Bright Spot donuts now open on Sunrise Ave!

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 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.

Bickett Blvd has finished its construction and it is safe to announce that it is officially patio season! Check out images of the patio under construction and fully completed.

In the summer of 2020 we assisted the Princeton Graded School with documentation and a building assessment for grant funding purposes. Last week we learned that the historic Rosenwald School will receive $977,475 in federal grant funds for much needed repairs! The school is one of 22 historic preservation projects across 18 counties that were awarded a total of $9.17 million in recovery assistance for historic properties damaged by Hurricanes Florence or Michael. Congratulations!

Initial demo at Raiford hall came with a few surprises! Perfectly preserved tongue and groove wood ceilings, a tiny window, and a coffered plaster ceiling were all discovered as the dropped ceilings and other interesting 80’s design decisions came down.

David Maurer’s “how-to” webinar on renovating downtown historic buildings for residential use, 25 years in the making, is now available via the LeverageNC website! As a firm, we are excited to sponsor this video that can be used as a great resource for municipalities, towns, and chambers of commerce across the state of North Carolina.

This 1970's chalet is being completely transformed. The home was purchased by the adjoining neighbor and is under renovation to add to an enclave of vacation cottages on Lake Gaston in Littleton, NC. The new cottage footprint has expanded to include a garage and more bedrooms ensuite. Large expansive views of the lake have been uncovered. Check out the progress, we can't wait to see this one finished in the Spring of 2022!

We are in the early stages of designing what is next for this amazing mid-century Phillips 66 station in Sanford!

Preservation North Carolina’s 2021 Awards Ceremony is now available for viewing.

This year, Maurer Architecture is honored to be part of 4 of the 12 Gertrude S. Carraway Awards of Merit, which are named in honor of a noted New Bern historian and preservationist. These have been presented since 1974, and are given in recognition to “individuals or organizations that have demonstrated a genuine commitment to historic preservation through extraordinary leadership, research, philanthropy, promotion, and/or significant participation in preservation.”

Mark your calendar for November 17! At 10am, David Maurer will be giving a how-to webinar on renovating downtown historic buildings.

Owl’s Roost is now open! Housed in a former theater, the brewery boasts exposed masonry walls, a bright and airy bar and seating area, and a mezzanine which overlooks the outdoor beer garden.

Bright Spot Donuts is coming soon to Sunrise Ave near Five Points! The donut shop is now under construction with plans to open at the end of this year. The building is compact, but it will be full of color and natural light. With a creative menu and coffee program, the focal points of the space will be the espresso machine and the donut glazing area.

Construction is wrapping up at downtown Raleigh’s first distillery! Craft spirits and cocktails, craft beer, special events, and great food will be the focus at Young Hearts Distilling Co, located in the former home of Trophy Tap and Table.

Our history with the building at 225 S. Wilmington Street began in 2008 when we were brought on to renovate the former Busy Bee Café. Although the building has seen some significant changes, the basic concept remains the same: to bring people together to enjoy delicious food and drink in a beautiful place.

Sharing our vision of the Upchurch with a sunset cocktail-hour scene at The Conservatory.

Three excellent webinars are on the horizon, made possible by Leverage NC. Register at the links below:

From Vacant to Vibrant - Building a Business Recruitment Strategy

Better Community Planning & Economic Development

Successful Small Towns: Elkin, NC