John StatonWilmington StarNews
On May 16, the Historic Wilmington Foundation handed out its annual Preservation Awards.
In such categories as adaptive reuse (won by Olivero restaurant and others), rehabilitation (Tap Tea Bar and others) and restoration (Temple of Israel and others), the HWF, a nonprofit dating to 1966 with the mission of protecting historic assets in New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties, intended to "pay tribute to the homeowners, businesses and contractors working to preserve and protect our built history."
To get one of HWF's ubiquitous historic plaques that can be seen on front porches all over town, a structure must be at least 75 years old, while properties eligible for Preservation Awards must be more than 50 years old.
Notably, HWF did not give out an award in one category: "Appropriate new construction," which it defines as "new construction that maintains a visual distinction between old and new while maintaining a respect for the character, mass and materials of the adjacent historic buildings."
With construction going on all over Wilmington, perhaps more than at any time in the city's history, some might find that omission a bit shocking.
"We've not given an award in that category in three years," said Historic Wilmington Foundation director Travis Gilbert, conceding with hearty laugh that "that says something without saying anything."
The last time the HWF handed out an award for appropriate new construction was in 2020 for the building at 200 Market St.
"The scale, the massing, it doesn't overpower or dominate the block," Gilbert said.
The new construction's not going to stop any time soon.
Downtown Wilmington recently lost the old Manor movie theater, which dated to 1941. Since it's in downtown's central business district, however, Gilbert said he sees it as "safer infill" because whatever replaces it will have to adhere to the city's recently revamped design standards for historic districts and landmarks.
Downtown will also soon lose the downtown branch of the New Hanover County library, built in 1951 as a Belk department store, at Third and Chestnut streets. As part of Project Grace, the library and the Cape Fear Museum will move into a building currently under construction half a block away. The library site will become a mixed-use development created by Cape Fear Development, the details of which have not yet been revealed.
In addition, the city of Wilmington recently announced that it would take bids for the demolition of a former city office building, parts of which date to 1959 and which originally operated as a bank, at Third and Chestnut streets. The city recently hit pause on the demolition of its former offices, saying the building might still be torn down but that, essentially, the issue deserves further study.
What might become of the site of the former city offices once they're torn down, if they're torn down, is unknown. But it's definitely possible that downtown Wilmington will soon have two big, half-block footprints on either side of a high-traffic corner of Third Street that will be filled with new development.
"We just can't keep tearing down stuff," said Michael Smith, a member of the city of Wilmington’s Historic Preservation Commission from 2018 to 2022 and a recent recipient of the HWF's Katherine Howell Award, which recognizes leadership in furthering the cause of preservation in the Lower Cape Fear.
According to the city's own, recently revamped design standards for historic districts and landmarks, "Demolition creates an irreversible loss of resources that contributes to the integrity and character of the Historic Districts."
Smith has been a part of Wilmington's preservation community since 1977 — the HWF calls him a "pioneer" — when he bought and began renovating the Queen Anne style Zollicoffer W. Whitehead House on South Second Street, where he still lives.
"I wish we had stiffer standards on new construction, more muscle for the city and the county," Smith said.
But because Project Grace and the former city offices lie outside downtown's central business district, the Historic Preservation Commission doesn't have any say. That also goes for preservation groups like the HWF.
"We only have the power of public persuasion," Gilbert said, saying that he sees the HWF as "advocating for sensible infill that respects the historic character of downtown."
Having so much space to fill downtown, both real and potential, "could be an opportunity," he said, to reflect the historic character of downtown. "We very much challenge new development to meet that opportunity."
Many consider the former Belk building, as well as the older part of the former city offices (the newer part dates to the '80s) as being "non-contributing" buildings in terms of history and/or architecture.
Even so, Gibert said, on Chestnut Street, the Belk/library building forms what Gilbert calls an architectural "three sisters" with the Cape Fear Hotel and the Murchison Building. Soon to be down to two sisters.
"They are all of a very similar scale. It gets larger and higher as you get to the river. They speak to each other. It speaks what those buildings do to our collective sense of place on Chestnut Street," Gilbert said. "That new infill needs to take into account that entire view shed. Not try to mimic history, but respect it.
"New buildings and demos of non-contributing structures will always be of interest to historic preservationists."
As for what happens to the former city offices, the site is right in line with an even more iconic Wilmington sightline that includes Thalian Hall, the old courthouse and St. James and First Presbyterian churches.
"We wait and see," Gilbert said.
