Preservation Greensboro News
14 February 2007 - The recent past, relocated buildings, and restored farmhouses set the tone for the 2006 Preservation Awards ceremony at Preservation Greensboro’s 2006 annual dinner. Over 125 guests gathered at the gala held at the Starmount Forest Country Club the evening of February 13th to honor eight restoration projects that have been completed within the past year.
“A couple of preservation themes have emerged this year” observed Benjamin Briggs, executive director of Preservation Greensboro “including recognition of our recent past exemplified by the restoration of the 1961 Greensboro Public Library by the Elon University School of Law. This has been an exciting project for our downtown, and it saved a great example of North Carolina’s modernist movement.” Additional trends Briggs observed includes more historic buildings that have to be removed from their original site in order to be saved, and interest in maintaining antebellum farmhouses within our suburbanizing countryside. “Both trends, though each resulted of saving an element of our past in these examples, are within the context of rising property values and suburban sprawl” says Briggs. “We must be careful to encourage that historic buildings remain on their original foundations wherever possible, and guide new development in rural areas around sensitive sites.”
Each year, Preservation Greensboro Incorporated honors noteworthy preservation projectsthroughout greater Greensboro that were completed within the previous year. The guidelines for the awards include consideration of sensitivity to the historic integrity of the site and how well people adhered to the Secretary of Interior’s Guidelines for Historic Rehabilitation. Emphasis is given to exterior restoration projects that exemplify Greensboro's cultural, historical, and architectural heritage. This year we will recognize eight recipients that were nominated by the general public, and represent the broad spectrum of preservation projects from across our city.
- The Elon University School of Law at 201 N. Greene St., Greensboro. The 1960s-era library was renovated to house the law school, while keeping the exterior of the building and a large spiral staircase intact.
- Dr. Sebastian House at 1401 McConnell Road, Greensboro. The house, built in the late 1920s, was redeveloped by Allen Sharpe for offices and apartments.
- Nettie Brown House at 110 Oak St., High Point. The house was built on High Street in 1897, but plans that would have involved demolishing the house were unveiled in 2004, so Dorothy and Joey Darr arranged to relocate it to a vacant property a few blocks from its original location.
- Margaret Gay House at 204 W. Bessemer Ave., Greensboro. Plans for a parking lot threatened this house, which was built in the 1920s. The house was bought by David Brossoit and George Weldon, who then moved it from its original Elm Street location to its current address, where it has been fully restored.
- R.D. Douglas House at 106 Fisher Park Circle, Greensboro. The house, built in 1912, was recently restored by Bill Baites and Stephen Dull.
- W.R. Smith House on Brightwood Church Road in Whitsett. This 1840s farmhouse was threatened with destruction so Jerry Nix relocated it to a portion of his property.
- Dean Dick Log House on Carpenter House Road in Sedalia. The antebellum cabin has been restored by Rebekah Howe and David Carpenter.
- William Preyer House, 603 Sunset Drive, in Greensboro. The Irving Park house was renovated by Judy and Len White.
For more information on these sites, you may explore our awards program web page.
Preservation Greensboro Incorporated is a nonprofit membership organization that helps protect treasured historic and architecturally significant places. Established in 1966, PGI's programs range from educational seminars and walking tours to annual awards, children's activities and the news magazine, Landmarks. Its subsidiary organizations include the Preservation Revolving Fund, Architectural Salvage of Greensboro, Blandwood Mansion and Museum Shop, the Blandwood Carriage House, and the Blandwood Ball.