Becoming a Main Street City in 1981 under the N.C. Department of Natural Resources and Community Development (now under the N.C. Department of Commerce) offered New Bern the chance to mobilize its forces to develop a successful revitalization project.
In March 1981 at a public meeting of 140 citizens prior to New Bern officially becoming a participant in the state’s new Main Street Program, the Main Street Resource Team from the National Trust for Historic Preservation pointed out the rehabilitation of buildings is just one of many components in downtown revitalization, however, it is a very important one and façade and sign improvements needed to be implemented as soon as possible.
The central business district building stock was deteriorated, upper floors abandoned for the most part, upper portions of a number of facades were left to crumble and often the only signs of attention were aluminum and plywood cover-ups hastily applied over historic building fabric. The backs of buildings were in poor condition due to neglect, understandable considering they were not in the public view; however, the back facades would become visually important as the interior off street parking lots were developed.
As a first step, a $30,000 Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation grant to the N.C. Main Street Program funded a full-time architect for a year to work with N.C. Main Street cities. Each city had $2,500 to use at their discretion for incentive programs or design assistance for merchants/owners who agreed to undertake façade or sign improvements. N.C. Main Street architect, Jo Ramsey was hired to work with the Main Street cities conducting workshops and providing renderings, working drawings and consultation services with selected owners who were interested in renovating the facades of their buildings.
In September 1981, City Planner, David Rowland and Swiss Bear Director, Kay Williams, submitted an application to the Kellenberger Historical Foundation and received $20,000 for design assistance in developing façade renderings and working drawings for a minimum of 10 historic buildings in the central business district to insure rehabilitation work was based on good design in keeping with the character of the building. The grant funded an architect to prepare working drawings and cost estimates based on research of the original appearance of the building and on-site consultation as needed.
The Kellenberger Design Assistance Committee included a representative from the New Bern Preservation Foundation and Historic District Commission. Participating property owners had to commit to undertake and complete the work within 12 — 18 months complying with the plans developed during the design phase.
Applications were received from 12 property owners. By the end of 1983, five of the property owners completed façade and other major improvements to their buildings. Jo Ramsey completed back façade drawings for North Carolina National Bank (NCNB), front and back drawings for Central Office Supply (Pollock Street businesses with back facades facing the new parking lot under construction) who followed through with façade renovations.
Swiss Bear acquired a grant for a New Bern Paint Bucket Project and hired Peter Sandbeck, Architectural Historian to conduct paint research on original and early paint colors and make recommendations of appropriate period colors for historic buildings being rehabbed.
Swiss Bear and the New Bern Preservation Foundation co-sponsored training sessions on the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program, administered by the National Park Service which offered a 20 percent federal tax credit for qualified rehabilitation expenses.
City Planner, David Rowland completed tax certification applications for six downtown tax incentive projects and the Historic District Commission re-addressed its sign ordinance regulating policies in the Downtown Historic District. Swiss Bear and the N.C. Main Street Program sponsored restoration workshops for property owners conducted by architect Jo Ramsey and Peter Sandbeck.
The City and Swiss Bear worked with eight local banks creating a two million dollar low interest tax exempt loan pool used to assist with the major renovation/rehabilitation of four major downtown buildings including the Belk/O. Marks Building.
As a added incentive, the Neuse River Council was approved to administer the Small Business Administration (SBA) loan program in nine counties, including Craven, which required a business owner to put in a minimum of 10 percent, a conventional lender 50 percent and the SBA pay the remaining 40 percent for bricks and mortar projects that could be borrowed over 25 years at a fixed rate.
Swiss Bear hired Land and Community Associates, Charlottesville, Virginia to document downtown buildings and develop a series of pamphlets that were widely distributed to owners interested in renovating their buildings. The topics of the six pamphlets included the history of downtown New Bern; a commercial building inspection checklist; design and maintenance of front and rear facades; appropriate commercial signage, awnings and window displays for commercial buildings; and, planning your rehabilitation/working with architects and contractors.
By December 1986, 31 facades were restored in varying degrees. The assessed tax value on the 31 properties in 1980 was $2,057,560. In 1986, the assessed value on the 31 properties after rehabilitation and 5 new construction projects was $16,596,180.
In 1987, to keep the momentum going, I applied to the Kellenberger Historical Foundation for a $15,000 grant and developed the Downtown Façade Incentive Grant Program providing financial assistance to building owners in the Municipal Service Tax District who would improve the facades of their buildings. Grants were awarded on a 50/50 matching basis with a maximum participation of $1,000 per façade. Fourteen property owners received grants for projects ranging from replacing awnings to major renovations of the front and rear facades.
The numerous strategies produced significant results and were a catalyst for promoting good design. Over the years, the momentum continued. Today, approximately 95 percent of the facades on downtown’s buildings have been rehabbed in varying degrees.
In 1980, downtown appeared beaten, bruised and neglected. Through strong leadership, a coordinated strategy, teamwork and cooperation, both public and private, façade improvements implemented in keeping with the historic character of the buildings played a major role in transforming downtown. Downtown is once again known for its distinctive “sense of place.”
Susan Moffat-Thomas is executive director of Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corporation. Her column appears every other week.