RICH SQUARE – It’s moving day for Roanoke Electric Cooperative (REC).

REC will have a new address effective Monday morning (Nov. 23) as the co-op moves its headquarters to a more centrally located area just west of Ahoskie.

REC staffers will spend this weekend making the move from Rich Square to Ahoskie. The new facility, located on NC 561 near the Ahoskie Inn, is scheduled to open for business on Monday.

The new address for REC is 518 NC 561 West. Its new mailing address is P.O. Drawer 1326, Ahoskie, North Carolina 27910. The new telephone number is (252) 209-2236, ext. 237 or (800) 433-2236.

Bills and other member services-related matters will still be processed at the Rich Square location, which serves as one of REC’s several payment centers.

“We look forward to having a presence in Ahoskie, while maintaining our current presence in Rich Square,” said Curtis Wynn, Executive Vice President & CEO of Roanoke Electric Cooperative.

The other payment centers are located on Granville Street in Windsor at the Generation Community Credit Union; in Gates County at the County Market (US 158 east of Gatesville near Lee’s Insurance); and, of course, at the new Ahoskie headquarters.

This move comes after two years of planning and construction. REC officials said they achieved their primary goals of keeping cost at a minimum, providing members easy access to the highway, constructing a facility large enough to accommodate both employees and members and building in a location free from the threat of flooding.

George Price, who manages the construction project and serves as Vice President of Engineering and Operations for REC said, “We’ve all worked well together to get it done and we’re excited that it’s finally behind us.”

The 38,000 square foot, one-story building sits 100 yards off the highway and features ample parking, open space, large windows, high ceilings, several meeting and conference rooms, electronic security surveillance, a fitness area for employees and the latest communications technologies.

An open house is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 27.

The building was designed by Oakley Collier Architects, P.A. in Rocky Mount. A.R. Chesson Construction in Williamston served as the primary contractor for the construction project. Several sub-contractors for the project run businesses in REC’s service territories.

Roanoke Electric Cooperative provides energy and related services to over 15,000 households and businesses in Hertford, Bertie, Gates, Northampton, Halifax, Chowan and Perquimans counties.