August 21, 2020
The Charlotte Museum of History’s virtual Charlotte Preservation Awards ceremony held on August 20 showcased many notable properties throughout the area that have been thoughtfully and successfully preserved. The Historic Landmarks Commission would like to congratulate HLC Senior Preservation Planner, Stewart Gray, for his work on the Huntersville Town Jail; HLC Commissioner, Brian Clarke, for being recognized with the Award with Distinction for his restoration of the Sloan-Porter House; and HLC Executive Director, Jack Thomson, for emceeing the night’s ceremony.
From the Museum:
Congratulations to all our nominees and winners for this year’s Preservation Awards!
Our independent panel of judges were so impressed with all of the nominations – which is why we added the Award with Distinction category!
Here’s a brief overview of the winners:
Infill | Residential: 208 Grandin by Williams Farrow.
This brand-new construction was modeled after a home in the 1923 Sears catalog. This attention to detail means it fits in perfectly with its Wesley Heights neighbors.
Preservation in a Small/Medium Community: Mooresville Historic Wall Mural Restoration.
This new category for 2020 was designed to honor projects in small towns outside Mecklenburg County and the historic mural restoration in Mooresville hit the nail on the head! This project really shows how a small upgrade can have a big impact in a historic downtown.
Excellence in Preservation | Community: Huntersville Town Jail.
The jail is Huntersville’s oldest municipal building, constructed as a public works project during the Great Depression. After years of neglect, the Jail is now a community space and will be the center of a planned pocket park.
Excellence in Preservation | Advocacy: NCModernist.
George Smart founded NCModernist in 2007 and since then his largely volunteer team has documented over 2000 modern homes in North Carolina and about 400 in Charlotte alone. All of this information is free and accessible to architectural enthusiasts, realtors, and anyone who want to find it.
Preservation | Commercial: 2322 Dunavant.
This Southend warehouse was a blank slate and would probably have been torn down by any other developer. But Argos Real Estate Advisors transformed it into the cool mixed-use space it is now. Today, the space contains the restaurant, The Dunavant, with additional space for future offices.
Preservation | Residential: W Park Ave – Historic Wilmore Renovation.
When Sarah & Alex Wheat first looked at this house, it was difficult to see past the decay (and the oil drum weirdly in the living room). Thanks to their strong preservation ethic, their home retains much of its historic charm, including the original windows!
Award with Distinction | Sodoma Law – The Graham.
This historic cotton mill in the heart of Fourth Ward has had many stories over its 100-year lifetime, including a plane crash! Thanks to the efforts of Ratzlaff Construction, CDesign, and SGA | NarmourWright Design, the empty shell was brought back to life, with several historic elements intact or adapted inside the open space.
Award with Distinction | Sloan-Porter House.
The restoration of this 18th century home, one of the few left in the county, was truly a labor of love for Brian Clarke and Sarah Hammett Clarke. Doing much of the work themselves, they restored the home to honor its deep history in the Steele Creek Community.
Congratulations to all these fantastic projects!
