An architectural style called Brutalism? Just what were they thinking? Without a trained eye, Brutalist buildings are aptly named. Hard concrete walls, minimal windows, harsh lines and a scarcity of decoration are hallmarks of the style. Greensboro has several notable examples of the style, including the Governmental Plaza (image, upper right), arguably the best example of…
DetailsOne of Greensboro’s most interesting historic houses is getting a major makeover. The William Fields House at 447 Arlington Street near Southside was constructed between 1875 and 1879 (image, right). The two-story brick structure was designed in the Gothic Revival style of architecture, an unusual theme in the American South where steep-pitched roofs and narrow…
DetailsI have never heard someone from Charlotte say “I went to Greensboro the other day and their roller coasters are so cool.” I have never heard someone from Raleigh say “I was in Greensboro yesterday and the mall there is so cool.” I have heard people from both cities (and others) say “I was in…
DetailsWhat’s your North Carolina architectural IQ? Who is your favorite local architect or builder? Chances are, your IQ will skyrocket and your favorite designers will multiply after visiting the new Biographical Dictionary of Architects and Builders in North Carolina website. The effort to record biographies of Tar Heel architects began during the research for the…
DetailsButte goes by many nicknames – The richest hill on earth; The Gibraltar of unionism; The ugliest town in the world; The most pictorial place in America, and most recently, The nation’s largest Superfund site. It is the home of the Butte-Anaconda National Historic Landmark District, the National Folk Festival, and was host to the…
DetailsA touchstone to Greensboro’s commercial past now enjoys an extra level of recognition…and protection. Last night, the Meyer’s Department Store building at the corner of South Elm Street and February One Place was designated as a Guilford County Landmark Property by the Greensboro City Council. The owner-requested designation was unanimously approved by council following a…
DetailsThe year 2009 is turning out to be a notable year – in demolitions for downtown Greensboro. A few months ago, a two-story Queen Anne-style house was destroyed on Blandwood Avenue. On Easter weekend, the 110-year old Love House on Smith Street in Fisher Park was lost. Today, the old offices for Big Brothers Big Sisters…
DetailsHigh Point has quite a few notable textbook examples of residential architecture. The Wilson House at 425 Hillcrest Drive is a rendition of the landmark home known as Tudor Place in the Georgetown section of Washington DC. The Zollicoffer House at 1207 Johnson Street (image, right) studiously follows the design philosophy of Frank Lloyd Wright.…
DetailsThe North State Milling Company at 816 South Elm Street is an excellent example of an early twentieth-century industrial site. The company was founded in 1912 and manufactured plain and self-rising corn meal and flour, hen scratch, bran, and feed for livestock. Grain was brought to the site by truck and by rail where it…
DetailsAny building with the scale, history, and gravitas of the L. Richardson Preyer Federal Building on Market Street has a few stories to tell. With a recent Insider Tour sponsored by Preservation Greensboro, a few interesting secrets long forgotten were revealed about the stature and past of the building. Architectural historians consider the structure to…
DetailsLandmarks, Preservation Greensboro’s quarterly newsmagazine, will be delivered to area mailboxes soon! The publication is delivered to those who contribute to Preservation Greensboro (PGI), but is also available at Blandwood Mansion for pickup. The cover sports a porch detail of the Preservation Award-winning Anthony House, the centerpiece of the new apartment community “The Gardens at the Anthony…
DetailsSally Quinn’s heartfelt essay about her foray into historic preservation reminds us of the value of place, history, and authenticity. Her East Hampton, New York home, Grey Gardens, is the setting of a recent HBO film about the life of its previous inhabitants…inspired by a now-cultish classic documentary from 1975. “The first thing the contractor said was, “It…
Details
