Honoring the Past, Building a Future
Seeing Possibility Where Others See Decay In Part One, we looked at how professionals examine an old building, foundation, walls, beams, rooflines, and materials, to determine whether life still remains in the structure. But knowing a building can be saved is only the beginning. The next question is who helps make that happen. This is where professionals … Continue reading The People Who Decide if a Building is Savable – #2
Can This Building Be Saved? Every historic building faces a moment when its future hangs in the balance. Before restoration begins, before new life can go forward for an old storefront, someone must answer a simple question. Can this building be saved? That question led me into a fascinating world of engineers, architects, and restoration … Continue reading The People Who Decide If a Building is Savable – #1
“Cities are remembered not only for what they build new, but for what they choose to keep.” SFH These buildings matter. They are a presence in the story of Rocky Mount; not burdens but possibilities. They still possess beauty, dignity, and purpose. These photographs show us that restoration does not begin with money or construction. … Continue reading Three Downtown Buildings: Restored to Their Original Beauty
I'm in love again with another beautiful building under restoration. This time it’s 234 SW Main Street. The first thing that caught my eye was the color palette. The soft gray façade, the white trim, and the darker accents create an elegance that feels both modern and respectful of the building’s history. Whoever is guiding this restoration … Continue reading A Jewel Being Polished: 234 SW Main Street
I click my heels, pause, and salute the one hundred–year celebration of a historic Main Street building. As the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer says, “It is meet and right so to do.” Standing on a corner of Main Street with steadfastness, this commercial building has done its work faithfully for a century. It holds … Continue reading A Sunday Snow Day and a 100-Year Story on Main Street
When future historians look back on this era of preservation and renewal, they will find that, it is the stories they uncover that give this movement its heartbeat. The world of preservation in America emerged from a growing awareness that progress, unchecked, was erasing the very places that told our nation’s story. As postwar development … Continue reading Stories Give Preservation Its Heartbeat
Main Street Rocky Mount 