Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission

Author: Elizabeth Stuart

April 15, 2019

Billy Maddalon, former owner of the VanLandingham Estate, recently wrote an article in The Charlotte Observer, describing steps Charlotte and Mecklenburg County should take to protect historic buildings. HLC Consulting Director, Dan Morrill, and HLC Senior Preservation Planner, Stewart Gray, provided background for the article.

VanLandingham Estate

The full article can be found below:

How Charlotte can better preserve its history”  


April 17, 2019 – 6:00 p.m.

1.  Chair’s Report: Jeff Parsons

2.  Director’s Report: Dan Morrill

3.  Senior Preservation Planner’s Report: Stewart Gray 

a.  Update on Davidson Initiative  

4.  Consideration of Funding a Survey and Research Report for the Ashford House, 241 Hoskins Avenue Drive, Charlotte, N.C.

Click Here for Map of Property

Ashford House

Ashford House

Ashford House

Ashford House Reference in the Mecklenburg African American Resources Survey

5.  Update on the Lawrence Orr House, 5025 Lawrence Orr Road, Charlotte, N.C.

Click Here for Map of Property

Lawrence Orr House

The History of Lawrence Orr

6.  Consideration of Highest Ranked Properties on the Huntersville Survey

Staff is committed to the use of surveys of historic resources as the fundamental planning tool for determining what properties should be placed at the highest priority.  Accordingly, Staff submits the following seven properties for your consideration and recommends that Staff seek to meet with the owners to ascertain their feelings about historic landmark designation.

Top Seven Ranked Properties from the Huntersville Survey

7.  Consideration of Survey and Research Reports

a.  Nevin School, 3523 Nevin Road, Charlotte, N.C.

Nevin School

Survey and Research Report on the Nevin School

b.  Martin-Worth-Henderson House, 310 Concord Road, Davidson, N.C. 

Martin-Worth-Henderson House

Survey and Research Report on the Martin-Worth-Henderson House

c.  Bonnie E. Cone House, 9234 Sandburg Avenue, Charlotte, N.C.

Click Here for Map of Property

Bonnie E. Cone House

Survey and Research Report on the Bonnie E. Cone House

Additional Reading: Historical Essay on the Bonnie E. Cone House

8.  Old Business

9.  New Business

a.  Proposal for Dating Log Buildings

Sloan-Porter House


1.  Consideration of Minutes  Click Here for April 8th Minutes

a.  Consideration of Closed Session Minutes

2.  Chair’s Report: Tom Egan

3.  Director’s Report: Dan Morrill  Click Here for Director’s Report

4.  Senior Preservation Planner’s Report: Stewart Gray

a.  Public Hearing for Historic Landmark Designation for the B.A. Sustare House, 110 West Matthews Street, Matthews, N.C.

Click Here for Survey and Research Report

The Commission will consider several matters in closed session pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11

5.  Executive Committee Report: Tom Egan  

a.  Remarks of the Consulting Director

6.  Projects Committee Report: Len Norman  Click Here for Projects Committee Minutes

a.  Several project items must be considered in closed session, which has already been convened.

At this point, the Commission should reconvene in open session.

b.  Discussion of Policy Governing Virtual Meetings of the HLC and its Constituent Bodies and Policy Governing Use of Email for Making Official Decisions 

THE PROJECTS COMMITTEE PRESENTS A SECONDED MOTION TO THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION THAT IT AMEND THE BY-LAWS OF THE HLC IN THE HLC POLICY MANUAL AS PRESENTED SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CHANGES: 1) UNDER SECTION IV. MEETINGS G(A) THAT “CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR” BE REPLACED BY “COMMITTEE CHAIR,” AND 2) UNDER SECTION IV. MEETINGS G(B) THAT “CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR” BE CHANGED TO “CHAIR OR VICE-CHAIR,” AND 3) UNDER 13. GUIDELINES FOR PROJECTS AND REAL ESTATE ACQUISITIONS THAT “THE HLC SHALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO APPOINT THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE” BE CHANGED TO “THE HLC SHALL DELEGATE TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE” AND THAT THIS SECTION BE MOVED TO III. COMMITTEES UNDER ITEM D. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

c.  Discussion of Impact of Option to Purchase Process.  Leslie Johnson has described the governing process as it presently stands.

      1)  All Options to Purchase must be approved by BOCC.

2)  Purchase price must be “reasonable” as determined by appraisal or realtor’s comps.  If latter is used language must be included stating that price could be adjusted.

3) HLC should seek to identify buyer to whom to assign the option.

4)  If the HLC decides to purchase the property, the HLC must return to the BOCC for approval after performing full due diligence.

5)  In instances when the HLC isn’t planning to purchase the property, it may choose to perform some elements of due diligence.  However, it would be based on HLC direction to the Consulting Director.

7.  Design Review Committee Report: Garrett Nelson  Click Here for Design Review Committee Minutes

a.  First National Bank Building, 110 and 112 South Tryon Street, Charlotte, N.C.

Revised Window Elevations

First National Bank Building

THE DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE PRESENTS A SECONDED MOTION TO THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION THAT THE PROPOSED WINDOW DESIGNS FOR THE FIRST STORY LEFT AND MIDDLE WINDOWS ON THE NORTH ELEVATION AS SHOWN ON THE PRESENTED PLAN FOR THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK BUILDING, 110 AND 112 SOUTH TRYON STREET, CHARLOTTE, N.C., BE IDENTICAL IN DESIGN TO THE EXISTING WINDOWS ON THE NORTH ELEVATION WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE SINGLE HORIZONTAL DIVIDER AND THAT THE THIRD RIGHT WINDOW BE SHORTER IN ORDER TO AVOID THE SEATING AREA IN POLK PLACE PARK AND THAT STAFF AND THE DESIGN REVIEW CHAIR WILL APPROVE THE CHANGES BEFORE A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS IS ISSUED. 

b.  George Stephens House, 821 Harvard Place, Charlotte, N.C.

Click Here for Plans and Site Plan

George Stephens House

THE DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE PRESENTS A SECONDED MOTION TO THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION THAT THE PROPOSED DECK ADDITION FOR THE GEORGE STEPHENS HOUSE, 821 HARVARD PLACE, CHARLOTTE, N.C., SHOULD STEP-BACK FROM THE SIDE ELEVATION AND THAT THE PERGOLA SHOULD NOT PROJECT PAST THE SIDE ELEVATION. 

8.  Survey Committee Report: Jeff Parsons  Click Here for Survey Committee Minutes

a.  Consideration of Funding a Survey and Research Report for the Ashford House, 241 Hoskins Avenue Drive, Charlotte, N.C.

Click Here for Map of Property

Ashford House

The Survey Committee presents a unanimous consensus to the Historic Landmarks Commission that it fund a Survey and Research Report for the Ashford House, 241 Hoskins Avenue Drive, Charlotte, N.C., and that this funding be delayed until after the start of the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2019.

b.  Consideration of Survey and Research Report for the Nevin School, 3523 Nevin Road, Charlotte, N.C.

Survey and Research Report on the Nevin School

Nevin School

The Survey Committee presents a unanimous consensus to the Historic Landmarks Commission that it process the Nevin School (including the exteriors of the 1923 school building and the 1949 auditorium, as well as the tax parcels upon which the buildings sit), 3523 Nevin Road, Charlotte, N.C., for historic landmark designation.

c.  Consideration of Survey and Research Report for the Martin-Worth-Henderson House, 310 Concord Road, Davidson, N.C.

Survey and Research Report on the Martin-Worth-Henderson House

Martin-Worth-Henderson House

The Survey Committee presents a unanimous consensus to the Historic Landmarks Commission that it process the Martin-Worth-Henderson House (including the interior and exterior of the building, as well as the entire tax parcel upon which it sits), 310 Concord Road, Davidson, N.C., for historic landmark designation.

d. Consideration of Survey and Research Report for the Bonnie E. Cone House, 9234 Sandburg Avenue, Charlotte, N.C.

Survey and Research Report on the Bonnie E. Cone House

Bonnie E. Cone House

The Survey Committee presents a unanimous consensus to the Historic Landmarks Commission that it process the Bonnie E. Cone House (including the exterior of the building as well as the entire tax parcel upon which it sits), 9234 Sandburg Avenue, Charlotte, N.C., for historic landmark designation. 

9.  Treasurer’s Report: Nathan Clark  Click Here for April 2019 Project Budget

10.  Nominating Committee Report: Laura Hoover

11.  Old Business

12.  New Business



March 25, 2019 – 6:00 p.m.

1.  Chair’s Report: Len Norman

2.  Director’s Report: Dan Morrill

3.  Brief Update on Projects: Dan Morrill and Peter Wasmer

a.  Torrence Lytle School, 302 Holbrooks Road, Huntersville, N.C.

Click Here for Term Sheet

Click Here for Successful Start Charter School Financials

b.  Ingleside, 7225 Bud Henderson Road, Huntersville, N.C.

c. Barnhardt House, 3217 Maymont Place, Charlotte, N.C.

Barnhardt Budget

d.  Edgewood Farm, 11132 Eastfield Road, Charlotte, N.C.

e.  Former Standard Oil Company Service Station, 1010 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte, N.C.

f.  James C. Dowd House and Former Charlotte Fire Station #10, 2216 Monument Avenue and 2136 Remount Road, Charlotte, N.C.

g.  Streetcar #85

h.  Trolley Car #1

4.  Discussion of Ranking of Projects

February 2019 Project Budget

5.  The Committee will consider several matters in closed session pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11. 

6.  Old Business

7.  New Business