufacturing center. In addition to his role in the furniture industry, Finch served as president of First National Bank of Thomasville from 1934 until 1943, cementing his position as a prominent civic and business leader during an important period in the city's growth.
The sale marks another chapter in the history of a property that has remained tied to the Finch name and Thomasville's industrial heritage for generations. While details about the buyer's long-term plans for the property have not been announced, the transaction represents one of the more significant local real estate sales involving a historic Thomasville landmark in recent years.