Greensboro's Treasured Places

Historic Preservation, Revitalization, and Job Creation

A new report by researchers at Rutgers University examines the economic impact of the Federal Historic Tax Credit. Enacted by Congress in 1981 as part of an economic stimulus package, the Federal Historic Tax Credit (HTC) provides a 20% income tax credit for the rehabilitation of certified income-producing historic properties.

This study presents information regarding the economic and other benefits of the tax credit (e.g., providing incentives for such projects as the Elm Street Center (image, right) and the International Civil Rights Museum that spur downtown revitalization). Recurring year-by-year economic returns from the use of the HTC include enhanced tourism in areas of heritage and cultural travel (a multi-billion dollar industry); the historic tax credit providing adaptively-reused and other commercial space for businesses that annually have a payroll and tax payments (such as Revolution Mill); and the positive federal historic tax credit investment impact on property values, which which in turn have annual tax, wealth, and other benefits.

Historic preservation is already well-known to boost investor and neighborhood confidence and promote community-wide revitalization, as seen in center city neighborhoods such as Aycock, College Hill, Southside, and Fisher Park (image, right). In addition, historic preservation results in harder to measure enhanced “quality of life” gains that increase the desirability of cities with character and sense of place. All of these factors are critical in understanding the full impact of historic preservation, as this study begins to explore.

You can read more about the impact of historic preservation on job creation, the economy, housing diversity, and tax revenue here. You can also explore a number of case studies that demonstrate the breadth, and depth of tax credits, and explain how these tools might be applied in other cities, such as Greensboro!

In partnership with National Trust Forum News

Opportunity Knocks on Two Doors in Downtown

Work is progressing on placement and restoration of the two-story duplex across from Blandwood Mansion at the corner of West Washington and Edgeworth streets in downtown Greensboro. The 100-year-old structure was recently moved from its original location on nearby Blandwood Avenue in order to make way for construction of the new Guilford County jail.

Upon completion, the building will be leased by the Zenke family, the developers and owners of the project. The family is now beginning to discuss leasing ideas for the building from prospective tenants.

In its form as a duplex, the comfortable brick building with stone window sills and broad front porch offers exciting possibilities for dual purposes. Its two front doors could lead to a single business inside, but each door could also open to complementary establishments. Imagine, for example, one door leading to a book store…the other to a coffee shop. Inside, the boundaries between the two could blend as a single space. The same dual purpose could apply to a flower/gift shop, an art gallery/dessertery, a dress/shoe shop, or any permutation thereof!

The first floor offers 1,932 square feet of space that will include an ADA accessible restroom. Stairs lead to the second floor containing 1,260 of space. A full basement will feature and additional 1,932 square feet of space with an outside entry. Limited parking is available on site.

With some fast action, the building might also hold a restaurant if structural requirements are met early in the restoration process. Greensboro has yet to have a downtown “old house restaurant” in the manner of Zevely House in Winston-Salem or Second Empire in Raleigh.

The duplex sits at one of the most travelled in-bound intersections in downtown Greensboro, and overlooks the shaded lawn of Blandwood Mansion, the nineteenth century home of Governor John Motley Morehead. Those interested in learning more about the opportunities of leasing the duplex may contact the developers by email.

Green Hill Cemetery Clean-Up: It's More Than Just Work

To those who participate in this Saturday's (Aug 22, 8:30 am) Green Hill Cemetery friends work session, you will be richly rewarded!

For those who are happy to spend their Saturday morning assisting in sprucing up the cemetery, remember to bring something for your refreshment, and then enjoy a 1.5 hour walking tour by volunteer Ann Stringfield AFTER the work session. The tour time depends on when the work session ends. This special tour is offered only to those who help with cemetery clean-up and is ONLY available for those who come to work this Saturday morning.

For those who are interested in learning more about the cemetery, the next public tour will be available for $5 per person on Sunday October 25, 2;00 pm, weather permitting.

Green Hill Cemetery is a public cemetery operated that is maintained by the City of Greensboro. The cemetery opened in 1882 and occupies 51 acres in the heart of the Gate City. The cemetery serves as an historic and cultural resource for the community by featuring the final resting place of notable citizens and finely-crafted funerary art. Its conservation has been the concern of the Greensboro's preservation community for many years.

If romantic Victorian cemeteries are your thing, be sure to join the Friends of Green Hill Cemetery Facebook page, or visit their website.

 

Our New Linear Park, A Path To The Future

We can only imagine what Greensboro's Downtown Greenway will be like when completed, though workers have laid asphalt for the path through the Warnersville neighborhood already. The complete experience remains a few months away when the "softscape" is installed once the summer's heat has faded (image, right).

In the meantime, linear park enthusiasts in Greensboro can look to New York for a glimpse of what our urban pathway might some day feel like. An article in today's New York Times reviews the favorable public reaction to the High Line, an abandoned over-street industrial rail line that snakes over the streets of the Chelsea neighborhood in western Manhattan. “Here people tend to be more friendly,” says Kathy Roberson in the article, “Those same people, you might see them someplace else and, you know, they’re kind of stressed.” Here in Greensboro, the Downtown Greenway is expected to promote the health and wellbeing of Greensboro's center city population in the same manner by providing safe opportunities for outdoor exercise or relaxing contemplation.

The article points out that the High Line has already developed It has its own economy, including pre-packaged lunches, an art scene with drawing students and photographers, and micro-neighborhoods and hot spots that shift in feel throughout the day. The Downtown Greenway will likely function on a similar level by spurring economic development along its length and by celebrating local history and neighborhood character through the use of innovative and exciting works of public art. One such piece, created by Rhode Island artist Brower Hatcher, will anchor the southwestern quadrant of the park just off Lee Street (image). 

Certainly Greensboro is not Manhattan, and though portions of our own Downtown Greenway will someday occupy a presently active industrial railroad bed like the New York park, most of our park will remain on terra firma. However, the community excitement and character-building comparisons will likely be similar. Like the High Line, the Downtown Greenway will become a signature feature of the Gate City that will profile our community's innovation and artistic prowess. The combination of art and nature juxtaposed within an urban setting will likely draw visitors from around Greensboro, not just the adjoining neighborhoods.

Great things are in store for Greensboro. In the meantime, the High Line in Manhattan will have to suffice as a temporary (and distant) fix.

South Elm Street Makes Greensboro Cool

I have never heard someone from Charlotte say "I went to Greensboro the other day and their roller coasters are so cool."

I have never heard someone from Raleigh say "I was in Greensboro yesterday and the mall there is so cool."

I have heard people from both cities (and others) say "I was in Greensboro last weekend and South Elm Street is so cool!" In fact, I know some folks who enjoy a get-away weekend here to enjoy the art galleries, coffee shops, theatres, and restaurants...in the kind of urban environment that is rare in North Carolina. South Elm Street has made Greensboro cool.

The News and Record's Jeri Rowe wrote two great articles on our eclectic South Elm Street, the heart of the Old Greensboro Historic District. He captured the spirit of the neighborhood, including the blend of uses, attitudes, backgrounds, and architecture (image, right) that is special to that part of downtown. The photo essay by Jerry Wolford is fantastic. If you are not from Greensboro...or you don't take the paper, it's worth a perusal.

I am inspired to clarify the characteristics of a family of buildings that exist along South Elm Street that I pointed out to Jeri in our discussion. I am not aware of any other buildings in the state that have the same features. To my knowledge they are unique to the Gate City. Maybe later this week if I have some time.

Private Fisher Park Gardens Open This Sunday

This Sunday, April 26th, the Fisher Park Neighborhood Association is sponsoring free tours of five historic gardens between 2:00 and 6:00 PM.

Fisher Park is among the oldest neighborhoods in the city, with landmark homes that date as early as 1875. The gardens open this weekend are all private homes, not usually available for public viewing.

Tour organizers have cleverly selected gardens based on themes. A Cottage Garden is found at 122 East Fisher Avenue with old-fashioned favorites like roses, hydrangeas, camellias, gardenias and viburnums. At 707 Magnolia Street, an English Garden contains numerous focal points such as urns, a fountain, seats at the end of paths, and sculptures. The Roomed Garden at 201 W Bessemer Ave featured themed spaces that are defined by boxwood, white flowering plants, and rose covered arches. An outdoor hideaway of grass, ground cover, perennials, evergreen shrubs and roses is found with the Intimate Garden at 204 Fisher Park Circle, and a delicious Urban Food Garden at 603 Simpson Street demonstrates just how many vegetables can be grown in a small, but sunny front yard (look for the spinach, lettuce, beets, carrots, radishes, broccoli, garlic, onions and more!).

Fisher Park is often acclaimed for its historic gardens and homes, and this weekend's event provides an opportunity for the public to enjoy some of Greensboro's most treasured places. For locations and descriptions go to the home page of the Fisher Park Neighborhood Association (FPNA) website and click on the link for the garden tour.

At the Heart of Historic Preservation

Sally Quinn's heartfelt essay about her foray into historic preservation reminds us of the value of place, history, and authenticity. Her East Hampton, New York home, Grey Gardens, is the setting of a recent HBO film about the life of its previous inhabitants...inspired by a now-cultish classic documentary from 1975.

"The first thing the contractor said was, "It would be a lot cheaper to tear it down and start all over than to restore it." Unthinkable. Besides, I had promised Little Edie. I had told her that she could either leave the house "broom clean" (ha!) or leave it exactly the way it was. I think the prospect of cleaning it up was too daunting for her, so she did what I had hoped and walked out leaving everything in it. I had no idea what I would find."

My dad gave me a clipping from the paper of the essay at breakfast yesterday, but I only just read it this morning. I know of a hundred similar stories here in Guilford County, including my own. Maybe I will write it up one day.

In the meantime, enjoy reading about Grey Gardens. If it doesn't remind you of your own old house experience, then I encourage you to go out and adopt a place. Today.