Meredith Kirkpatrick 8/12/22 Meredith Kirkpatrick 8/12/22

The Home of North State Consulting

Natural light, tin ceilings - Wilson has it all! This historic tax credit has space for a retail tenant on the first floor and will be the future home of North State Consulting. The original tin ceiling will be preserved as well as the historic skylight on the second floor.

Meredith Kirkpatrick 5/27/22 Meredith Kirkpatrick 5/27/22

Panther Branch Rosenwald School

The Panther Branch School closed its doors in 1956 and Juniper Level Missionary Baptist Church purchased the property in 1959, continuing to use the building as a meeting hall and social center until the 1980s. The school eventually fell into disrepair and a concerted effort to restore the historic building began in 2001 after the property was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places. A group of Panther Branch alumni came together and the JLBC Alliance was formed, incorporated in 2005 as a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization. After many years of fundraising and events, the Alliance was able to begin initial planning on the phased project in 2009. Capital Area Preservation designated the building a Wake County Landmark in 2013 and Maurer Architecture became involved with planning the restoration of the building after the Alliance received a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

“Built in 1926 with funds from the Julius Rosenwald Foundation, contributions from the local African American community, and support from the Wake County School Board, Panther Branch School is one of only four remaining Rosenwald Schools in Wake County; twenty-one were constructed between 1919 and 1928. During the late 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, the school served as an educational and social center for the African American Community, hosting plays, glee club performances, adult education classes, vaccination clinics, home demonstrations, and meetings between the county extension agent and farmers.”

-National Register of Historic Places nomination, 2001

“In Wake County, the Rosenwald Fund helped to build twenty-one schools, contributing $23,000”, while the school board gave $143, 805 (the second highest in the state), the white community donated $605, and the African American community raised $35,756 (the largest in the state). Part of the $35,756 that had been raised for Rosenwald Schools by the Wake County African American community was solicited by residents of Juniper Level.”

-National Register of Historic Places nomination, 2001

The community rallied around the project, with local stakeholders participating in the hands-on work of paint scraping and sanding, replacing damaged wood siding and trim, and tending to the grounds of the school which include a cemetery that was in use until the 1970s. The State Historic Preservation Office and restoration specialist Jeff Adolphsen led a lead paint abatement workshop in which many church members were involved. New, historically accurate double hung wood windows were re-installed where the openings had been boarded for many years, and the building’s exterior was painted. A new wood double leaf entry door with transom surround was also installed, based on historic photograph documentation and other existing Rosenwald schools in the state. With this phase of work completed, the structural stabilization of the foundation began. The building was lifted off of its original pier foundations and a new concrete block curtain wall was built around the perimeter of the structure. Existing, damaged floor structure were repaired and reinforced.

With the beginning of the schematic design phase, local stakeholders were engaged in a charette to determine new uses for the building. A floor plan sensitive to the original Rosenwald School design was developed to meet the needs of the community today. Original finishes were left intact where possible, and many of the existing historic doors, hardware, and breeze windows remain. The new floor plan retained many existing walls and spaces while introducing new ADA toilet rooms and a handicap ramp in the rear of the building.

The area around the school continues to be developed, most recently with the planning and construction of NC-540 Triangle Expressway- east of US-401 to east of I-40. In early planning stages, stakeholders attended Design Public hearings and made public comment in support of taking measures to retain the important aspects of integrity of location, feeling, setting and association between the historic school and Juniper Level Baptist Church. In 2019, representatives of the church and design team met with NCDOT and the State Historic Preservation Office to discuss the impact of the construction on Panther Branch Rosenwald School. Design coordination between the various stakeholders led to the elimination of retaining walls between the church and school, the addition of a pedestrian crossing connecting the church and school, and construction coordination with the completion of the school’s site work.

After many years of hard work, dedication and perseverance, the Panther Branch Rosenwald School restoration was completed in 2022. Barbara Perry, who passed away in January of 2022, saw the completion of the school as a part of her life’s work and legacy. Since the school has opened earlier this year, a Meals on Wheels Friendship Cafe is being established on site, which provides a space for seniors to dine, socialize with friends, play games and enjoy experiences together. An after-school program has also been established and is in operation at the Panther Branch Rosenwald School as well as a community garden.

Meredith Kirkpatrick 4/6/22 Meredith Kirkpatrick 4/6/22

Andrews Duncan Progress Update

Built in 1879, the Andrews Duncan House is a Raleigh Historic Landmark (1972), located in the North Blount St. Historic District and was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. It has been unoccupied for many years after being used as offices for the State; the current Owners are restoring this gem into their own residence.

The approach to this design was to minimize impact on existing historic fabric, to restore the original porch on the South side into a sunroom and add a covered deck and other small changes to the exterior, keeping all original elements intact when possible. For years it had been sitting with a leaking roof and sustained substantial water damage to the exterior and interior throughout. Much of the early work on the house has been behind the scenes, including approvals by the local Historic District Commission, permitting, a new roof and more. Despite a beehive in the siding (see photo 7) the siding has been restored and the house is dried in. The new porch was added last month followed by the new paint scheme.

What is taking so long? This restoration project has made every effort to restore instead of replace. All original doors inside the house were reused and only one new door was ordered. All the main original large arched windows (made of mahogany!) were saved and re-built on site. Only 6 new sashes had to be built out of 45 main windows! The Contractor, Crane Building Company Inc. has set up shop inside hand-scraping, re-glazing, and repairing all windows. The Northeast Gable “dragon’s tongue” gable brackets have been meticulously restored. Can you guess which ones were made to replace the original and which ones are original?

Keep on the lookout for more progress to come this year!

Meredith Kirkpatrick 12/11/20 Meredith Kirkpatrick 12/11/20

Heights House Looking Fresh!

Heights House recently got a fresh paint job. Unfortunately the owners were not able to go with their first choice of exposed brick due to some stubborn paint, but we think the darker pain looks pretty sharp.

Meredith Kirkpatrick 7/28/20 Meredith Kirkpatrick 7/28/20

Historic Lenoir, NC Building Brought Back to Life

This ca 1935 commercial building was on the brink of despair, with a collapsing roof and significant water damage, when David Maurer purchased it in early 2019. The first floor was originally an ice cream shop and then evolved into a restaurant and multiple later uses. The upper floor was originally the ice cream owner’s residence but later was transformed into three small apartments. The entire floor structure and roof was unsalvageable, so the interior was entirely rebuilt. Using federal and state historic tax credits and a City of Lenoir façade grant, Maurer renovated the upper level into a spacious two bedroom apartment and the main floor into an open retail/service establishment. The tax value of the property is now more than ten times the original value at purchase and now contributes to the economic and social vitality of downtown Lenoir.

After

Before

During Construction

Meredith Kirkpatrick 7/14/20 Meredith Kirkpatrick 7/14/20

SALT Magazine – A spotlight on Wilmington development and several of our downtown historic projects!

Check out this awesome article in SALT Magazine – a great spotlight on Wilmington development and several of our downtown historic projects!

http://www.saltmagazinenc.com/a-city-not-like-anywhere-else/

As Wilmington grows, preserving the past while welcoming a new generation of architects gives the historic Port City a unique look and feel all its own
By J. Michael Welton
Architecturally, Wilmington is in an enviable position.
For years, the city has created its own context — old and new, modern and traditional, commercial and residential — every day.
For starters, there’s Historic Wilmington Foundation. Over the past 50 years, it’s been spiffing up downtown assets for adaptive reuse — and attracting energetic owners to make it happen. I learned that a few months back, at first over coffee with HWF Executive Director Beth Rutledge at the century-old Dixie Grill downtown. Then came an eye-popping walking tour of classic 19th- and 20th-century architecture — once downtrodden, but now reborn.
HWF started out in 1966 as an offshoot of the Lower Cape Fear Historical Society, when the city was in stark decline. “There was no railroad and no infrastructure, and I-40 had cut us off,” Rutledge says. “It showed in the houses and buildings — there were no historic districts, and nobody fought for them, either.”
The organization started out by buying one building at a time, saving it and then selling it. “It had a phenomenal effect — they’d fix up one, and it became easier to do the next,” she says.
Now HWF has preserved hundreds of properties in a variety of ways — moving houses, stabilizing buildings and loaning funds to owners to restore them. Along the way the organization has shown the real value of preserving the past. As it turns out, people not only want to experience history, but to spend money on it — either as owners or tourists.
“It’s the heart of the city. It’s what people come for and what they appreciate,” she says. “These are the things that are rare and only in Wilmington — a city that’s not like anywhere else. That’s not by accident. It’s by intention.”
The Investors
Investors are seeing Wilmington’s value too – like chef, author and PBS personality Vivian Howard. In late 2017, the Deep Run native and owner of two famous Kinston restaurants opened a third — in downtown Wilmington. Now Benny’s Big Time, her pizzeria, has snagged its spot on historic Greenfield Street. Sure, Howard’s got two more coming up in Charleston, S.C., but Wilmington was on her short list first, and that gave this city a bump-up in status.
Wilmington has also caught the eye of Jamie Branda, owner of a 41-year-old upscale Washington, D.C., restaurant called Floriana. He’s planning to open his second venue at the corner of Market and Water Streets, after scoping out Birmingham and Huntsville in Alabama, and Chattanooga in Tennessee. When he found that Wilmington trumped them all in foot traffic, Branda opted to go where the people are. “It’s what we know and something we feel comfortable with — that longtime residential and tourist business,” he says. “It’s what D.C. is like, so it felt like something where we would not have to over-tweak our model.”
Then there’s 38-year-old James Goodnight of Raleigh, who has acquired and renovated seven commercial buildings downtown, four on Front Street and three more on Princess Street. The latter trio — at 222, 226 and 230 Princess — were built in 1921, 1929 and 1942, respectively. They’re all sweethearts from a bygone era, and they’ve all undergone careful restoration at the hands of Raleigh’s Maurer Architects.
222 Princess, with its Mission-style architecture and tabby stucco, is faithfully restored. 226 Princess may have been altered in the 1960s or ’70s, but it still shines today. Still, 230 Princess takes the cake. “It was very much intact — including the marble cladding on the front, the original door and the hardware,” says Laurie Jackson, project manager and partner at Maurer. “It was built by an architect for an insurance office, but it looks like a bank even though it’s very small.”
And it’s all but impossible to ignore two new projects on the riverfront. River Place will soon offer 92 luxury condominiums, complete with concierge, club room and roof-level pool. On 5 acres bordering the Riverwalk section near Port City Marina, Pier 33 will deliver 286 luxury apartments, 20,000 square feet of commercial space, and a parking garage with a 525-space capacity. What these two lack in architectural aesthetics will presumably be made up for in waterfront views.
The Moderns
The building that really caught this critic’s eye is one that has undergone the least amount of change. First Bank, at the corner of Market and Second streets, was designed in 1958-59 by Charles Boney Sr., an early graduate of N.C. State’s School of Design. Clearly a disciple of Mies van der Rohe, Boney executed his design here in bronze and glass outside and inside, with terrazzo and a dramatic, double-height lobby and floating staircase. Later, his son would design a deft and respectful addition at its rear.
Ironically, buildings like First Bank sometimes survive, completely intact, because poverty preserves them. “There might have been a time when people thought it was outdated, but couldn’t afford to update it,” Rutledge says. “Imagine someone wanting to modernize it — but because they didn’t, we have what we have today.”
Wilmington and its environs would see more influence from the School of Design, although traditional architecture surely ruled the second half of the 20th century. “The only reason there’s modern architecture here is because a few standup architects promoted it,” says Michael Kersting, an N.C. State grad and principal in the Wilmington firm that bears his name.
Those N.C. State modernists came here preaching the orthodoxy they’d been taught, then practiced it with near-religious fervor. “It wasn’t until Boney and Haywood Newkirk and Ligon Flynn came around and challenged traditional architecture with a fair amount of modern work that their legacy came into being here,” says Kersting.
Flynn in particular was prolific in Wilmington, designing his own office at 15 South 2nd St. Known now as The Atrium by Ligon Flynn, it’s available for special events. Until his death in 2010, he also designed a number of public spaces in Wilmington, including the lobby and box office for Thalian Hall and the Lower Cape Fear Hospice.
He’s best known, though, for his residential work, especially his groundbreaking modern homes on Figure Eight Island. In fact, once N.C. State grad and landscape architect Richard Bell laid out the island for development in the 1960s — preserving its natural heritage of marshland and maritime forests in the process — Flynn and Henry Johnston paved the way for modernists like Kersting to follow.
Anyone who wants to see what modern architecture has done for Wilmington and the oceanfront nearby would do well to take a ride to the beach with Kersting. He’s responsible for 30 houses on Figure Eight, including five now on the boards or under construction, 28 more in Wrightsville Beach, and another 20 on the Intracoastal Waterway. He’s done all that since setting up his firm in 1995.
Kersting’s work is decidedly contemporary, though his clients may lean toward a more conservative approach. “We’ve done some traditional coastal architecture on the outside, but the detailing inside is a little edgier,” he says. “A lot of our clients challenge us to find that balance of traditional beach vernacular with modern details.”
Kersting isn’t averse to showing a visitor his own designs on Figure Eight Island. But he’ll also point out the architecture of Flynn and Johnston, as well as Hugh Newell Jacobsen’s exquisite cottage on a crest overlooking the ocean. He’ll also stop to ponder a sleek and gabled dogtrot, a classical form created by architects Mathew Weaver and Clark Tate, from Atlanta’s Point Office.
“Modern architecture is a growing trend here now. Wilmington may be a conservative city, but that’s slowing as people from the Northeast and California move in,” Kersting says. “There’s a cultural shift. It’s far more inspired by contemporary styles: The younger generation wants more modern homes. A lot are coming to us, and we’re getting it done.”
The Districts
One more Wilmington architect with a modernist bent is Rob Romero. In 2016, he began designing homes and workspaces for the Cargo District, a three-block area bounded by 15th, 17th, Queen and Castle streets. Developer Leslie Smith specified the use of shipping containers, a familiar form for the Port City. “The guidelines from the city are specific about not seeing all that corrugated siding, so there’s cement board to conceal it in a way,” Romero says. “But you can still tell it’s a shipping container.”
Stacked and welded together to yield nine units, Square Two Live + Work containers rest on wood frames for kitchens and baths. Each unit is a compact 620 square feet, with one bedroom, a custom-built staircase, concrete flooring downstairs, and vinyl plank flooring upstairs. There’s custom cabinetry in the kitchen and bath, matte black plumbing fixtures, floor-to-ceiling tile in the glass-enclosed shower, a built-in queen bed, and a custom-fabricated aluminum balcony.
The Cargo District has transformed an area of town that once was not only neglected, but avoided. Now it’s a destination for work-from-home businesses — and a residence for others. It may seem irregular, but that’s why a new generation in Wilmington avidly seeks it out. “I get a ton of calls about it — it gets better and better, and brings in other people,” Romero says. “It has a bright future, no doubt. There’s a barber shop, a coffee place and a brewery.”
Prior to 2002, the area now known as the North Fourth District was an abandoned African-American community undergoing demolition. “There were some people preserving six or seven buildings in five blocks, because that’s all that was left,” says developer David Spetrino, a design/build professional. “But basically, there was no reason to invest in North Fourth because nobody was living there. There were some houses left over from the railroad era, and some rundown tenements.”
So Spetrino stepped up to the plate, bought an entire block, and began to execute his vision for residential development. “Between 2002 and 2007 we delivered 115 housing units in five different buildings,” he says. “The first one was 15 units, the second was 26, the third was 10, the fourth was 17, and the fifth was 27.”
He was creating condominiums where none had existed before. More development would follow, and the North Fourth District is mostly residential now, with some support services. It was initially made up of the 500, 600, 700 and 800 blocks of North Fourth Street, but now stretches out to the 900 and 1000 blocks. “The 500 block is old construction, 600 is 50/50, 700 is 70 percent new, and 800 is 90 percent new,” he says. “It brings in about a quarter-million dollars in taxes now.”
Many of the residents of the North Fourth District now are older, financially stable and looking for a walkable community. “They may be in their twilight years, but they don’t want to be in a golf course patio home,” he says. “They’re paying $750,000, and they get an elevator and a rooftop deck.”
About the same time that Spetrino was building his condominiums at North Fourth, Tribute Properties was envisioning a new luxury development to be built on the site of the former Nesbit Courts public housing project, which had previously served as wartime military housing. It’s now called the South Front District — and it’s gone from down-at-the-heels to uber-hip almost overnight.
“It’s evolved from a crime-ridden, desolate area into a booming community,” says Molly McDonough, regional director at Tribute in Wilmington. “On Friday nights now there are restaurants, coffee bars, yoga classes, and the salt spa. It’s a truly overwhelming transformation.”
Tribute developed its apartments in two phases, keeping their original footprints. “We bought it in 2002 and in 2011 had our first move-in,” she says. “They are luxury residences — a Class A property — and they are modern and LEED-certified.”
Included are the original 217 renovated units, plus the 1940s-era revamped Block Shirt Factory, and 54 additional apartments, with rents ranging from $1,100 to $1,750. It’s all residential, bounded by Front and Willard and Greenfield streets, on the south side of town. Commercial development has been encouraged by the city for industrial buildings on Greenfield Street. “It’s pretty exceptional to evolve this nicely,” she says.
These days, comparisons for Wilmington and its environs are almost inevitable. Some suggest similarities to Asheville, Charleston and even Savannah. But McDonough will have none of that. “We’re in a league of our own,” she says.
That’s because she and her peers have learned how to create context, day after day, year after year. The result is a city that’s now a magnet for innovative minds — and good design.
J. Michael Welton writes about architecture, art and design for national and international publications. He is architecture critic for The News & Observer in Raleigh and author of Drawing from Practice: Architects and the Meaning of Freehand(Routledge, 2015). He is also editor and publisher of an online design magazine at www.architectsandartisans.com.