It's a Great Day for Olderhouse Holiday Activities

With a hint of snow in the forecast, it's a great day for Olderhouse holiday activities, including Christmas at historic Stagville; followed by a visit to my Open House at 4811 Kendridge Dr. in North Durham.


Starting at 10 a.m. this morning, both Stagville’s 1787 Bennehan plantation house and the 1850s Holman slave quarters will be decorated for Christmas. Costumed historic interpreters will demonstrate how life during the holidays was for those living in the “Big House” and for the enslaved families in the other quarters. There will be fiber spinning, silversmithing, quiltmaking and blacksmithing. Plus, there will be horse-drawn wagon rides around the 71-acre site. Visiting children may play historic games and makes crafts from yesteryear on site. Fresh apple cider will be pressed for holiday refreshment. And vendors will be selling their wares in a country-fair holiday atmosphere. There will be soy candles, gourd art, quilled pictures, woven goods, terra-cotta wares and stained glass. Geneaologists and family historians will be there to chat with you, as well. Although the event is being advertised as “free,” suggested donations are $2 per individual or $5 per family, which goes to support the Historic Family Foundation. The plantation is located at 5828 Old Oxford Hwy. in Durham. www.historicstagvillefoundation.org


Of course while you are out, make sure to come by and visit my Open House at 4811 Kendridge Drive. I’ll be there today from 2-4 p.m. It’s located in the Easley Elementary school district within walking distance of the Eno River. You’ll love our quiet Heritage Heights neighborhood because that’s where I live! Check out my blog entry on this updated $123,900 one-level by clicking the link below:


http://ncolderhouse.blogspot.com/2009/11/open-house-tomorrow-at-my-neighbors.html


Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

Extended Homebuyer Tax Credit Impacts 70 Percent of Homeowners

About 70 percent of current homeowners will now be eligible for the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, said Goldman Sachs economist Alec Phillips, in a Nov. 6 issue of U.S. News and World Report. What started out last February as an incentive for first-time homebuyers, was extended in early November to nearly two-thirds of those who currently own their own homes and to most first-time homebuyers who are buying today.

Tax credits of up to $8,000 are available for first-time homebuyers; and as much as $6,500 in tax credits is available to current homeowners who have their next primary residence under contract by the end of April 2010. The transaction for this home would need to close by no later than June 30, 2010.


There are some excellent resources available through the National Association of Realtors explaining how the extended tax credits may be applied, including the: (1) Tax Credit Comparison Chart; (2) Home Buyer Tax Credit FAQ; (3) the President’s Podcast: Tax Credit Expanded and Extended; and (4) the Tax Credit as Down Payment on FHA Mortgage flier. If you would like any of these copies, feel free to email me at ljanes@markthomasrealty.com.


Also, here are some good links to Tax Credit Resources through the Internal Revenue Service: (1) Important Facts: Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit; (2) Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit Information; (3) Tax Credit Form 5405; and (4) 2008 Home Buyer Tax Credit FAQ.


Of course, if you have specific questions or need additional information, you should always contact your tax professional; or call the Internal Revenue Service at 800-829-1040.


For more resources, here is the National Association of Realtors' article on how the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit can it can help prospective home buyers become part of the American dream.


The Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit: The Basics for Homebuyers and Homeowners from the National Association of REALTORS.

Historic Hosiery Mill & Former Farmer's Exchange Gets New Lease on Life

Taking an old, rundown red-brick building in downtown Durham and redeveloping it into a thriving business center with office and incubator spaces, meeting and workshop rooms, and areas for networking and conferences is the ultimate in historic preservation.


The old John O’Daniel Hosiery Mill which also served as the former Farmer’s Mutual Exchange, has been completely renovated and brought back to life as the John O’Daniel Exchange by Lewis and Clark Community Developers, Inc. Already home to several non-profits and small businesses such as Animal Kind, CEF, Carpe Diem Cleaning, Durham Cares, Goodwork and World Relief, the new Exchange celebrated its official grand opening last Saturday.


Located at 801 Gilbert St, the building is nestled among three blocks of mixed residential and commercial properties. The neighborhood is made up of the SEEDS community garden and offices, the North Carolina Food Bank, and about 12 mill-village homes of character.


According to the Durham Architectural and Historic Inventory, the old brick building was originally constructed as the Paragon Hosiery Mill around 1910 but was soon acquired by Julian S. Carr as one of the branches of the Durham Hosiery Mills. Carr named the business in honor of one of his faithful black servants, John O’Daniel, and manned it with black mill workers.


Unlike most of the other Durham Hosiery Mill factories, the original building was considered to be small, taking up just one small city block. It had a one-and-a-half story gabled roof, with a parapet façade that featured recessed and corbelled window walls.


The factory only operated for several years and stood empty until 1930, when the Farmers Mutual Exchange purchased the building. Through the years, this organization was also called the Central Carolina Farmers Exchange and then FCX. This organization came about in the 1920s after the crops of area tobacco growers were destroyed by blight. The farmers needed a way to market and distribute their other produce, including livestock, milk, poultry, eggs and feed.


The first poultry processing plant for egg production in the state was established at the Exchange in 1935; and the first feed mill for distributing grain in North Carolina was built there around 1937, just behind the Exchange’s main building. Later on, both a meat processing department and poultry processing plant were built just northeast of this building. When the Exchange’s original feed mill could no longer keep up with the demand, the old Durham Gas Co., which was located just across Gilbert St., was acquired. And the Exchange built a modern, computerized feed mill according to the standards of the day.

Open House Tomorrow at my Neighbor's Updated Ranch

This updated ranch is located in my North Durham neighborhood, so I know it's a great place to live! We moved to our house just around the corner back in 1998 because the Heritage Heights/Huntington neighborhood is in the Easley Elementary school district, backs up to the Eno River State Park, and we really liked how most of the homes have half-acre lots. Plus, we loved the location! It is just a 10-minute commute to Duke and downtown Durham.


Since moving here, I have been fortunate to have listed and sold many of my neighbors homes. And now, my friends at 4811 Kendridge Drive have listed their 1971 one-level home and priced it to sell at $123,900. So please join me for our Open House and come see all the amazing updates they have done to this house.


You will love how they have opened up the walls between the kitchen, living room and dining room to let in lots of light; and added beautiful architectural arches for dramatic effect. The kitchen has newer appliances and there is a new sink with an updated faucet. The hall bath has new ceramic tile flooring, a ceramic-tile bathtub surround, custom lighting and solid-cherry cabinets. 


There are three bedrooms, two baths and approximately 1,300 square feet of space. The nearly one half-acre lot has lots of landscaping, including a three-level water garden with koi ponds and fountains. The backyard is fully fenced and has a large Amish barn and a screened greenhouse with an irrigation system. There is an attached carport with an adjoining storage room. 


I hope you will be able to join us for our Open House. But if you would prefer a private showing, feel free to give me a call at (919) 423-3463 or email me at ljanes@markthomasrealty.com


To see more photos of this great house, go to:


http://www.postlets.com/repb/2808017

The W.P. Budd House

When I learned that the beautiful brick and half-timbered Tudor revival house at 903 S. Duke Street in Durham's Morehead Hill was one of Preservation Durham's 2009 recipients of the George and Mary Pyne Preservation Awards, I was not surprised.

The condition of this 1924 home has certainly improved since Distinctive Properties Broker Eugene Brown and I listed and sold it for $299,000 back in 2003. Since Steve and Ruth Chandler have become its new owners, they have extensively renovated the house and garden.

They painstakingly restored all the original plaster walls and wooden floors throughout the house. The bathrooms retain their original fixtures and period tiles, including a marble slab shower enclosure (which I remember leaked terribly before the Chandlers acquired it). And the large master bedroom has both his and hers closets and bathrooms, which is a novelty for the time. They completely renovated the kitchen and butler's pantry, while maintaining many of the original built-ins.


Shortly after purchasing the property, Ms. Chandler told me that she was able to get in touch with and visited with some of the W.P. Budd family, who helped her piece together the history of the home. W. P. Budd was one of the partners in the Budd-Piper Roofing Company. To design his stylish new home, Budd hired Raleigh architect Murray Nelson.


"Noted builder, George Kane, constructed this house and subsequently built the Hart House on the Duke Campus, presently the home of the President and Mrs. Richard Brodhead," Ruth Chandler said. "The development of Duke University's west campus carried the Tudor Revival style into the 1930s, and the town of Durham had many fine examples. Few remain or rival the Budd House in purity of design or richness of detail. Two generations of Budds lived in the house until 1982 when W. P. Budd, Jr. sold the residence.


"The entry is modestly scaled but beautifully detailed with an impressive curved plaster and wood stairwell with hand-carved newel posts and jamb. The large living room has a coffered ceiling with carved beams and pendant finials, a grand limestone fireplace, built-in bookshelves, and a small curved prayer nook complete with a stained glass window. Beyond the living room, the sun room is a lovely space in which connects to a loggia overlooking the beautiful trellised rose garden. The spacious, light-filled dining room could easily seat the extended Budd family."

Ruth is an artist and the Chandlers have converted the attic level, which was a former children's play area into an artist's retreat. With the light streaming in from the windows on both sides of the house, this area has become a wonderful studio. Her paintings are displayed throughout the house and on several of the basement walls leading to their new media room/bar, Ruth has painted colorful murals of well-known Durham landmarks, such as the Bulls ballpark. In that same hallway the original icebox (which is incredibly heavy) still stands.

Duke students who are working on a project through the Center for Documentary Studies are learning about Durham history through the Pauli Murray Project as they build an interactive Google map of historic sites of Durham, which is scheduled to go public on Dec. 1. The map will include such historic sites as the Hayti Heritage Center, the Royal Ice Cream Parlor, N.C. Mutual Life Insurance, St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, White Rock Baptist Church, and Murray’s childhood home on Carroll Street on Durham’s West End.

The historical map will be accessible through the http://paulimurrayproject.org/ web site where extensive information can also be found on Murray’s life. Her image can be seen painted on several wall murals throughout Durham. Murray is the author of "Proud Shoes: the Story of an American Family," which was published in 1956. The book talks about issues that made many readers uncomfortable at the time. It looked at interracial dating and marriage, and examined the way that African-Americans with lighter or darker skin tones treated another differently.

Murray's ancestry is made up of both blacks and whites, according to the web site. Her mother was one of the Fitzgeralds of Durham, a prominent African-American family. In 1977, Murray became one of the first women and the first African-American woman to be ordained as an Episcopal priest. She was 66. She was also a co-founder of the National Organization for Women and the Congress of Racial Equality.


The Pauli Murray Project is part of the Duke Human Rights Center and is supported by the Andrus Family Fund and the North Carolina Humanities Council.

For more information, check out Dawn Baumgartner Vaughn’s article in The Herald-Sun at: http://heraldsun.com/bookmark/4437749.

Chapel Hill's Own Mama Dip's Kitchen Makes Best Diners List

Southern Living magazine has named Chapel Hill's Mama Dip's Kitchen as one of the best diners in the South, with the local diner coming in at No. 2 on the list, according to the magaine's November issue.

From Maryland to Texas, all of the spots served great Southern Food, says the magazine:

"Mildred Edna Cotten Council grew up watching her mother use the “dump cooking” method that measures ingredients by sight and taste instead of by recipe. Luckily Mildred, also known as Mama Dip, later wrote down her recipes. Otherwise, the family members who helped her open Mama Dip’s Kitchen in 1976 near the University of North Carolina campus wouldn’t be able to make dishes such as Mildred’s succulent pork chops and fried chicken. She also keeps vegetarians satisfied with house specialties like a savory okra-and-tomatoes combination."

Mama Dip's recipe for "Community Nurse Macaroni and Cheese (named for the traveling public health nurses who once showed young mothers how to make
nutritious meals)" is featured in the magazine:

Community Nurse Macaroni and Cheese
(from Mama Dip’s Family Cookbook)

1 cup dry milk
1⁄4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (Diner Secret!)
1⁄2 pound shredded sharp cheese
1⁄2 stick butter or margarine, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 box (16 ounces) elbow macaroni, prepared as directed
1⁄2 cup bread or cracker crumbs

Preheat oven to 375°. Mix together the first eight ingredients in a big bowl.Stir in the macaroni and pour into a 1 ½-quart baking dish. Top with bread or cracker crumbs. Bake for 45 minutes. Serves 6.

Mama Dip's Kitchen is located at: 408 West Rosemary Street in Chapel Hill; mamadips.com 919-942-5837.

There's a Thomas Day Movement Afoot

Being a historic properties Realtor with a love for older homes by the antebellum woodworking artist Thomas Day, I was thrilled to be able to meet Dr. Jo Ramsay Leimenstoll, professor of interior architecture at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, during this weekend’s Preservation NC conference in New Bern.

Leimenstoll has a new book on Thomas Day coming out this spring and she announced during Friday’s presentation that there will be a concurrent Thomas Day exhibit in May at the NC Museum of History. Plus, I learned that two of the houses featured in her book are listings that I have either listed or sold: the Garland-Buford and the Woodside-Richmond houses.

Leimenstoll said Saturday that she was able to identify at least 80 properties known to have Thomas Day’s woodworkings, with at least 40 in Caswell County, NC; and 20 or more on the Virginia side of the Dan River. But she narrows her focus for her book to six historic homes including one of the houses I currently have on the market: the Woodside-Richmond.

Each of the six have common architectural themes: a center hall and formal parlor, artistic newell posts that vary in appearance as light levels change throughout the day, three-dimensional stair brackets, stair-landing friezes that serve both an artistic and architectural purpose, and four basic mantle types.

The author also announced that her book will feature exquisite color photography by noted architectural photographer Tim Buchman of Charlotte. But before Leimenstoll’s work can be published, PNC must raise $30,000 to cover the cost of the photography. To date, nearly $11,000 has been committed to this Thomas Day project.

While I was at the conference, I spoke with Shannon Phillips about becoming a sponsor of Leimonstoll's publication. Sponsors with tax-deductible gifts of $500 or more will be acknowledged in the book’s foreword and will receive an autographed copy. Commitments must be received by Dec. 1, 2009. For more information, contact Phillips at sphillips@presnc.org or call 919-832-3652.

Anyone looking to own their very own Thomas Day home may contact me at ljanes@markthomasrealty.com or 919-423-3463 for a personal tour of the Woodside-Richmond house at 1939 Hwy. 57 in Milton. This renovated and updated 1838 Greek Revival manor on the National Register of Historic Properties is a magnificent Thomas Day home. Beautifully furnished with five bedrooms, three full baths, five half baths, and a large commercial kitchen, this income-producing property is currently being used by clients of the nearby Virginia International Raceway; and for weddings, retreats, workshops and special events. Listed for $499,000, this price does not include the sale of the furnishings.

With the publication of Leimonstoll’s new book and the concurrent exhibit scheduled at the state museum of history this spring, there is an exciting Thomas Day movement afoot. And as more and more Thomas Day properties and furnishings are identified across North Carolina and Virginia, the ownership of his works will be more highly desirable.

Holding Off on Historic Tax-Break Decision Gives Durham More Time

Preservation has been one of the key forces for economic development in Downtown Durham. But now City Council members are looking at tightening eligibility requirements for a tax-break program for historic landmarks, fearing revenue loses for the city. Council voted 6-0 last night to wait until May to decide whether to designate six properties as historic landmarks.

“The delay is supposed to buy time for city/county planners to come up with potential changes to the landmark program that could tighten eligibility requirements facing property owners," according to Ray Gronberg of the Herald-Sun.

In today's Durham paper Gronberg cited City Manager Tom Bonfield as saying that "it's possible the effort could take longer than six months, as there's ‘quite a bit of staff work’ facing officials in the City/County Planning Department.

“Council members signaled their intention to postpone debate on the applications before giving preservationists and downtown business leaders a chance during Monday night's meeting to speak on the idea.

“Once they did, it became apparent the move had opposition. Critics said the council shouldn't back away from a well-considered policy that has helped draw investment into troubled neighborhoods.

“Even downtown, ‘it's obvious that historic preservation has been the driving tool for economic development in this community,’ said John Compton, executive director of Preservation Durham.

“Another critic, Gary Kueber of Scientific Properties, noted that landmark-driven property tax breaks helped make his employer's renovation of the Golden Belt business center on East Main Street possible.

“Given that city officials tout the Golden Belt project as one of the signature efforts in the comeback of downtown and North-East Central Durham, it's ‘not consistent in my mind to damage the programs that have made [that] success possible,’ Kueber said.

“The delay came after council members and County Commissioners alike raised questions like month about the program, which gives owners of council-approved landmarks a 50 percent break on their property taxes.

“For both board, the worries about the program are financial. The six pending applications would cost the two governments a combined $41,902 in revenue each year.

“Some officials fret that given how many old homes still exist in Durham, the revenue loses could mount as more people take advantage of the program.

“But Compton noted that being a landmark isn't all benefit for a building's owner. The label in addition to a tax break means giving up some future redevelopment rights, and submitting plans for exterior renovations to a veto-wielding city/county Historic Preservation Commission.

“City Councilmen Mike Woodard and Howard Clement, who were among those who questioned the program last month, both said Monday they don't want to end it.

“Woodard agreed with preservationists that it's likely tax-break fueled repairs to some properties have actually boosted the local tax base. But he said he wants to see documentation of that, perhaps even as part of the process for reviewing applications.

“He also said the city's Office of Economic and Workforce Development perhaps deserves a role in the review process.

“The full council Monday. The vote went in the books as a 6-0 because Councilman Farad Ali abstained. Ali is co-owner of a house on North Mangum Street that's on one of the pending applications.”

Based on an article by Ray Gronberg
gronberg@heraldsun.com; 419-6648

The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation

Special thanks goes to Mitch Wilds of the North Carolina Historic Preservation Office who shared with us the 10 standards that every older-home owner needs to know if they are ever planning to submit an application to one of the city, state or federal historic preservation programs.

In the United States, the Secretary of the Interior sets the standards for national preservation programs with its “Standards for Rehabilitation.” The Secretary of the Interior is responsible for establishing standards under departmental authority and for advising Federal agencies on the preservation of historic properties listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Standards for Rehabilitation, a section of the Secretary’s Standards for Historic Preservation Projects, addresses the most prevalent preservation treatment today: rehabilitation. Rehabilitation" is defined as "the process of returning a property to a state of utility, through repair or alteration, which makes possible an efficient contemporary use while preserving those portions and features of the property which are significant to its historic, architectural, and cultural values."

The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation

“The Standards that follow were originally published in 1977 and revised in 1990 as part of Department of the Interior regulations (36 CFR, Part 67, Historic Preservation Certification). They pertain to historic buildings of all materials, construction types, sizes, and occupancy and encompass the exterior and the interior, related landscape features and the building's site and environment as well as attached, adjacent, or related new construction.

“The Standards are to be applied to specific rehabilitation projects in a reasonable manner, taking into consideration economic and technical feasibility.

1. “A property shall be used for its historic purpose or be placed in a new use that requires minimal change to the defining characteristics of the building and its site and environment.

2. “The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The removal of historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall be avoided.

3. “Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or architectural elements from other buildings, shall not be undertaken.

4. “Most properties change over time; those changes that have acquired historic significance in their own right shall be retained and preserved.

5. “Distinctive features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property shall be preserved.

6. “Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature shall match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features shall be substantiated by documentary, physical, or pictorial evidence.

7. “Chemical or physical treatments, such as sandblasting, that cause damage to historic materials shall not be used. The surface cleaning of structures, if appropriate, shall be undertaken using the gentlest means possible.

8. “Significant archeological resources affected by a project shall be protected and preserved. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures shall be undertaken.

9. “New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment.

10.” New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.

“Note: To be eligible for Federal tax incentives, a rehabilitation project must meet all 10 standards. The application of these standards to rehabilitation projects is to be the same as under the previous version so that a project previously acceptable would continue to be acceptable under these standards.

“Certain treatments, if improperly applied, or certain materials by their physical properties, may cause or accelerate physical deterioration of historic buildings. Inappropriate physical treatments include, but are not limited to: improper repointing techniques; improper masonry cleaning methods; or improper introduction of insulation where damage of historic fabric would result. In almost all situations, use of these materials and treatments will result in denial of certification. In addition, every effort should be made to ensure that the new materials and workmanship are compatible with the materials and workmanship of the historic property.

“Guidelines to help property owners, developers, and Federal manager apply the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation are available from the National Park Service, State Historic Preservation Offices, or from the Government Printing Office.”

For more information, write:

National Park Service
Preservation Assistance Division – 424
P.O. Box 37127
Washington, DC, 20013-7127.
http://www.nps.gov/hps/TPS/tax/rhb/index.htm

Tax Benefits of Residential Rehabilitation

Applications are up across the state this year in terms of the number of owners of non-income producing historic properties submitting proposals for tax credits, according to Mitch Wilds of the state Historic Preservation Office. Wilds spoke on the “Tax Benefits of Residential Rehabilitation” during Preservation North Carolina’s Annual Conference Oct. 29-31 in New Bern.

“Tax credits provide a dollar-for-dollar reduction in the amount of taxes owed with up to 30 percent tax credits available through the state for private homes or condominiums that are certified rehabilitation projects,” Wilds said. Although federal funds are not available for non-income producing properties, historic preservationists are hoping to see a federal equivalency approved in the near future.

To qualify for the state credit, private properties must be on the National Register of Historic Places or a contributing structure in a national historic district. All rehabilitation work must meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

The owner should begin taking the tax credit in the year the project is completed, he said. State tax credits may be taken in five equivalent installments. Any unused portion may be carried forward five years.

There is initially a two-step application process. In Part A of the process, the applicant should submit a description of the work before embarking upon the project to “resolve potential design and rehabilitation problems that could result in denial of the credits,” Wilds explained. The state Historic Preservation Office likes to see site plans, floor plans, possible elevation drawings and other renderings of the existing site, as well as a detailed of the proposed work. For part A of the application, there is a $250 application fee.

In Part B, the state will request certification for the completed work to determine if the final project has conformed to the standards for rehabilitation. Hard-copy photographs (no CD’s or emails) should be submitted showing both exterior and interior views of the building. Additional application fees must be submitted along with Part B of the application. There is a fee chart included with the paperwork that shows the amount required and is based upon the amount of the project. This fee can cost up to $1,000 for a $100,000 to $150,000 project, but can be included as one of the soft costs in your project.

If the homeowner decides to sell the property, the tax credits are fully transferable to the new owner.

Here are the guidelines that Mitch Wilds distributed from the North Carolina Historic Preservation Office:

State and Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits

* State tax credits are available for the rehabilitation of non-income-producing historic properties in addition to federal and state tax credits for income-producing historic properties. The present historic preservation tax credit measures provide:

* A 20% state tax credit for rehabilitation of income-producing historic tax structures that also qualify for the 20% federal investment tax credit. In effect, the combined federal-state credits reduce the cost of a certified rehabilitation of an income-producing historic structure by 40%.

* A 30% state tax credit for qualifying rehabilitation of non-income-producing historic structures, including owner-occupied personal residences. There is no equivalent federal credit for rehabilitations.

Non-income-producing properties

* Property owners of historic structures are strongly advised to consult with the State Historic Preservation Office before beginning a rehabilitation to resolve potential design and rehabilitation problems that could result in denial of the credits.

* Only certified historic structures will qualify for the credits. A “certified historic structure” is defined as a building that is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, either individually or as a contributing building in the National Register historic district, or as a contributing building within a local historic district that has been certified by the U.S. Department of the Interior. (There are only three of the latter in North Carolina. These are the Blount Street Historic District in Raleigh, the Goldsboro Historic District, and the Decatur-Hunter Historic District in Madison).

* A non-income-producing building must be a “certified historic structure” at a time the state credit is taken – that is, it must be actually listed in the National Register of Historic Places or it will not qualify for the state credit. Property owners must begin taking the credit in the year the rehabilitation project is completed.

* An owner may begin a rehabilitation project on a non-income-producing property prior to listing the property in the National Register, with the intention of having it listed in the Register by the time the project is completed. However, because listing of a property by a desired deadline cannot be guaranteed, owners are strongly urged to secure National Register listing of their non-income-producing property prior to beginning a certified rehabilitation.

* The rehabilitation of the historic structure must be substantial. For non-income-producing properties, the rehabilitation expenses must exceed $25,000 within a 24-month period, sometime during the project.

* The State Historic Preservation Office reviews rehabilitation work on non-income-producing historic structures. All rehab work must meet the Secretary of the Interior’s “Standards of Rehabilitation.”

* The credits cannot be claimed against the cost of acquisition, enlargement of an existing building (additions), site work, or personal property. Only costs incurred in work upon or within a historic structure will qualify.

“A property is listed in the National Register of Historic Places by a nomination, which is a research report prepared according to detailed state and federal guidelines. The final authority on the National Register listing is the federal Keeper of the National Register in Washington, DC. In its role as administrator of the National Register program in North Carolina, the NC State Historic Preservation is charged with ensuring that nominations forwarded by the State Historic Preservation Officer to the Keeper are complete and correct. The State Historic Preservation Office provides direction to preparers but does not write nominations. Most nominations are prepared by private consultants hired by property owners, local governments, or private non-profit organizations. The nomination process may take six months to two years or longer.”

For more information on historic preservation certifications, contact:

David Christenbury

Preservation Architect/Tax Credit Coordinator Restoration Branch
N.C. State Historic Preservation Office NC Division of Historical Resources
4617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh NC 27699-4617
Telephone: 919-807-6574
Fax: 919-807-6599
email: david.christenbury@ncdcr.gov

For more information about the National Register of Historic Places and the requirements and procedures of listing, contact:

Ann Swallow, National Register Coordinator
Survey and Planning Branch
NC State Historic Preservation Office
NC Division of Historical Resources
4617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh NC 27699-4617
Telephone: 919-807-6587
Fax: 919-807-6599
ann.swallow@ncmail.net

State Historic Preservation Office, Office of Archives and History, Division of Historical Resources, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
http://www.hpo.ncdcr.gov/

County Reconsiders Historic Preservation Tax Break

Faced with potential revenue losses, Durham County Commissioners are taking a long-hard look at whether they wish to continue designating as many historic landmarks so owners will no longer be eligible for tax credits.

According to an article in today’s Durham ­­Herald-Sun, County Commissioners said Monday “they'd like to see a tax break for the owners of designated historic landmarks pared back, by putting a cap on applications or by lowering the credit that owners receive.”

Durham County Commissioner Ellen Reckhow told the Herald’s Ray Gronberg that “local officials should enlist the help of statewide trade groups for city and county governments to perhaps convince the N.C. General Assembly to make changes to the state law underlying the program.”

"’What's so magic about 50 percent?’ she said, referring to the discount landmark owners receive on the taxes once the city or county governments approve their application.

“The comments from Reckhow and fellow commissioner Becky Heron came four days after City Council members, facing half a dozen new applications, also signaled that they'd like to see changes.

“City and county officials alike said they're worried about cumulative revenue losses from the program.

“Among City Council members, a cap on the number of applications the City/County Planning Department processes each year and a one-year suspension of considering new applications were the two options that received the loudest support.

“‘Your counterparts on the council are on the same wavelength,’ City/County Planning Director Steve Medlin assured Heron on Monday when she suggested an application cap.

“The six applications the council is considering would cost the two governments a combined $41,902 in annual revenue. The county's share of that is $23,773 annual.

“Reckhow noted that the tax break - offered, in theory, to offset the higher costs of maintaining older buildings -- lacks a sunset provision."‘Once they get this abatement, it's available, conceivably, forever -- unless you stop the program,’ she said.

“She added that it might make sense to lower the property tax break to 25 percent or 30 percent, depending on how much it generally costs to maintain an old building and a cost-benefit study of the program.

“The commissioners got a chance to wade into the issue because Medlin and his staff were asking them to join the City Council in approving some changes to the local law the governments use in judging the merit of landmark applications.

“The main change was to say that officials can only label a property a landmark if it passes one of three tests:

- It's on the National Register of Historic Places or a national register study list;

- It's judged by officials in the State Preservation Office to have statewide historic significance;

- It's in relative terms still in its original condition with regard to ‘location, design, setting, materials and workmanship,’ and represents events, people, characteristics or architecture important to the Durham community.”

“The change also says officials won't label as a landmark any property that's actively under renovation, except if its owner has received state or federal preservation tax credits.

“Commissioners agreed to the change unanimously, echoing a vote the previous week by the City Council.“Planners said the change came in response to similar questions about the program that came up as officials were considering a set of applications that went through the council last year.

From an article by Ray Gronberg
gronberg@heraldsun.com; 419-6648

Potential buyers learn about East Durham historic properties

Whenever there's an old home tour, you can normally find me volunteering as a docent (a tour guide) in one of my favorite established neighborhoods when I am not doing an Open House for one of my own real estate listings.


When Herald-Sun reporter Cliff Bellamy visited the old Gardner House at 1817 Vale St. during Preservation Durham's East Durham yesterday, I tried to help him imagine what the house could look like after the vinyl siding had been removed, the broken windows had been repaired and the old baseboard heaters were gone. And I was pleased to open today's Herald-Sun and see that he had shared some of my comments with his readers:


East Durham Open House visitors get advice, eyeful


By Cliff Bellamy
http://heraldsun.com/bookmark/3725552


DURHAM -- "Some floorboards inside the two-story home at 402 Clay Street are buckled, showing signs of age and neglect. Upstairs, a window in one of the rooms has been removed, exposing the sturdy lathe wall construction -- this was decades before drywall -- of this 1900 house.


"It needs work, but looking at the house from across Clay Street, the house, with its wraparound porch, already shows initial signs of new life. Preservation Durham, which owns the house, has scraped the old paint, exposing wood siding in good shape.


"The Clay Street house was among five Preservation Durham houses that are for sale and were open for inspection Sunday during the East Durham Open House Event. In addition to Preservation Durham houses, visitors also could tour several homes owners have restored and now occupy, and several houses for sale by area Realtors.


"The first stop-off for the tour was 201 S. Driver St., the home of Kim Sage and partner Karen Sage. The purpose of the tour was to let potential buyers know about the historic district tax credits and loans available for restoring the historic properties, and to "dispel some misconceptions about the area," said Aidil Collins, a Vale Street resident. One misconception is that this part of East Durham is not family-friendly, when it fact many families live in the area and maintain homes.


"The Sages have been in their home since 1988, and did about 95 percent of the restoration work themselves, said Kim Sage. While the area had some tough times in the 1990s, in the last few years she has seen the neighborhood reviving house by house.


"'We fell in love with the house,' Kim Sage said. 'We wanted to live in an integrated neighborhood. We were looking at starting a family. ... We bought it.'


"Other organizers of Sunday's event were Up Lift East Durham, Preservation North Carolina and residents in East Durham.


"Potential urban pioneers received plenty of advice about fixing and financing. Over at 118 S. Driver St., Todd Hershberger, who works for Trinity Design/Build, was volunteering, and gave visitors a demonstration in window restoration. Hershberger, using pry bars, pulled moulding away from a window, revealing some water damage underneath. He explained that a major challenge in restoring old windows is getting them to work as originally intended, and an enemy of that is layers and layers of old paint.


"Legacy Green, a local organization that seeks to provide 'environmentally sensitive, economically inclusive housing options in traditionally underserved communities,' is fixing up 102 S. Driver St. for sale. Tiffany Elder showed visitors the vaulted ceiling revealed after a drop-ceiling was taken out. Elder told visitors the area she was standing in would be transformed into a commons and kitchen area with a high ceiling. Legacy Green had papers available explaining financing for someone who might want to buy the house when it is restored.


"Elder pointed to recent renovations in the Burch Avenue neighborhood and examples of Legacy's success. 'I believe that socio-economically mixed neighborhoods are the best neighborhoods," Elder said.


"The Gardener House at 1817 Vale St., also a Preservation Durham House, still has vinyl siding covering the original work, old baseboard heaters and a broken window. Volunteer Lisa Janes pointed out how a room near the entrance could be converted into a nice parlor, with another entrance that could be cut away from the wall. 'There's just so much potential,' Janes said."

***************
I spoke volumes, but my one sound bite in the article was "There's just so much potential," Janes said. It's funny what a reporter will pick up on! :D

The Loss of Two Giants

The loss of two giants…

In the past two weeks, our country has lost two giants, both from the same family, Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Edward M. Kennedy. In this July 30,1983, file photo, Shriver is shown at her brother’s annual summer-time party at his home in Hyannisport, Mass. Shriver, who is also sister to President John F. Kennedy and founder of the Special Olympics, died Aug. 11 at age 88. Her brother Edward, the “liberal lion of the Senate,” has died after battling a brain tumor. His family announced his death in a brief statement released early Wednesday (Aug. 26). He was 77.

36 Hours in the Research Triangle, N.C.

Our Research Triangle area was featured in today's travel section of the New York Times! We locals are well familiar with all the great things there are to do and see in our neck of the woods. But it sure is great to be recognized by others across the country.

Below are excerpts from the article with links to many of the great places to visit:

2 p.m.
7) RIVER WALK
"One of the Triangle’s charms is that its urban trappings are so easy to escape. A 10-mile drive from downtown Durham brings you to Eno River State Park (6101 Cole Mill Road, Durham; 919-383-1686; http://www.ncparks.gov/). Its trails pass through swaying pines and follow the river past patches of delicate purple-and-yellow wildflowers and turtles sunning themselves on low branches in the water.

5 p.m.
8) GOING WHOLE HOG
"Small towns and back roads, not cities, have a monopoly on great barbecue. What makes the Pit (328 West Davie Street, Raleigh; 919-890-4500; http://www.thepit-raleigh.com/) a striking exception is Ed Mitchell, the legendary master of the eastern North Carolina art form of whole hog cooking. Now instead of trekking 100 miles to porcine meccas like Ayden and Lexington, you can dig into pilgrimage-worthy chopped or pulled pork — made from pigs purchased from family farms and cooked for 10 to 14 hours over coals and hickory or oak — just a short stroll from the Capitol Building. A chopped barbecued pork plate with two sides and greaseless hush puppies costs $12.

7 p.m.
9) ROOT FOR THE HOME TEAM
"The Triangle is college basketball country, home to two of the winningest teams and some of the most rabid fans in N.C.A.A. history. But soon after the madness of March, the more tranquil local baseball fans stream into the Durham Bulls Athletic Park (409 Blackwell Street, Durham; 919-687-6500; http://www.dbulls.com/). The Bulls, founded in 1902 as the Tobacconists, recently became the Tampa Bay Rays’ AAA affiliate. The major league-quality play comes at minor league prices ($7 to $9 a ticket).

10 p.m.
10) BIG BANDS
"Nirvana played at the Cat’s Cradle (300 East Main Street, Carrboro; 919-967-9053; http://www.catscradle.com/) for the first time in pre-“Nevermind” 1990 to about 100 people. A year later Pearl Jam played to three times as many, filling just half the standing-room-only space. This summer the Cradle, just a mile from downtown Chapel Hill, hosts acts like Akron/Family and Camera Obscura that probably won’t be playing for such small crowds for long. Ticket prices vary but $15 is about average.

Sunday
10 a.m.
11) DRIVE-THRU BISCUITS
"There are several places in Chapel Hill that serve a distinguished Southern breakfast. Diners linger over gravy-smothered pork chops and eggs at Mama Dip’s (408 West Rosemary Street; 919-942-5837; http://www.mamadips.com/) and peerless shrimp and grits at Crook’s Corner (610 West Franklin Street; 919-929-7643; http://www.crookscorner.com/). But for a morning meal on the go that’s equally unforgettable, roll up to the drive-through-only Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen (1305 East Franklin Street; 919-933-1324), where the iced tea is tooth-achingly sweet and the main course is fluffy, buttery and filled with salty country ham ($2.02) or crisp fried chicken ($3.40).

THE BASICS
"Several airlines offer flights between the New York area airports and Raleigh-Durham International Airport for as low as $150, according to a recent online search. Durham, Raleigh and Chapel Hill are 20 to 40 minutes apart from one another and public transportation is infrequent, so if you’re planning to visit at least two points on the Triangle, you should rent a car.

"The 150-room Umstead Hotel and Spa (100 Woodland Pond, Cary; 866-877-4141; http://www.theumstead.com/), about 15 minutes from downtown Raleigh, has a pool, an elegant adjoining restaurant called Herons and an on-premises spa that offers massages and facial treatments. Doubles are $249 to $399 (there’s often a two-night minimum).

"Whether you stay in one of the seven impeccable rooms, garden cottage (complete with a porch swing) or 1700s-style log cabin at Arrowhead Inn (106 Mason Road; 919-477-8430; http://www.arrowheadinn.com/), 10 miles from downtown Durham, you’ll enjoy imaginative breakfasts made by a co-owner, Phil Teber, and have access to six acres of manicured lawns, gardens and magnolia trees. Weekend rates start at $150 for a room with a fireplace and double bed and reach $325 for the Carolina Log Cabin.

"The Carolina Inn (211 Pittsboro Street, Chapel Hill; 800-962-8519; http://www.carolinainn.com/) is not your typical on-campus hotel. In-room massages, dry cleaning service and a lobby whose Southern grandeur extends to the hotel’s 184 rooms make it much more than just convenient lodging for parents visiting the University of North Carolina. Rates start at $168."

ttp://travel.nytimes.com/2009/06/14/travel/14hours.html

By J. J. GOODE

"TELL North Carolinians you’re heading to the Research Triangle, and they’ll probably ask 'Which school are you visiting?' Yet the close-knit cities of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill are marked by more than college bars and hoops fans. Visitors not bound for Duke, the University of North Carolina or North Carolina State come to see buzz-worthy bands, dine on food from farm-worshiping chefs and explore outdoor art. From its biscuits to its boutiques, the Triangle occupies a happy place between slow-paced Southern charm and urban cool.

Friday, 3 p.m.
1) ART INSIDE OUT
"Anyone who has visited the Met or the Getty might scoff at the relatively succinct collection at the North Carolina Museum of Art (2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh; 919-839-6262; http://www.ncartmuseum.org/). But the lack of tour bus crowds means unfettered access to the Old Masters and contemporary heavyweights like Anselm Kiefer. The real treat is the adjacent Museum Park, more than 164 acres of open fields and woodlands punctuated by environmental art like Cloud Chamber, a stone hut that acts as a camera obscura, with a small hole in the roof projecting inverted, otherworldly images of slowly swaying trees on the floor and walls.

5 p.m.
2) TOWER OF BAUBLE
"There’s no pigeonholing the eclectic wares in this four-story indie minimall collectively known as Father & Son Antiques (107 West Hargett Street, Raleigh; 919-832-3030), and including Southern Swank and 2nd Floor Vintage. The organizing principle, if there is one, might be high design meets kitschy Americana, as the intermingling of vintage disco dresses ($18), Mexican wrestling masks ($20) and Eames aluminum group chairs ($250 to $500) attests.

7 p.m.
3) UPSCALE DINER
"Memorable meals are easy to come by in the Triangle owing to its high concentration of accomplished, produce-fondling chefs like Ashley Christensen. She left one of the area’s top kitchens to open Poole’s Downtown Diner (426 South McDowell Street, Raleigh; 919-832-4477; http://www.poolesdowntowndiner.com/) in a space that began as a 1940s pie shop. Diners sitting in the bright-red booths dig into Christensen’s low-pretense, high-flavor dishes, like a starter of lovably sloppy fried green tomatoes crowned with local pork smoked over cherry wood ($11), and the Royale ($13), an almost spherical hunk of ground-in-house chuck roll seared in duck fat, topped with cheese and perched on a slice of grilled brioche.

10 p.m.
4) CHEERS TO THE CHIEF
"For most bars, a popular politician’s visit would be a game-changing boon. But the Raleigh Times Bar (14 East Hargett Street, Raleigh; 919-833-0999; http://www.raleightimesbar.com/) was packed well before Barack Obama showed up the day of the state’s Democratic primary. The owner, Greg Hatem, painstakingly restored the century-old building that once housed its namesake newspaper and decorated the walls with old newspaper clippings, paperboy bags and other artifacts from the defunct daily. Mr. Obama bought a $2 Pabst Blue Ribbon (and left an $18 tip), but anyone not campaigning might choose one of the more than 100 other beers ($1 to $68), including esoteric Belgians and local brews you won’t find elsewhere.

Saturday

10:30 a.m.
5) ECO JUNK
"The Scrap Exchange (548 Foster Street, Durham; 919-688-6960; http://www.scrapexchange.org/) is a 'nonprofit creative reuse center' specializing in industrial discards or, for those not versed in eco-jargon, a bazaar of modestly priced former junk donated by Carolinians and scavenged from local businesses that include a hosiery mill, a zipper factory and a parachute plant. Even if you’re not one of the giddy artists, teachers or theater producers who comb for utilitarian treasures, plan to spend at least an hour rummaging in a cool-struck trance through test tubes (20 cents to $1), empty fire extinguishers ($3 to $5) and swaths of double-knit polyester ($1 a yard).

Noon
6) TACO TIME
"Anyone not on a hunt for serious Mexican food might drive past Taqueria La Vaquita (2700 Chapel Hill Road, Durham; 919-402-0209; http://www.lavaquitanc.com/), an unassuming freestanding structure with a plastic cow on its roof, just five minutes from Duke’s campus. But if you did, you’d miss tacos ($2.19) made with house-made corn tortillas, uncommonly delicate discs topped with exceptional barbacoa de res (slow-cooked beef) or carnitas (braised-then-fried pork) that you eat at one of the picnic tables out front.