NC Olderhouse

Don’t Miss Our Open House at 1827 Hideaway Lane This Sunday from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

2011-05-21T10:26:00.000-07:00

This wonderful two-story is on quiet, Hideaway Lane in the great Heritage II neighborhood and was built in 2001. There’s a cozy living room fireplace with gas logs with an attractive mantel piece with custom shelving. The separate dining room has a large bay window and lets in lots of light. The modern kitchen has easy-to clean, gleaming white cabinetry.

With a total of 1,352 sq.ft. of living space, this three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath traditional home has a large master bedroom. You’ll enjoy outdoor living from a large deck just off the dining room. The great .42-acre lot features a private backyard, an outdoor storage closet and a huge Amish-style barn. Perfectly located within an easy walk to the Eno River and Easley Elementary, the house is now priced at $147,900.

For more information, pictures and video, visit:

http://www.postlets.com/repb/4950399

Come by our Open House this Sunday or call for a private showing at your convenience:

Lisa Dye Janes

ljanes@markthomasrealty.com

Cell/VM- (919) 423-3463

WEICHERT, REALTORS® – Mark Thomas Properties

3901 University Drive

Durham, NC 27707

Office- (919) 403-5315

Fax- 919-287-2349

New Stephen's Lane Listing Was Builder's Custom Home

2011-05-14T07:21:00.000-07:00

My sellers at 5124 Stephens Lane have decided to put their classic 1967 Colonial two-story back on the market after taking it off just before Christmas. This home is now priced to sell at $249,000.

Straddling the North Durham neighborhoods of Stephens Woods and Oakdale, this four-bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, 2,485 sq.ft., two-car garage home has a beautifully-landscaped, 2.4-acre lot with a fenced backyard. You couldn't ask for a quieter and more private location.

Having been a builder's custom home, the homeowners have kept the house in pristine condition with many of the updates made last summer. These include: new vinyl and carpet floor coverings; freshly-painted interior walls using quality Sherwin Williams exterior paint with a 25-year warranty; a new roof with 35-year architectural shingles that have a 15-year, mold-resistance warranty; new gutters and downspouts; and roof decking that was built with tongue-and-groove boards. All 33 of the windows have been replaced with PlyGem, low-energy vinyl windows. The house has new storm doors with glass and screens; and new garage doors with new electric garage-door openers. There is a porch room on the back with new hardiplank siding.

To view digital photos of the house visit our Postlets web site at:
http://www.postlets.com/repb/4148929

For a private showing of this immaculate home, feel free to give me a call or email at:

Lisa Dye Janes
ljanes@markthomasrealty.com
Cell/VM- (919) 423-3463
WEICHERT, REALTORS® – Mark Thomas Properties
3901 University Drive
Durham, NC 27707
Office- (919) 403-5315
Fax- 919-287-2349

"Your Older House Specialist"

1012 Wells Street… Be a Part of Its History

2011-04-13T13:29:00.000-07:00

What truly gives an older home its character are the stories and the photos from the families who have lived there in the past. When the Markham family heard that the present owners of 1012 Wells St were putting their charming 1950s Forest Hills Cape Cod on the market, the Markhams wanted to share their memories of what it was like living in on Wells Street in the 1950s and 60s. So now we can pass along a part of its history to the future homeowners of 1012 Wells Street.

But before I take you back in time, first take a quick look at the web site we have set up to sell the house and see what the house looks like now:

http://www.postlets.com/repb/5337596

Now let’s listen to what Sam Markham remembers about the house: “We moved in Oct. of 1954, (after) my parents had the house built; (and) we moved away in 1968. My parents would both have been 34-years-old when we moved into the house and almost 48 when we left in July 1968.” (The current lady of the house was 34 when she moved in!)

Sam Markham lived at 1012 Wells Street until 1968

The Markham grandparents lived next door at 1010 Wells St and Sam’s parents wanted to live nearby so the three generations could enjoy each other.

“We had a fun life in that little house,” Markham said. “People today wouldn't get that a family of five could live in such small quarters (which has 1,535 sq.ft. of space, three bedrooms and two bathrooms). We wouldn't have had it any other way. Even though Jack is nine years older than me, we shared that little bunk room. Our initials were carved into the built-in desk (Those bunk beds and the desk have been removed and the current owners are now using this bedroom as their office).

Broock Markham and her Mama "Dolly."

“Broocks's room had wallpaper and with little pink flowers, curtains and dust ruffle to match,” Markham said. “She had a pink telephone (with) a party line that we loved to play pranks on.” (That bedroom is still pink! Take a look at the photos of the bedroom belonging to the daughter living in the house now).

The room at the back of the house that the current owners are using as their dining room (the red room on the web site) served as the Markhams’ den. It was a popular hangout back in the early days since it had the only air conditioner in the house (a window unit, of course) and a black-and-white TV where the Markham kids and their friends watched their favorite television programs such as: “Howdy Doody, Roy Rogers, Sky King and Captain Kangaroo.” (The house now has a brand-new gas pack and central air conditioning system; and the TV is no longer in a very conspicuous place).

When there was private adult talk going on, it usually took place behind closed doors in the den downstairs, Markham explained. But he and his siblings could hear every word that was being said by lying flat on the upstairs hall floor and listening through the heat return in the hall closet.

The large walk-in closets upstairs proved to be the perfect place for the boys to play "fort" in their room and Broocks to play “house” in hers. On summer nights, the Markham children and their friends from the neighborhood would play cops and robbers on their bicycles and "Mother may I" on the stepping stones of the front-walk. One time, Sam and his cousin, Charles, even set the woods behind their house on fire while they were playing with matches.

During the winters on Saturdays, their mother would fix a big pancake breakfast. But that they weren’t allowed to eat a bite until around 10:30, when their grandparents would come from next door. Sam said the family would sit around the table for hours and have a grand time. They used the area in the living room next to the kitchen as their dining area.

At left, is Jack Markham with mother and brother at Wells St.

In the early 1960s, Sam remembers his mother and his brother making a brick patio outside the kitchen door (there’s still a private brick patio located there now). It had a privacy fence surrounding it and the family enjoyed cooking out and drinking gallons of their mother’s “famous tea-lemonade.”

There was a Victrola record player that sat on a table behind the front door and everyone in the family loved playing their favorite music. The parents were classical music buffs and loved the Big Band souns of their younger days.

But the Markham kids were into Motown and they kicked the entry-way rug back and danced the finish off of the hardwood floors,” Markham reminisced. (Those beautiful floors have been completely refinished now).

“I know we infected the walls of that house with lots of love that I hope has transcended the years,” Sam said.

Walk to the Eno River & to Easley Elementary from Hideaway Lane

2011-01-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

1827 Hideaway Lane, Durham, NC 27712

I just put a great house in my North Durham neighborhood on the market at 1827 Hideaway Lane. Located at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac street, you can walk to the Eno River and to Easley Elementary School from this house, which is just one street over from where I live. These are just some of the many reasons why we love living in Heritage Heights!

I’ll be conducting an Open House there tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. So be sure to come by, tour this wonderful two-story traditional, and see our great neighborhood for yourself. The house has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, 1350 sq.ft. and is priced at $153,500.

You’ll love the cozy living room fireplace with gas logs featuring an attractive mantelpiece with custom shelving. Just off the living room is a separate dining room with a large bay window that lets in lots of light. A large, private deck, perfect for barbecuing 365-days a year, is just off the deck. The modern kitchen has easy-to clean, gleaming white cabinetry with a large pantry that offers lots of storage space. If you enjoy outdoor living, the great .43-acre lot is for you! There is an outdoor storage closet for all of your yard equipment and a huge Amish-style barn.

For more information, pictures and video, click here:

If you are unable to attend tomorrow’s Open House and would like a private tour of this wonderful home, feel free to contact me directly. My contact information is:

Lisa Dye Janes
Ljanes@markthomasrealty.com
Mobile: 919-423-3463
Office- (919) 403-5315
WEICHERT, REALTORS® – Mark Thomas Properties
3901 University Drive
Durham, NC 27707

ncOlderhouse.blogspot.com

More on the McCraken-Mize House…

2010-12-27T08:16:00.000-08:00

…the sellers of the McCraken-Mize House (the trustees of Calvary United Methodist Church) continue to lower the sales price, which is now at $152,500. Additional land is also available to purchase.

This beautiful Victorian Queen Anne with original stained-glass windows at 210 E. Trinity Ave. is an important historic Durham property. (Check out my Oct. 20 journal entry: "The Historic McCracken-Mize has many fans" ). This historic property was the recipient of Preservation Durham’s Pyne Award in 1981 and qualifies for the Historic Tax Credits. To learn more about the state’s historic tax credit program, visit: http://ncolderhouse.blogspot.com/search?q=state+tax+credits

The church trustees say the best offers will be accompanied by a detailed explanation of the renovation plans of the buyers. The church is open to estimates of renovations vs selling price, but they will only consider “as is” offers and will not be responsible for any repairs. All buyers are advised to submit a cover letter with their offers. The church leaders say they will be reasonable because they wish to welcome their new neighbors and to be great neighbors themselves.

I share all of this with you, not because I represent the sellers; but because I would like to offer my services to you as a buyer’s agent who specializes in historic properties. Nothing would make me happier than to find just the right owner for this fine Victorian Queen… someone who could lovingly preserve her gothic, detailed angles; and renovate her diagonaled walls with bays of decorative pendant brackets.

With 11+ years of real estate brokerage experience, I would be happy to assist you in the acquisition of this fine home. So contact me right at away for your own private showing of the McCraken-Mize House or any other historic property. My contact information is

Lisa Dye Janes

"Your Older House Specialist"

Lisa Dye Janes
ljanes@markthomasrealty.com
Cell/VM- (919) 423-3463
WEICHERT, REALTORS® – Mark Thomas Properties
3901 University Drive
Durham, NC 27707
Office- (919) 403-5315
Fax- 919-287-2349
MarkThomasProperties.com

Price reduction on McCracken-Mize house

2010-11-29T11:24:00.000-08:00

I just received word that the asking price has been reduced by $10,000 on the McCracken-Mize House at 210 E. Trinity Ave. in Durham. The house is now listed at $162,500. Here is a link to the web site that some of the Old North Durham neighbors put together on the house:
http://www.mccracken-mize-house.com/index.html

If you would like a private tour of this remarkable old home (check out my Oct. 20 journal entry: "The Historic McCracken-Mize has many fans" ), get in touch with me right at away. My contact information is:

Lisa Dye Janes
"Your Older House Specialist"

The Historic McCracken-Mize Has Many Fans

2010-10-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

McCracken-Mize House, 210 E. Trinity Avenue, Durham
Photos by Jessie Gladin-Kramer

I finally got the chance to go preview the beautiful, historic Victorian Queen Anne home at 210 E. Trinity Ave. in Durham. What an experience! One can certainly never judge a book by its cover. At first glance, you might see a tired old house with sagging floor joists and peeling paint. But once you step inside, the McCracken-Mize House certainly comes alive as her turn-of-the century styling is revealed...

And, I have discovered there are quite a few people out there who love her! The Old North Durham neighborhood has set up a web site outlining her history, which you should visit:

http://www.mccracken-mize-house.com/index.html

According to the web site, “the exterior of the house has seen little change over the years. A fanciful turret still rises over a central gable and a wide, front porch. The home has windows that are decorated with colorful stained glass. The bays on the east front and the west side are embellished with unusual, round windows that are divided into nine, petal-like panes of colored glass. The window frames are also decorated with carpenter gothic details. The angles over the diagonal walls of the bays feature decorative pendant brackets.

“The interior of the house features a wide, board-and-batten paneled central hall with French doors dividing the front of the house from the back. Four large square rooms flank the hall, with a large fireplace and mirrored mantel. A staircase leads from the back of the house to the upper hall, which extends into the turret at the front of the house past a bedroom and bathroom.

“The twin front parlors retain their original high ceilings, hardwood floors, elaborate moldings, and pocket doors, although the back rooms were damaged by a water leak in the mid-1990’s and the floors and ceilings need to be replaced.”

The McCracken-Mize House is owned by Calvary United Methodist Church next door. Although the house is currently on the market for $172,500, but the church is open to estimates of renovations verses the selling price. There is also land available through the church. The church is reasonable and wishes to welcome new neighbors and be great neighbors themselves. So don't be shy.

There is a preliminary estimate on the web site to renovate/restore the McCracken-Mize house for around $284,000, according to Alan Spruyt of Trinity Design/Build. After historic tax credits, the net cost could be just under $200,000. To learn more about the state’s historic tax credit program, click on this link:

http://ncolderhouse.blogspot.com/search?q=state+tax+credits

It will take a special kind of a person to “adopt” the McCracken-Mize House. But this home has a large number of cheerleaders on its team already, and many hands and feet can make for a light load. So if you think you might be that special person, be sure to let me or one of the many fans of this wonderful older home know!

The web site photos were donated by Jessie Gladin-Kramer

Countdown to an Olderhouse Open House

2010-08-27T11:59:00.000-07:00

It’s been a fun few weeks in “Olderhouse Land” getting 507 E. Markham staged and ready for our big Open House from 3-5 p.m. this Sunday, Aug. 29. As soon as the seller’s tenant of two years moved out in mid August (she was such a good caretaker of their family home after their father moved into an extended-care facility), we had Mark Boyette and his crew come in. Mark worked miracles on the house by stripping off old wallpaper, patching plaster, giving everything a fresh coat of paint, rebuilding kichen cabinet doors, and even putting on a new front door!

This week, I worked with Home Designer/Stager Stewart Aycock who walked through the house and knew just where the finishing touches needed to be added. He suggested adding new house numbers so they could be seen from the street (now… why didn’t I think of that?). Changing a brick firewood box into a planter, converting Mr. Covington’s old steamer trunk into a coffee table… Stewart’s list of great ideas was just endless!

Stewart then recruited his assistant, Chris Tarrant, to bleach and pressure-wash the back deck, clean out the gutters and haul away the leaf debris, install a new light fixture in the foyer & in the upstairs master closet, caulk and sealing the cracks in the downstairs coat closet & in the upstairs master closet, remove an old PVC handrail from the front steps, blow off all the walkways and the patio, and remove all the storm windows & screens and neatly stack them in the outdoor storage shed (what a wonderful way to let in more light into the house).

Tomorrow, one of the owners will come to mow the yard and trim away some of the weeds that have grown up alongside the patio. Kim Henry and her crew will come to give the house a thorough cleaning and John Goddin of Goddin Real Estate Services will photograph the house so I can have some good pictures for our web site and for MLS.

Of course, an older home is always a work in progress. Just as soon as we start to update one, the more we see needs to be done. Sooner or later we have to decide at what point this is all we are going to do. If do not find a buyer for the house this weekend, we may wish to consider painting the concrete floor in the workshop a grey color and maybe even painting the walls.

My job is to get the best price for my sellers while guarding their bottom-line investment within the constraints of the current real estate market conditions. After all, I know they will be using the proceeds from the sale of their family’s home for the care of their parents’ healthcare. So it is critical that I be a good guardian of the older home that they have placed into my hands to find a new owner.

1940s Cape Cod Colonial in Durham's Duke Park is Now on the Market

2010-08-06T07:03:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce that the Covington family of Durham has retained me to represent them as their sellers' agent in the sale of their father's 1940 Cape Cod Colonial home in Duke Park at 507 E. Club Blvd. It will be "For Sale By Owner” for a limited time only. Between now and August 15, the house is selling "as is" and the price will stay at $175,000 for the next 10 days. Then on Aug. 16, the house will be listed in the Multiple Listing Service and the price will go to $199,000 (the family has a 6/24/2010 fee appraisal for $200,000). The price increase will cover interior cosmetic repairs to the sun room and the dining room ceiling, a new front door and door lock, and the buyer's agent's commission.

This 1940 Cape Cod Colonial with three bedrooms, 1½ baths, 1,724 sq.ft. has loads of character, updates and modernizations, including: a kitchen with newer Kenmore appliances, new raised ceiling and recessed lighting, a new kitchen sink & disposal, and new kitchen flooring. The bathrooms have been updated with new plumbing, including an all-new half bath on the main level that has been completely re-done; and an upstairs master bath with a new toilet, new ceramic-tile flooring and a new, ceramic-tile backsplash. There is a large living room with beautiful crown molding, an ornate wood-burning fireplace with dentil molding, custom built-in-bookcases, and French doors that open to a large deck.

The home retains its original oak flooring in the living room, dining room and throughout the upstairs bedrooms; you’ll find vintage wallpaper in the kitchen and dining room; and a newly re-plastered and re-painted master bedroom and new custom lighting in the second bedroom.

Splashes of sunlight stream through the separate sunroom that overlooks a large, private brick patio with a built-in brick barbecue and what is believed to be one of Durham’s only circular, brick arches to be constructed at a private residence.

Other updates include a new roof, a new natural gas HVAC, new hot water heater, new exterior siding, and an attached 234 sq.ft. workshop with attic storage. The yard is nice-sized and consists of a quarter-acre lot with mature, hardwood trees that back up to a soothing forest behind the house. There is a detached garden shed just behind the patio.

To view digital photos and see video of the home, visit:

http://www.postlets.com/repb/4217680

For a private showing, please contact me at (919) 423-3463, ljanes@markthomasrealty.com.

Classic, Custom-Built Two-Story Colonial Was Builder’s Own Personal Home

2010-07-20T20:52:00.000-07:00

I am excited about my new listing at 5124 Stephens Lane in Durham, which will be coming on the market this Saturday, July 24, when I will host an Open House from 2-4 p.m. This 1967 classic, custom-built, two-story Colonial was a builder’s own personal home.

Straddling the North Durham neighborhoods of Stephens Woods & Oakdale, this home features five bedrooms, 2 ½ baths, 2,485 sq.ft., a 2-car garage, and has a 2.4-acre lot with a fenced backyard. The asking price of the house is $264,900. Recent updates include new vinyl & carpet floor coverings throughout the home; freshly-painted interior walls; and quality Sherwin Williams exterior paint that comes with a 25-year warranty.

This home has a new roof with 35-year architectural shingles that have a 15-year mold-resistance warranty; new gutters & downspouts; and decking that was built with tongue-and-groove boards. All 33 of the windows have been replaced with PlyGem, low-energy vinyl windows. The house has two new locking storm doors with glass and screens; and two new garage doors with new electric garage-door openers. There is a new porch room on the back that has recently been sided with new hardiplank siding and there is new gravel in the driveway and parking areas. Although city water and sewage are available, the well is 410 ft. deep and has never run low on water.

For more information, pictures and video about this classic older home, you can click on this link.

Thomas Day’s “Woodside/Richmond” House Open During Sunday’s Book Signing

2010-05-22T07:24:00.000-07:00

Join us from 3-5 p.m. Sunday when the historic village of Milton debuts a new book about its native son, Thomas Day; and see one of the finest examples of Day’s antebellum architecture when you tour the 1838 “Woodside/Richmond House.”

This beautifully-renovated and updated pre-Cival War Greek revival manor is famous for its magnificent woodworking by Mastercraftsman Thomas Day, who was a free man of color. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this exquisite home has five bedrooms; three full and five half baths; and a state-of-the art commercial kitchen.

The book “Thomas Day: Master Craftsman and Free Man of Color” will be released this weekend and the Woodside/Richmond House is one of six homes featured in the book. Co-authors Jo Ramsay Leimenstoll and Pat Marshall will be signing the new book at another 3-5 p.m. Open House at Union Tavern in Milton. Also to run concurrently is an exhibit on the life and works of Thomas Day that opens at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh and will continue for at least a year.

Stepping into the Woodside/Richmond house is like stepping back in time. Its entrance hall has a coiled newel post of magnificent mahogany and a spectacularly-carved stair rail that pay homage to Thomas Day. Eight of Day's Greek Revival mantels are found throughout the house, with each the bedrooms featuring a cozy fireplace.

The home is currently on the market for $529,000 and is listed with Durham Realtor Lisa Dye Janes of Weichert, Realtors – Mark Thomas Properties. For more information about the house and to see digital photos, visit:

http://www.postlets.com/repb/3362515

Directions: From Durham, take Highway 15-501 to Roxboro. Then get onto Highway 57 North and continue through the Hyco Lake community. Go 3 miles past Semora & begin looking for the Woodside historical marker, which is on the right in front of the house. There will be Open House signs in the yard.

The Herald-Sun - Thomas Day Master Cabinetmaker

2010-05-22T07:20:00.000-07:00

The Herald-Sun - Thomas Day Master Cabinetmaker

The extraordinary Thomas Day - Life - NewsObserver.com

2010-05-16T19:01:00.000-07:00

The extraordinary Thomas Day -

Life
- NewsObserver.com

History of the Freedman House

2010-04-29T23:00:00.000-07:00

Located at 1006 W. Trinity Ave. in Durham's Trinity Park, this house was built by Jacob and May Freedman in 1938. They had purchased the lot from JC and Bessie Markham on January 20, 1938. According to Durham city directories, the lot had previously been vacant. The house was designed by George Hackney with the help of May (information from her daughter) who was a former student of the Cooper Union Art School in New York. The blueprints are dated March 1938 according to Mr Harold Lane who owned this house until July 2006 and is still in possession of the blueprints. May was not totally satisfied with how the finished house turned out.

The house is featured in The Durham Architectural and Historic Inventory, published 1982, on page 205. The house is described as being one of the few Tudor Revival style houses built in Trinity Park. The exterior is faced with clinker bricks. Its salient features include a clipped gable roofline, large exterior chimney with multiple shoulders on the main façade, and decorative stonework around the pointed arched front door. The same pointed arches are used in the interior of the house. On a brick wall in the basement it is possible to read “Joey 1938” written by a finger dipped in mortar.

Freedman’s Clothing Store occupying 341 and 343 West Main Street, where Jacob Freedman worked as one of the two directors, is featured on page 41 of The Durham Architectural and Historic Inventory.

Jacob, born in Russia, December 18, 1900 and May (née Leibson), born in New York, January 7, 1904, married on August 1, 1925 in New York which was her home city.

They had three children, William born May 1, 1926, Doris Jeanette born May 3, 1929 and Robert Alfred born May 6, 1938. Both Doris and Robert are still alive and I am grateful particularly to Doris for helping me with my research of her parents.

On June 17, 1970, Jacob and May Freedman sold the house to Theodore Matthew Benditt and his wife Anne Shaw Benditt. The sale included the electric refrigerator and the gas stove.

Jacob and May Freedman moved to 1501 Southwood Drive, Durham which May had bought on June 22, 1970. Jacob died on May 9, 1971 in Duke Hospital – his death certificate describes him as Retired President, D. Freedman Clothing Company. The family had run the store at 341-343 Main Street, Durham until it was sold to Robert R Tucker who also leased the building on January 15, 1971.

May Freedman continued to live at 1501 Southwood Drive, and on September 8, 1972, she remarried. Her new husband, Gedale Man, was born in

Poland

in 1898 and had been living in

Guatemala

where his mother lived at the same address. May died May 19, 1984, and is buried alongside Jacob in the Durham Hebrew Cemetery on Morehead Avenue.

Ted Benditt was an assistant professor at Duke University. Before moving to the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1978, he taught at the University of Southern California. He served as dean of UAB's School of Arts and Humanities from 1984 until 1998. He and the late Max Rogers were instrumental in saving Trinity Avenue, Durham from becoming a major highway – they were alerted to this possibility when they woke one morning to discover pink ribbons tied round all the trees that line the street.

On May 20, 1975, Ted and Anne sold the house to Richard F Kay and his wife Cheryl. It was their first home. At that time Rich was an Assistant Professor at Duke. He is now professor and chairman of the department of biological anthropology and anatomy at Duke University Medical Center. While Rich and Cheryl lived in the Freedman house, they closed in the sun porch which is on the east side of the house with glass windows, and also lifted the linoleum from the heartpine kitchen floor, as well as the old rug from the rest of the first (ground) oak floor. The floors were then sanded and sealed. They are beautiful. Rich and Cheryl divorced in 1991, Cheryl died in 2004 and Rich has remarried and has two younger children.

Rich and Cheryl left 1006 West Trinity in 1980 as the house was too small for their growing family. They sold the house on February 19, 1980, to Harold H. Lane, Jr. and his wife Carolee. Harold and Carolee had married in Duke Chapel on June 4, 1968, shortly after graduating from Duke. They have two sons, Kenneth and Brian, but Harold and Carolee divorced in 1981. Harold worked for the RTI as an electrical engineer and computer scientist. He has a permanent medical disability caused by accidental exposure to excessively high noise levels.

Harold Lane, who had previously moved to Overby Drive, Durham, sold the house to David and Sarah Nevill on July 18, 2006, who were moving from Basel,

Switzerland

as David works for Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc. in the Research Triangle Park.

David and Sarah are not yet in possession of the blue prints for this building. Sadly, Harold Lane has not so far understood that blueprints belong to a house, not to a person.

As well as help from Doris Ritter (née Freedman), I have also spoken (or emailed) with Ted Benditt, Phyllis Dworsky, Gayanne Freedman, Will Grossman, Hannelore Rogers, Rich Kay, Harold Lane, Malvina Markman, Lynn Richardson, Ruth Richter, Leonard Rogoff, and Rabi Steven Sager. I thank them all for their support.

Other resources were:

1. Durham City Directories, North Carolina Room, Durham Public Library

2. Deeds Office and Marriage Registry Office, Durham former Court House

3. Birth and Death Registers, Durham Health Department

4. www.cemeterycensus.com/nc/durh

Written by Sarah Nevill, February 23, 2007

P.S. April 28, 2010 -- In 2007, David & Sarah Nevill worked with Trinity Design Build to renovate the basement. The original garage now forms the major part of the “in-law suite” (better known by the family as The Granny Dungeon). There is a wine cellar underneath the sun porch, and plenty of fitted storage space, as well as a laundry area.

Trinity Park's 1938 Clinker-Brick Tudor Revival

2010-04-28T22:43:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce that I have just listed for sale the Freedman House at 1006 W. Trinity Avenue in Durham's Trinity Park. Featured in the “Durham Architectural and Historic Inventory,” this 1938 clinker-brick Tudor Revival was designed by Durham architect George Hackney.

With four bedrooms and 2 ½ baths, this historic home features a new, $83,000 private in-law suite in the daylight basement with French doors that open into a beautifully-landscaped and fenced private garden. The large kitchen has newer stainless appliances, beautiful heart-of-pine flooring, original painted cupboards, a cozy breakfast nook, plus a wonderful chef’s pantry. There is original crown-and-picture molding and beautiful oak flooring throughout; and the sunken living room has pointed Moorish arches and a fireplace with gas logs. There is a large dining room just off the kitchen, which is separated by a swinging door. And on the other side of the living room is an enclosed sun porch with glass windows and brick tile. The gas-operated heating and air conditioning systems were new in 2006. Just off the garden is a private, two-car, alley-way parking area with ingress and egress to Watts and Gregson streets. Conveniently located, this Trinity Park home is within easy walking to distance to Duke’s east campus, downtown restaurants & shopping, Brightleaf Square, and is only a 20+-minute commute to the Durham-Raleigh international jetport.

For More information, pictures and video, you may click on this link.

Milton's Oliver House Offers Modern Convenience, Old-World Charm

2010-03-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

The Oliver House, c. 1845, at 18 Bridge St in Milton, N.C.

I have just put on the market Milton’s historic Oliver House, circa 1845, at 18 Bridge Street. Completely restored in 2005 with all the modern conveniences and old-world charm, this classic raised cottage has been renovated according to National Department of Interior and historic-restoration guidelines. The kitchen has custom-built cupboards and all-new appliances; and the updated bathroom has built-in shelving and recessed lighting. Most of the doors, moldings, and fireplaces and the heart-pine flooring on the main level are original. There are three non-woodburning fireplaces, with the kitchen fireplace piped, wired and ready for gas-log installation. The .41-acre lot is large enough to add a detached garage or a large workshop and sits on a corner of Milton’s historic district. Relax on the cottage’s wonderful screened porch that overlooks Countyline Creek.

The Oliver House is an income-producing property, currently being used as a guest cottage, and could continue to be used as a rental property or as a single-family home. Rental rates are $105 a night and there is housekeeper and a lawn-care person who help maintain the property. The cottage has a single bedroom with a double bed and two twin beds and is completely furnished. And the driveway is built to accommodate recreational vehicle parking. All the appliances are included in the sale of the house, but the furnishings and other personal property may be purchased separately.

The Oliver House is the perfect get-away spot for sports-car enthusiasts of the Virginia International Raceway; and boaters and fishermen who enjoy the nearby Hyco Lake year-round. Milton’s historic district is noted as one of the most perfectly-preserved examples of 19th-century commercial districts. Guests will enjoy visiting its antique shop, restaurants, and the historic Thomas Day House.

Thomas Day, who lived between 1801-1861, was a free black cabinetmaker and successful Milton businessman. His fine furniture and beautiful woodworking can still be found in many of Caswell County’s historical plantations and throughout the state.

The Oliver House is one of four raised cottages built by the town’s merchant class in the 1800s, when tobacco was king in North Carolina and southern Virginia. (The other three raised cottages are also on Bridge Street).

Milton is located at the intersections of Highways 62 & 57 on the banks of the Dan River on the North Carolina side of the Virginia border in Northeast Caswell County.

For more information, pictures and video on the Oliver House, click on this link.

Durham Police Department's Crime Mapper and Durham’s Online GIS System

2010-02-02T07:28:00.000-08:00

The Durham Police Department has an excellent Crime Mapper tool which can be accessed at: http://www.durhampolice.com/crimemapper.cfm.

I like to send this link to my buyers whenever they have concerns about the safety of a neighborhood they may be considering or the specific location of a home they may wish to purchase. They can also view city-wide data, by address, street intersection, and by police districts, police beats or by sheriff zones. Crimes are updated daily and are categorized by incident, including gun-related crimes, arson, assault, burgalary, homicide, larceny, motor vehicle, theft, robbery and rape. (In Durham, the Police Department normally patrols within the city limits; while the Sheriff’s Department patrols outside the city limits, but within the county lines).

The site also will link users to Durham’s interactive maps at http://gisweb.durhamnc.gov/imap_launch.html, including the city and county online public access system, Durham school attendance zones, a city atlas with a complete list of county streets indexed to the maps, flood insurance rate maps, a city and county parks locator, zoning atlas, and a precinct atlas so that voters and candidates can view their boundaries and polling sites.

If you love to play with inter-active maps and you live or are considering living in Durham, you will enjoy visiting these web sites.

Another important source of public-safety information is available through the North Carolina Department of Justice. This is the link to the state Sex Offenders Registry and Alert Program at: http://sexoffender.ncdoj.gov. “Knowing when offenders move into your neighborhood and where they live can be an important tool in keeping families and communities safe,” according to N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper.

You can map all offenders' addresses up to five miles away from any site you choose, such as home, park, school or child care center. You can also sign up to receive e-mail alerts to track a specific offender or if an offender registers at an address in your community.

Triangle-Area Private Schools

2010-01-31T18:04:00.001-08:00

Bethesda Christian Academy, Durham, grades: K-8, www.bcacrusaders.org
Bryson Christian Montessori School, Durham, 1 year-K, www.brysonchristianmontessori.com
Camelot Academy, Durham, K-12, www.camelotacademy.org
Cardinal Gibbons High School, Raleigh, 9-12, www.cghsnc.org
Carolina Friends School, Durham, PreK-12, www.cfsnc.org
Cary Academy, Cary, 6-12, www.caryacademy.org
Community Independent School, Pittsboro, Preschool-K, http://www.communityindependentschool.org/
Cresset Christian Academy, Infant-12, Durham, www.cressetchristian.org
Duke School, Durham, Preschool-8, www.dukeschool.org
Durham Academy, Durham, PreK-12, www.da.org
Durham Nativity School, Durham, boys 6-8, no tuition, www.durhamnativity.org
Emerson Waldorf School, Chapel Hill, PreK-12, www.emersonwaldorf.org
Faith Assembly Christian Academy, Durham, K-12, www.faccministries.org
Fellowship Baptist Academy, Durham, K-12, http://www.fbcofdurham.org/
Five Oaks Seventh-Day Adventist Christian School, Durham, PreK-8, www.fiveoaksschool.org
Gorman Christian Academy and Early Learning Center, Durham, PreK-8, http://www.gormanbc.org/gca.htm
Immaculata Catholic School, Durham, PreK-8, www.immaculataschool.org
International Montessori School, Durham, Age 2 ½ -Grade 3, www.imsnc.org
Lerner Jewish Community Day School, Durham, Age 3-Gade 5, www.lernerschool.org
Liberty Christian School, Durham, PreK-12, www.libertychristiandurham.org
Montessori Children’s House, Durham, Pre-K-6, www.mchdurham.org
Montessori Community School, Durham, Age 2-Grade 8, www.mcsdurham.org
Montessori Day School, Chapel Hills, PreK-6, www.mdsch.org
Montessori Farm School, Hillsborough, Age 3-4, www.montessorifarmschool.com
Mount Zion Christian Academy, Durham, K-12, www.mzcadurham.org
Pinewoods Montessori School, Hillsborough, PreK-4, www.pinewoodsmontessori.com
Quality Education Institute, Durham, PreK-6, www.qeidurham.org
St. Thomas More Catholic School, Chapel Hill, PreK-8, www.st-thomasmore.org
The Hill Center, Durham, K-12, www.hillcenter.org
Triangle Day School, Durham, K-8, www.triangledayschool.org
Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill, Durham, K-12, www.trinityschoolnc.org
Agape Corner School, Durham, K-12, no tuition, www.agapecorner.org
American Hebrew Academy, Greensboro, 9-12, www.americanhebrewacademy.org
Asheville School, Asheville, 9-12, www.ashevilleschool.org
Christ School, Asheville, 8-12, www.christschool.org
The Outdoor Academy, Pisgah Forest, 10^th grade, www.salemacademy.com
Saint Mary’s School, Raleigh, girls 9-12, www.sms.edu

Alternatives to Traditional Public Schools

2010-01-31T15:09:00.000-08:00

The Durham-Chapel Hill area has the highest concentration of private schools in the state with more than 5,700 students attending some 25 independent schools, according to Linda Nelson of the N.C. Association of Independent Schools. Yearly tuition ranges from $2,400 at one of the church-based schools to $39,495 at one of the exclusive college-preparatory boarding schools. For a complete list of area private schools, visit: http://ncolderhouse.blogspot.com/2010/01/triangle-area-private-schools.html

For parents who are unable to or who would rather not subsidize the property taxes they already pay to the public schools, there are the magnet schools and the charter schools. A magnet school is part of the public school system that focuses on a specific mission such as the arts, the sciences or mathematics. A charter school is not part of the county schools, but is overseen by the state board of education and has a specific mission.

The Durham Public School system has nine public magnet schools. To be eligible for enrollment, students enter a computerized lottery. In order to apply for the upcoming year in Durham for example, students must apply in January and there is a first drawing of names in February. Then there is another shuffle in May, which may or may not result in a student receiving an offer of admission. Student may reapply if they don’t make it in on their first try.

Durham’s magnet schools are:
• Club Bouleveard Humanities Magnet School, grades: K-5, www.clubblvd.dpsnc.net
• R.N. Harris Integrated Arts/Core Knowledge Magnet School, K-5, www.harris.dpsnc.net
• Morehead Montessori School, PreK-5, www.morehead.dpsnc.net
• George Watts Montessori Magnet School, PreK-5, www.watts.dpsnc.net
• W.G. Pearson Gifted and Talented Magnet Elementary School, K-5, www.pearson.dpsnc.net
• Durham School for the Arts, 6-12, www.dsa.dpsnc.net
• Hillside International Baccalaureate High School, 9-10, Middle Years Program; 11-12, Diploma Program
www.hillside.dpsnc.net/academic-programs/international-baccalaureate-programme
• Shepard International Baccalaureate Middle School, 6-8, www.shepard.dpsnc.net
• W.G. Pearson Magnet Middle School, 6-7, www.wgpearsonms.dpsnc.net

Charter schools are prevented by state law from charging tuition. The entrance policies to the charter schools are similar to the magnet schools in that a lottery is also held for students desiring admittance. Lotteries are open to the public and held in late winter or early spring. Waiting lists with available spaces are based on the lottery results with applications often continuing to be accepted after the lotteries, with wait-listed students being accepted when openings are available. Siblings of already-enrolled students will receive priority placement.

I have a number of friends who live in some of Durham’s downtown historic neighborhoods, including Morehead Hill and Lakewood-Tuscaloosa and many of their children attend charter school Central Park for Children http://www.centralparkschoolforchildren.org

Voyager Academy, 4-8, http://www.voyageracademy.net/home/contactus.html, is located in North Durham. Voyager Principal and Managing Director Carl Forsyth attends church with me at Aldersgate United Methodist Church. Carl’s sons and my son are Eagle Scouts in Boy Scout Troop 400 at Aldersgate.

Other Durham charter schools are:
• Carter Community, K-8, www.carterschool.org
• Healthy Start Academy, K-8, www.healthystartacademy.com
• Kestrel Heights School, 6-12, www.kestrelheights.org
• Maureen Joy Charter School, K-8, www.joycharter.org
• Research Triangle Charter Academy, K-8, http://researchtriangle.heritageacademies.com

Hopefully the above web sites will supply you with everything you need to know about our schools. But if you would be interested in speaking to any of my friends with children who attend these schools, feel free to let me know and I will be happy to put you in touch!

Voyager Academy is a charter school located in North Durham.

An Up-Close and Personal Look at Durham Public Schools

2010-01-30T11:33:00.000-08:00

Above, are two proud 2009 winter Durham Public School graduates.

My husband and I have always been advocates of public education and our college-aged son is a product of the Durham Public Schools. He will be graduating this spring with a 3.9 grade-point average from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He scored very high on his Graduate Record Examinations and is in the process now of applying at ivy-league schools across the country for entrance into their graduate and doctorate-level programs.

I mention all of this not to brag about our high-achieving, academically-gifted son, but to assure newcomers of the excellent quality of education that students can receive in the Durham Public School system. He attended Easley Elementary (a year-round school); and Carrington Middle and Riverside High (both traditional) schools.

Although it is shocking that the Durham Public School System has two of the worst high schools in the state (Southern and Hillside), the district ranks among the highest in per-pupil spending. In contrast, Durham's high-ranking high schools are Durham School for the Arts and Jordan; with Riverside and Northern not too far behind in ranking.

According to an editorial that ran in today’s Durham Herald-Sun newspaper, “DPS gets money from federal, state and local taxes. With a cumulative $9,335.09 spent per pupil in 2007-2008 (the most recent data available), DPS ranks 25th in the state for what it shells out per child. (We rank sixth for local dollars poured into our schools — $3,077.23 per pupil in 2007-2008, according to the Department of Public Instruction.)” The editorial pointed out that a huge chunk of this money was being poured into both Southern and Hillside to help boost them “out of the basement.”

When we first moved to North Carolina, we were thankful for an excellent resource through the NC Department of Education that annually ranks all the public schools in the state based on teacher quality, school safety, school technology class size and attendance. It’s an excellent tool that I like to share with all of my buyers with school-aged children: http://www.ncreportcards.org/src/

It's a Great Day for Olderhouse Holiday Activities

2009-12-05T08:23:00.000-08:00

With a hint of snow in the forecast, it's a great day for Olderhouse holiday activities, including Christmas at historic Stagville; followed by a visit to my Open House at 4811 Kendridge Dr. in North Durham.

Starting at 10 a.m. this morning, both Stagville’s 1787 Bennehan plantation house and the 1850s Holman slave quarters will be decorated for Christmas. Costumed historic interpreters will demonstrate how life during the holidays was for those living in the “Big House” and for the enslaved families in the other quarters. There will be fiber spinning, silversmithing, quiltmaking and blacksmithing. Plus, there will be horse-drawn wagon rides around the 71-acre site. Visiting children may play historic games and makes crafts from yesteryear on site. Fresh apple cider will be pressed for holiday refreshment. And vendors will be selling their wares in a country-fair holiday atmosphere. There will be soy candles, gourd art, quilled pictures, woven goods, terra-cotta wares and stained glass. Geneaologists and family historians will be there to chat with you, as well. Although the event is being advertised as “free,” suggested donations are $2 per individual or $5 per family, which goes to support the Historic Family Foundation. The plantation is located at 5828 Old Oxford Hwy. in Durham. www.historicstagvillefoundation.org

Of course while you are out, make sure to come by and visit my Open House at 4811 Kendridge Drive. I’ll be there today from 2-4 p.m. It’s located in the Easley Elementary school district within walking distance of the Eno River. You’ll love our quiet Heritage Heights neighborhood because that’s where I live! Check out my blog entry on this updated $123,900 one-level by clicking the link below:

http://ncolderhouse.blogspot.com/2009/11/open-house-tomorrow-at-my-neighbors.html

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

Extended Homebuyer Tax Credit Impacts 70 Percent of Homeowners

2009-12-03T12:49:00.000-08:00

About 70 percent of current homeowners will now be eligible for the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, said Goldman Sachs economist Alec Phillips, in a Nov. 6 issue of U.S. News and World Report. What started out last February as an incentive for first-time homebuyers, was extended in early November to nearly two-thirds of those who currently own their own homes and to most first-time homebuyers who are buying today.

Tax credits of up to $8,000 are available for first-time homebuyers; and as much as $6,500 in tax credits is available to current homeowners who have their next primary residence under contract by the end of April 2010. The transaction for this home would need to close by no later than June 30, 2010.

There are some excellent resources available through the National Association of Realtors explaining how the extended tax credits may be applied, including the: (1) Tax Credit Comparison Chart; (2) Home Buyer Tax Credit FAQ; (3) the President’s Podcast: Tax Credit Expanded and Extended; and (4) the Tax Credit as Down Payment on FHA Mortgage flier. If you would like any of these copies, feel free to email me at ljanes@markthomasrealty.com.

Also, here are some good links to Tax Credit Resources through the Internal Revenue Service: (1) Important Facts: Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit; (2) Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit Information; (3) Tax Credit Form 5405; and (4) 2008 Home Buyer Tax Credit FAQ.

Of course, if you have specific questions or need additional information, you should always contact your tax professional; or call the Internal Revenue Service at 800-829-1040.

For more resources, here is the National Association of Realtors' article on how the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit can it can help prospective home buyers become part of the American dream.

The Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit: The Basics for Homebuyers and Homeowners from the National Association of REALTORS.

Historic Hosiery Mill & Former Farmer's Exchange Gets New Lease on Life

2009-11-24T08:27:00.000-08:00

Taking an old, rundown red-brick building in downtown Durham and redeveloping it into a thriving business center with office and incubator spaces, meeting and workshop rooms, and areas for networking and conferences is the ultimate in historic preservation.

The old John O’Daniel Hosiery Mill which also served as the former Farmer’s Mutual Exchange, has been completely renovated and brought back to life as the John O’Daniel Exchange by Lewis and Clark Community Developers, Inc. Already home to several non-profits and small businesses such as Animal Kind, CEF, Carpe Diem Cleaning, Durham Cares, Goodwork and World Relief, the new Exchange celebrated its official grand opening last Saturday.

Located at 801 Gilbert St, the building is nestled among three blocks of mixed residential and commercial properties. The neighborhood is made up of the SEEDS community garden and offices, the North Carolina Food Bank, and about 12 mill-village homes of character.

According to the Durham Architectural and Historic Inventory, the old brick building was originally constructed as the Paragon Hosiery Mill around 1910 but was soon acquired by Julian S. Carr as one of the branches of the Durham Hosiery Mills. Carr named the business in honor of one of his faithful black servants, John O’Daniel, and manned it with black mill workers.

Unlike most of the other Durham Hosiery Mill factories, the original building was considered to be small, taking up just one small city block. It had a one-and-a-half story gabled roof, with a parapet façade that featured recessed and corbelled window walls.

The factory only operated for several years and stood empty until 1930, when the Farmers Mutual Exchange purchased the building. Through the years, this organization was also called the Central Carolina Farmers Exchange and then FCX. This organization came about in the 1920s after the crops of area tobacco growers were destroyed by blight. The farmers needed a way to market and distribute their other produce, including livestock, milk, poultry, eggs and feed.

The first poultry processing plant for egg production in the state was established at the Exchange in 1935; and the first feed mill for distributing grain in North Carolina was built there around 1937, just behind the Exchange’s main building. Later on, both a meat processing department and poultry processing plant were built just northeast of this building. When the Exchange’s original feed mill could no longer keep up with the demand, the old Durham Gas Co., which was located just across Gilbert St., was acquired. And the Exchange built a modern, computerized feed mill according to the standards of the day.

Open House Tomorrow at my Neighbor's Updated Ranch

2009-11-21T08:27:00.000-08:00

This updated ranch is located in my North Durham neighborhood, so I know it's a great place to live! We moved to our house just around the corner back in 1998 because the Heritage Heights/Huntington neighborhood is in the Easley Elementary school district, backs up to the Eno River State Park, and we really liked how most of the homes have half-acre lots. Plus, we loved the location! It is just a 10-minute commute to Duke and downtown Durham.

Since moving here, I have been fortunate to have listed and sold many of my neighbors homes. And now, my friends at 4811 Kendridge Drive have listed their 1971 one-level home and priced it to sell at $123,900. So please join me for our Open House and come see all the amazing updates they have done to this house.

You will love how they have opened up the walls between the kitchen, living room and dining room to let in lots of light; and added beautiful architectural arches for dramatic effect. The kitchen has newer appliances and there is a new sink with an updated faucet. The hall bath has new ceramic tile flooring, a ceramic-tile bathtub surround, custom lighting and solid-cherry cabinets.

There are three bedrooms, two baths and approximately 1,300 square feet of space. The nearly one half-acre lot has lots of landscaping, including a three-level water garden with koi ponds and fountains. The backyard is fully fenced and has a large Amish barn and a screened greenhouse with an irrigation system. There is an attached carport with an adjoining storage room.

I hope you will be able to join us for our Open House. But if you would prefer a private showing, feel free to give me a call at (919) 423-3463 or email me at ljanes@markthomasrealty.com

To see more photos of this great house, go to:

http://www.postlets.com/repb/2808017

The W.P. Budd House

2009-11-19T21:32:00.000-08:00

When I learned that the beautiful brick and half-timbered Tudor revival house at 903 S. Duke Street in Durham's Morehead Hill was one of Preservation Durham's 2009 recipients of the George and Mary Pyne Preservation Awards, I was not surprised.

The condition of this 1924 home has certainly improved since Distinctive Properties Broker Eugene Brown and I listed and sold it for $299,000 back in 2003. Since Steve and Ruth Chandler have become its new owners, they have extensively renovated the house and garden.

They painstakingly restored all the original plaster walls and wooden floors throughout the house. The bathrooms retain their original fixtures and period tiles, including a marble slab shower enclosure (which I remember leaked terribly before the Chandlers acquired it). And the large master bedroom has both his and hers closets and bathrooms, which is a novelty for the time. They completely renovated the kitchen and butler's pantry, while maintaining many of the original built-ins.

Shortly after purchasing the property, Ms. Chandler told me that she was able to get in touch with and visited with some of the W.P. Budd family, who helped her piece together the history of the home. W. P. Budd was one of the partners in the Budd-Piper Roofing Company. To design his stylish new home, Budd hired Raleigh architect Murray Nelson.

"Noted builder, George Kane, constructed this house and subsequently built the Hart House on the Duke Campus, presently the home of the President and Mrs. Richard Brodhead," Ruth Chandler said. "The development of Duke University's west campus carried the Tudor Revival style into the 1930s, and the town of Durham had many fine examples. Few remain or rival the Budd House in purity of design or richness of detail. Two generations of Budds lived in the house until 1982 when W. P. Budd, Jr. sold the residence.

"The entry is modestly scaled but beautifully detailed with an impressive curved plaster and wood stairwell with hand-carved newel posts and jamb. The large living room has a coffered ceiling with carved beams and pendant finials, a grand limestone fireplace, built-in bookshelves, and a small curved prayer nook complete with a stained glass window. Beyond the living room, the sun room is a lovely space in which connects to a loggia overlooking the beautiful trellised rose garden. The spacious, light-filled dining room could easily seat the extended Budd family."

Ruth is an artist and the Chandlers have converted the attic level, which was a former children's play area into an artist's retreat. With the light streaming in from the windows on both sides of the house, this area has become a wonderful studio. Her paintings are displayed throughout the house and on several of the basement walls leading to their new media room/bar, Ruth has painted colorful murals of well-known Durham landmarks, such as the Bulls ballpark. In that same hallway the original icebox (which is incredibly heavy) still stands.

2009-11-12T11:06:00.000-08:00

Duke students who are working on a project through the Center for Documentary Studies are learning about Durham history through the Pauli Murray Project as they build an interactive Google map of historic sites of Durham, which is scheduled to go public on Dec. 1. The map will include such historic sites as the Hayti Heritage Center, the Royal Ice Cream Parlor, N.C. Mutual Life Insurance, St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, White Rock Baptist Church, and Murray’s childhood home on Carroll Street on Durham’s West End.

The historical map will be accessible through the http://paulimurrayproject.org/ web site where extensive information can also be found on Murray’s life. Her image can be seen painted on several wall murals throughout Durham. Murray is the author of "Proud Shoes: the Story of an American Family," which was published in 1956. The book talks about issues that made many readers uncomfortable at the time. It looked at interracial dating and marriage, and examined the way that African-Americans with lighter or darker skin tones treated another differently.

Murray's ancestry is made up of both blacks and whites, according to the web site. Her mother was one of the Fitzgeralds of Durham, a prominent African-American family. In 1977, Murray became one of the first women and the first African-American woman to be ordained as an Episcopal priest. She was 66. She was also a co-founder of the National Organization for Women and the Congress of Racial Equality.

The Pauli Murray Project is part of the Duke Human Rights Center and is supported by the Andrus Family Fund and the North Carolina Humanities Council.

For more information, check out Dawn Baumgartner Vaughn’s article in The Herald-Sun at: http://heraldsun.com/bookmark/4437749.

Chapel Hill's Own Mama Dip's Kitchen Makes Best Diners List

2009-11-05T08:07:00.000-08:00

Southern Living magazine has named Chapel Hill's Mama Dip's Kitchen as one of the best diners in the South, with the local diner coming in at No. 2 on the list, according to the magaine's November issue.

From Maryland to Texas, all of the spots served great Southern Food, says the magazine:

"Mildred Edna Cotten Council grew up watching her mother use the “dump cooking” method that measures ingredients by sight and taste instead of by recipe. Luckily Mildred, also known as Mama Dip, later wrote down her recipes. Otherwise, the family members who helped her open Mama Dip’s Kitchen in 1976 near the University of North Carolina campus wouldn’t be able to make dishes such as Mildred’s succulent pork chops and fried chicken. She also keeps vegetarians satisfied with house specialties like a savory okra-and-tomatoes combination."

Mama Dip's recipe for "Community Nurse Macaroni and Cheese (named for the traveling public health nurses who once showed young mothers how to make
nutritious meals)" is featured in the magazine:

Community Nurse Macaroni and Cheese
(from Mama Dip’s Family Cookbook)

1 cup dry milk
1⁄4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (Diner Secret!)
1⁄2 pound shredded sharp cheese
1⁄2 stick butter or margarine, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 box (16 ounces) elbow macaroni, prepared as directed
1⁄2 cup bread or cracker crumbs

Preheat oven to 375°. Mix together the first eight ingredients in a big bowl.Stir in the macaroni and pour into a 1 ½-quart baking dish. Top with bread or cracker crumbs. Bake for 45 minutes. Serves 6.

Mama Dip's Kitchen is located at: 408 West Rosemary Street in Chapel Hill; mamadips.com 919-942-5837.

There's a Thomas Day Movement Afoot

2009-11-04T11:47:00.000-08:00

Being a historic properties Realtor with a love for older homes by the antebellum woodworking artist Thomas Day, I was thrilled to be able to meet Dr. Jo Ramsay Leimenstoll, professor of interior architecture at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, during this weekend’s Preservation NC conference in New Bern.

Leimenstoll has a new book on Thomas Day coming out this spring and she announced during Friday’s presentation that there will be a concurrent Thomas Day exhibit in May at the NC Museum of History. Plus, I learned that two of the houses featured in her book are listings that I have either listed or sold: the Garland-Buford and the Woodside-Richmond houses.

Leimenstoll said Saturday that she was able to identify at least 80 properties known to have Thomas Day’s woodworkings, with at least 40 in Caswell County, NC; and 20 or more on the Virginia side of the Dan River. But she narrows her focus for her book to six historic homes including one of the houses I currently have on the market: the Woodside-Richmond.

Each of the six have common architectural themes: a center hall and formal parlor, artistic newell posts that vary in appearance as light levels change throughout the day, three-dimensional stair brackets, stair-landing friezes that serve both an artistic and architectural purpose, and four basic mantle types.

The author also announced that her book will feature exquisite color photography by noted architectural photographer Tim Buchman of Charlotte. But before Leimenstoll’s work can be published, PNC must raise $30,000 to cover the cost of the photography. To date, nearly $11,000 has been committed to this Thomas Day project.

While I was at the conference, I spoke with Shannon Phillips about becoming a sponsor of Leimonstoll's publication. Sponsors with tax-deductible gifts of $500 or more will be acknowledged in the book’s foreword and will receive an autographed copy. Commitments must be received by Dec. 1, 2009. For more information, contact Phillips at sphillips@presnc.org or call 919-832-3652.

Anyone looking to own their very own Thomas Day home may contact me at ljanes@markthomasrealty.com or 919-423-3463 for a personal tour of the Woodside-Richmond house at 1939 Hwy. 57 in Milton. This renovated and updated 1838 Greek Revival manor on the National Register of Historic Properties is a magnificent Thomas Day home. Beautifully furnished with five bedrooms, three full baths, five half baths, and a large commercial kitchen, this income-producing property is currently being used by clients of the nearby Virginia International Raceway; and for weddings, retreats, workshops and special events. Listed for $499,000, this price does not include the sale of the furnishings.

With the publication of Leimonstoll’s new book and the concurrent exhibit scheduled at the state museum of history this spring, there is an exciting Thomas Day movement afoot. And as more and more Thomas Day properties and furnishings are identified across North Carolina and Virginia, the ownership of his works will be more highly desirable.

Holding Off on Historic Tax-Break Decision Gives Durham More Time

2009-11-03T09:16:00.000-08:00

Preservation has been one of the key forces for economic development in Downtown Durham. But now City Council members are looking at tightening eligibility requirements for a tax-break program for historic landmarks, fearing revenue loses for the city. Council voted 6-0 last night to wait until May to decide whether to designate six properties as historic landmarks.

“The delay is supposed to buy time for city/county planners to come up with potential changes to the landmark program that could tighten eligibility requirements facing property owners," according to Ray Gronberg of the Herald-Sun.

In today's Durham paper Gronberg cited City Manager Tom Bonfield as saying that "it's possible the effort could take longer than six months, as there's ‘quite a bit of staff work’ facing officials in the City/County Planning Department.

“Council members signaled their intention to postpone debate on the applications before giving preservationists and downtown business leaders a chance during Monday night's meeting to speak on the idea.

“Once they did, it became apparent the move had opposition. Critics said the council shouldn't back away from a well-considered policy that has helped draw investment into troubled neighborhoods.

“Even downtown, ‘it's obvious that historic preservation has been the driving tool for economic development in this community,’ said John Compton, executive director of Preservation Durham.

“Another critic, Gary Kueber of Scientific Properties, noted that landmark-driven property tax breaks helped make his employer's renovation of the Golden Belt business center on East Main Street possible.

“Given that city officials tout the Golden Belt project as one of the signature efforts in the comeback of downtown and North-East Central Durham, it's ‘not consistent in my mind to damage the programs that have made [that] success possible,’ Kueber said.

“The delay came after council members and County Commissioners alike raised questions like month about the program, which gives owners of council-approved landmarks a 50 percent break on their property taxes.

“For both board, the worries about the program are financial. The six pending applications would cost the two governments a combined $41,902 in revenue each year.

“Some officials fret that given how many old homes still exist in Durham, the revenue loses could mount as more people take advantage of the program.

“But Compton noted that being a landmark isn't all benefit for a building's owner. The label in addition to a tax break means giving up some future redevelopment rights, and submitting plans for exterior renovations to a veto-wielding city/county Historic Preservation Commission.

“City Councilmen Mike Woodard and Howard Clement, who were among those who questioned the program last month, both said Monday they don't want to end it.

“Woodard agreed with preservationists that it's likely tax-break fueled repairs to some properties have actually boosted the local tax base. But he said he wants to see documentation of that, perhaps even as part of the process for reviewing applications.

“He also said the city's Office of Economic and Workforce Development perhaps deserves a role in the review process.

“The full council Monday. The vote went in the books as a 6-0 because Councilman Farad Ali abstained. Ali is co-owner of a house on North Mangum Street that's on one of the pending applications.”

Based on an article by Ray Gronberg
gronberg@heraldsun.com; 419-6648

The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation

2009-11-02T20:28:00.000-08:00

Special thanks goes to Mitch Wilds of the North Carolina Historic Preservation Office who shared with us the 10 standards that every older-home owner needs to know if they are ever planning to submit an application to one of the city, state or federal historic preservation programs.

In the United States, the Secretary of the Interior sets the standards for national preservation programs with its “Standards for Rehabilitation.” The Secretary of the Interior is responsible for establishing standards under departmental authority and for advising Federal agencies on the preservation of historic properties listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Standards for Rehabilitation, a section of the Secretary’s Standards for Historic Preservation Projects, addresses the most prevalent preservation treatment today: rehabilitation. Rehabilitation" is defined as "the process of returning a property to a state of utility, through repair or alteration, which makes possible an efficient contemporary use while preserving those portions and features of the property which are significant to its historic, architectural, and cultural values."

The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation

“The Standards that follow were originally published in 1977 and revised in 1990 as part of Department of the Interior regulations (36 CFR, Part 67, Historic Preservation Certification). They pertain to historic buildings of all materials, construction types, sizes, and occupancy and encompass the exterior and the interior, related landscape features and the building's site and environment as well as attached, adjacent, or related new construction.

“The Standards are to be applied to specific rehabilitation projects in a reasonable manner, taking into consideration economic and technical feasibility.

1. “A property shall be used for its historic purpose or be placed in a new use that requires minimal change to the defining characteristics of the building and its site and environment.

2. “The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The removal of historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall be avoided.

3. “Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or architectural elements from other buildings, shall not be undertaken.

4. “Most properties change over time; those changes that have acquired historic significance in their own right shall be retained and preserved.

5. “Distinctive features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property shall be preserved.

6. “Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature shall match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features shall be substantiated by documentary, physical, or pictorial evidence.

7. “Chemical or physical treatments, such as sandblasting, that cause damage to historic materials shall not be used. The surface cleaning of structures, if appropriate, shall be undertaken using the gentlest means possible.

8. “Significant archeological resources affected by a project shall be protected and preserved. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures shall be undertaken.

9. “New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment.

10.” New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.

“Note: To be eligible for Federal tax incentives, a rehabilitation project must meet all 10 standards. The application of these standards to rehabilitation projects is to be the same as under the previous version so that a project previously acceptable would continue to be acceptable under these standards.

“Certain treatments, if improperly applied, or certain materials by their physical properties, may cause or accelerate physical deterioration of historic buildings. Inappropriate physical treatments include, but are not limited to: improper repointing techniques; improper masonry cleaning methods; or improper introduction of insulation where damage of historic fabric would result. In almost all situations, use of these materials and treatments will result in denial of certification. In addition, every effort should be made to ensure that the new materials and workmanship are compatible with the materials and workmanship of the historic property.

“Guidelines to help property owners, developers, and Federal manager apply the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation are available from the National Park Service, State Historic Preservation Offices, or from the Government Printing Office.”

For more information, write:

National Park Service
Preservation Assistance Division – 424
P.O. Box 37127
Washington, DC, 20013-7127.
http://www.nps.gov/hps/TPS/tax/rhb/index.htm

Tax Benefits of Residential Rehabilitation

2009-11-01T19:25:00.000-08:00

Applications are up across the state this year in terms of the number of owners of non-income producing historic properties submitting proposals for tax credits, according to Mitch Wilds of the state Historic Preservation Office. Wilds spoke on the “Tax Benefits of Residential Rehabilitation” during Preservation North Carolina’s Annual Conference Oct. 29-31 in New Bern.

“Tax credits provide a dollar-for-dollar reduction in the amount of taxes owed with up to 30 percent tax credits available through the state for private homes or condominiums that are certified rehabilitation projects,” Wilds said. Although federal funds are not available for non-income producing properties, historic preservationists are hoping to see a federal equivalency approved in the near future.

To qualify for the state credit, private properties must be on the National Register of Historic Places or a contributing structure in a national historic district. All rehabilitation work must meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

The owner should begin taking the tax credit in the year the project is completed, he said. State tax credits may be taken in five equivalent installments. Any unused portion may be carried forward five years.

There is initially a two-step application process. In Part A of the process, the applicant should submit a description of the work before embarking upon the project to “resolve potential design and rehabilitation problems that could result in denial of the credits,” Wilds explained. The state Historic Preservation Office likes to see site plans, floor plans, possible elevation drawings and other renderings of the existing site, as well as a detailed of the proposed work. For part A of the application, there is a $250 application fee.

In Part B, the state will request certification for the completed work to determine if the final project has conformed to the standards for rehabilitation. Hard-copy photographs (no CD’s or emails) should be submitted showing both exterior and interior views of the building. Additional application fees must be submitted along with Part B of the application. There is a fee chart included with the paperwork that shows the amount required and is based upon the amount of the project. This fee can cost up to $1,000 for a $100,000 to $150,000 project, but can be included as one of the soft costs in your project.

If the homeowner decides to sell the property, the tax credits are fully transferable to the new owner.

Here are the guidelines that Mitch Wilds distributed from the North Carolina Historic Preservation Office:

State and Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits

* State tax credits are available for the rehabilitation of non-income-producing historic properties in addition to federal and state tax credits for income-producing historic properties. The present historic preservation tax credit measures provide:

* A 20% state tax credit for rehabilitation of income-producing historic tax structures that also qualify for the 20% federal investment tax credit. In effect, the combined federal-state credits reduce the cost of a certified rehabilitation of an income-producing historic structure by 40%.

* A 30% state tax credit for qualifying rehabilitation of non-income-producing historic structures, including owner-occupied personal residences. There is no equivalent federal credit for rehabilitations.

Non-income-producing properties

* Property owners of historic structures are strongly advised to consult with the State Historic Preservation Office before beginning a rehabilitation to resolve potential design and rehabilitation problems that could result in denial of the credits.

* Only certified historic structures will qualify for the credits. A “certified historic structure” is defined as a building that is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, either individually or as a contributing building in the National Register historic district, or as a contributing building within a local historic district that has been certified by the U.S. Department of the Interior. (There are only three of the latter in North Carolina. These are the Blount Street Historic District in Raleigh, the Goldsboro Historic District, and the Decatur-Hunter Historic District in Madison).

* A non-income-producing building must be a “certified historic structure” at a time the state credit is taken – that is, it must be actually listed in the National Register of Historic Places or it will not qualify for the state credit. Property owners must begin taking the credit in the year the rehabilitation project is completed.

* An owner may begin a rehabilitation project on a non-income-producing property prior to listing the property in the National Register, with the intention of having it listed in the Register by the time the project is completed. However, because listing of a property by a desired deadline cannot be guaranteed, owners are strongly urged to secure National Register listing of their non-income-producing property prior to beginning a certified rehabilitation.

* The rehabilitation of the historic structure must be substantial. For non-income-producing properties, the rehabilitation expenses must exceed $25,000 within a 24-month period, sometime during the project.

* The State Historic Preservation Office reviews rehabilitation work on non-income-producing historic structures. All rehab work must meet the Secretary of the Interior’s “Standards of Rehabilitation.”

* The credits cannot be claimed against the cost of acquisition, enlargement of an existing building (additions), site work, or personal property. Only costs incurred in work upon or within a historic structure will qualify.

“A property is listed in the National Register of Historic Places by a nomination, which is a research report prepared according to detailed state and federal guidelines. The final authority on the National Register listing is the federal Keeper of the National Register in Washington, DC. In its role as administrator of the National Register program in North Carolina, the NC State Historic Preservation is charged with ensuring that nominations forwarded by the State Historic Preservation Officer to the Keeper are complete and correct. The State Historic Preservation Office provides direction to preparers but does not write nominations. Most nominations are prepared by private consultants hired by property owners, local governments, or private non-profit organizations. The nomination process may take six months to two years or longer.”

For more information on historic preservation certifications, contact:

David Christenbury

Preservation Architect/Tax Credit Coordinator Restoration Branch
N.C. State Historic Preservation Office NC Division of Historical Resources
4617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh NC 27699-4617
Telephone: 919-807-6574
Fax: 919-807-6599
email: david.christenbury@ncdcr.gov

For more information about the National Register of Historic Places and the requirements and procedures of listing, contact:

Ann Swallow, National Register Coordinator
Survey and Planning Branch
NC State Historic Preservation Office
NC Division of Historical Resources
4617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh NC 27699-4617
Telephone: 919-807-6587
Fax: 919-807-6599
ann.swallow@ncmail.net

State Historic Preservation Office, Office of Archives and History, Division of Historical Resources, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
http://www.hpo.ncdcr.gov/

County Reconsiders Historic Preservation Tax Break

2009-10-26T10:32:00.000-07:00

Faced with potential revenue losses, Durham County Commissioners are taking a long-hard look at whether they wish to continue designating as many historic landmarks so owners will no longer be eligible for tax credits.

According to an article in today’s Durham Herald-Sun, County Commissioners said Monday “they'd like to see a tax break for the owners of designated historic landmarks pared back, by putting a cap on applications or by lowering the credit that owners receive.”

Durham County Commissioner Ellen Reckhow told the Herald’s Ray Gronberg that “local officials should enlist the help of statewide trade groups for city and county governments to perhaps convince the N.C. General Assembly to make changes to the state law underlying the program.”

"’What's so magic about 50 percent?’ she said, referring to the discount landmark owners receive on the taxes once the city or county governments approve their application.

“The comments from Reckhow and fellow commissioner Becky Heron came four days after City Council members, facing half a dozen new applications, also signaled that they'd like to see changes.

“City and county officials alike said they're worried about cumulative revenue losses from the program.

“Among City Council members, a cap on the number of applications the City/County Planning Department processes each year and a one-year suspension of considering new applications were the two options that received the loudest support.

“‘Your counterparts on the council are on the same wavelength,’ City/County Planning Director Steve Medlin assured Heron on Monday when she suggested an application cap.

“The six applications the council is considering would cost the two governments a combined $41,902 in annual revenue. The county's share of that is $23,773 annual.

“Reckhow noted that the tax break - offered, in theory, to offset the higher costs of maintaining older buildings -- lacks a sunset provision."‘Once they get this abatement, it's available, conceivably, forever -- unless you stop the program,’ she said.

“She added that it might make sense to lower the property tax break to 25 percent or 30 percent, depending on how much it generally costs to maintain an old building and a cost-benefit study of the program.

“The commissioners got a chance to wade into the issue because Medlin and his staff were asking them to join the City Council in approving some changes to the local law the governments use in judging the merit of landmark applications.

“The main change was to say that officials can only label a property a landmark if it passes one of three tests:

- It's on the National Register of Historic Places or a national register study list;

- It's judged by officials in the State Preservation Office to have statewide historic significance;

- It's in relative terms still in its original condition with regard to ‘location, design, setting, materials and workmanship,’ and represents events, people, characteristics or architecture important to the Durham community.”

“The change also says officials won't label as a landmark any property that's actively under renovation, except if its owner has received state or federal preservation tax credits.

“Commissioners agreed to the change unanimously, echoing a vote the previous week by the City Council.“Planners said the change came in response to similar questions about the program that came up as officials were considering a set of applications that went through the council last year.

From an article by Ray Gronberg
gronberg@heraldsun.com; 419-6648

Potential buyers learn about East Durham historic properties

2009-09-27T20:11:00.000-07:00

Whenever there's an old home tour, you can normally find me volunteering as a docent (a tour guide) in one of my favorite established neighborhoods when I am not doing an Open House for one of my own real estate listings.

When Herald-Sun reporter Cliff Bellamy visited the old Gardner House at 1817 Vale St. during Preservation Durham's East Durham yesterday, I tried to help him imagine what the house could look like after the vinyl siding had been removed, the broken windows had been repaired and the old baseboard heaters were gone. And I was pleased to open today's Herald-Sun and see that he had shared some of my comments with his readers:

East Durham Open House visitors get advice, eyeful

By Cliff Bellamy
http://heraldsun.com/bookmark/3725552

DURHAM -- "Some floorboards inside the two-story home at 402 Clay Street are buckled, showing signs of age and neglect. Upstairs, a window in one of the rooms has been removed, exposing the sturdy lathe wall construction -- this was decades before drywall -- of this 1900 house.

"It needs work, but looking at the house from across Clay Street, the house, with its wraparound porch, already shows initial signs of new life. Preservation Durham, which owns the house, has scraped the old paint, exposing wood siding in good shape.

"The Clay Street house was among five Preservation Durham houses that are for sale and were open for inspection Sunday during the East Durham Open House Event. In addition to Preservation Durham houses, visitors also could tour several homes owners have restored and now occupy, and several houses for sale by area Realtors.

"The first stop-off for the tour was 201 S. Driver St., the home of Kim Sage and partner Karen Sage. The purpose of the tour was to let potential buyers know about the historic district tax credits and loans available for restoring the historic properties, and to "dispel some misconceptions about the area," said Aidil Collins, a Vale Street resident. One misconception is that this part of East Durham is not family-friendly, when it fact many families live in the area and maintain homes.

"The Sages have been in their home since 1988, and did about 95 percent of the restoration work themselves, said Kim Sage. While the area had some tough times in the 1990s, in the last few years she has seen the neighborhood reviving house by house.

"'We fell in love with the house,' Kim Sage said. 'We wanted to live in an integrated neighborhood. We were looking at starting a family. ... We bought it.'

"Other organizers of Sunday's event were Up Lift East Durham, Preservation North Carolina and residents in East Durham.

"Potential urban pioneers received plenty of advice about fixing and financing. Over at 118 S. Driver St., Todd Hershberger, who works for Trinity Design/Build, was volunteering, and gave visitors a demonstration in window restoration. Hershberger, using pry bars, pulled moulding away from a window, revealing some water damage underneath. He explained that a major challenge in restoring old windows is getting them to work as originally intended, and an enemy of that is layers and layers of old paint.

"Legacy Green, a local organization that seeks to provide 'environmentally sensitive, economically inclusive housing options in traditionally underserved communities,' is fixing up 102 S. Driver St. for sale. Tiffany Elder showed visitors the vaulted ceiling revealed after a drop-ceiling was taken out. Elder told visitors the area she was standing in would be transformed into a commons and kitchen area with a high ceiling. Legacy Green had papers available explaining financing for someone who might want to buy the house when it is restored.

"Elder pointed to recent renovations in the Burch Avenue neighborhood and examples of Legacy's success. 'I believe that socio-economically mixed neighborhoods are the best neighborhoods," Elder said.

"The Gardener House at 1817 Vale St., also a Preservation Durham House, still has vinyl siding covering the original work, old baseboard heaters and a broken window. Volunteer Lisa Janes pointed out how a room near the entrance could be converted into a nice parlor, with another entrance that could be cut away from the wall. 'There's just so much potential,' Janes said."

***************
I spoke volumes, but my one sound bite in the article was "There's just so much potential," Janes said. It's funny what a reporter will pick up on! :D

The Loss of Two Giants

2009-08-27T11:44:00.000-07:00

The loss of two giants…

In the past two weeks, our country has lost two giants, both from the same family, Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Edward M. Kennedy. In this July 30,1983, file photo, Shriver is shown at her brother’s annual summer-time party at his home in Hyannisport, Mass. Shriver, who is also sister to President John F. Kennedy and founder of the Special Olympics, died Aug. 11 at age 88. Her brother Edward, the “liberal lion of the Senate,” has died after battling a brain tumor. His family announced his death in a brief statement released early Wednesday (Aug. 26). He was 77.

36 Hours in the Research Triangle, N.C.

2009-06-14T18:40:00.000-07:00

Our Research Triangle area was featured in today's travel section of the New York Times! We locals are well familiar with all the great things there are to do and see in our neck of the woods. But it sure is great to be recognized by others across the country.

Below are excerpts from the article with links to many of the great places to visit:

2 p.m.
7) RIVER WALK
"One of the Triangle’s charms is that its urban trappings are so easy to escape. A 10-mile drive from downtown Durham brings you to Eno River State Park (6101 Cole Mill Road, Durham; 919-383-1686; http://www.ncparks.gov/). Its trails pass through swaying pines and follow the river past patches of delicate purple-and-yellow wildflowers and turtles sunning themselves on low branches in the water.

5 p.m.
8) GOING WHOLE HOG
"Small towns and back roads, not cities, have a monopoly on great barbecue. What makes the Pit (328 West Davie Street, Raleigh; 919-890-4500; http://www.thepit-raleigh.com/) a striking exception is Ed Mitchell, the legendary master of the eastern North Carolina art form of whole hog cooking. Now instead of trekking 100 miles to porcine meccas like Ayden and Lexington, you can dig into pilgrimage-worthy chopped or pulled pork — made from pigs purchased from family farms and cooked for 10 to 14 hours over coals and hickory or oak — just a short stroll from the Capitol Building. A chopped barbecued pork plate with two sides and greaseless hush puppies costs $12.

7 p.m.
9) ROOT FOR THE HOME TEAM
"The Triangle is college basketball country, home to two of the winningest teams and some of the most rabid fans in N.C.A.A. history. But soon after the madness of March, the more tranquil local baseball fans stream into the Durham Bulls Athletic Park (409 Blackwell Street, Durham; 919-687-6500; http://www.dbulls.com/). The Bulls, founded in 1902 as the Tobacconists, recently became the Tampa Bay Rays’ AAA affiliate. The major league-quality play comes at minor league prices ($7 to $9 a ticket).

10 p.m.
10) BIG BANDS
"Nirvana played at the Cat’s Cradle (300 East Main Street, Carrboro; 919-967-9053; http://www.catscradle.com/) for the first time in pre-“Nevermind” 1990 to about 100 people. A year later Pearl Jam played to three times as many, filling just half the standing-room-only space. This summer the Cradle, just a mile from downtown Chapel Hill, hosts acts like Akron/Family and Camera Obscura that probably won’t be playing for such small crowds for long. Ticket prices vary but $15 is about average.

Sunday
10 a.m.
11) DRIVE-THRU BISCUITS
"There are several places in Chapel Hill that serve a distinguished Southern breakfast. Diners linger over gravy-smothered pork chops and eggs at Mama Dip’s (408 West Rosemary Street; 919-942-5837; http://www.mamadips.com/) and peerless shrimp and grits at Crook’s Corner (610 West Franklin Street; 919-929-7643; http://www.crookscorner.com/). But for a morning meal on the go that’s equally unforgettable, roll up to the drive-through-only Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen (1305 East Franklin Street; 919-933-1324), where the iced tea is tooth-achingly sweet and the main course is fluffy, buttery and filled with salty country ham ($2.02) or crisp fried chicken ($3.40).

THE BASICS
"Several airlines offer flights between the New York area airports and Raleigh-Durham International Airport for as low as $150, according to a recent online search. Durham, Raleigh and Chapel Hill are 20 to 40 minutes apart from one another and public transportation is infrequent, so if you’re planning to visit at least two points on the Triangle, you should rent a car.

"The 150-room Umstead Hotel and Spa (100 Woodland Pond, Cary; 866-877-4141; http://www.theumstead.com/), about 15 minutes from downtown Raleigh, has a pool, an elegant adjoining restaurant called Herons and an on-premises spa that offers massages and facial treatments. Doubles are $249 to $399 (there’s often a two-night minimum).

"Whether you stay in one of the seven impeccable rooms, garden cottage (complete with a porch swing) or 1700s-style log cabin at Arrowhead Inn (106 Mason Road; 919-477-8430; http://www.arrowheadinn.com/), 10 miles from downtown Durham, you’ll enjoy imaginative breakfasts made by a co-owner, Phil Teber, and have access to six acres of manicured lawns, gardens and magnolia trees. Weekend rates start at $150 for a room with a fireplace and double bed and reach $325 for the Carolina Log Cabin.

"The Carolina Inn (211 Pittsboro Street, Chapel Hill; 800-962-8519; http://www.carolinainn.com/) is not your typical on-campus hotel. In-room massages, dry cleaning service and a lobby whose Southern grandeur extends to the hotel’s 184 rooms make it much more than just convenient lodging for parents visiting the University of North Carolina. Rates start at $168."

ttp://travel.nytimes.com/2009/06/14/travel/14hours.html

By J. J. GOODE

"TELL North Carolinians you’re heading to the Research Triangle, and they’ll probably ask 'Which school are you visiting?' Yet the close-knit cities of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill are marked by more than college bars and hoops fans. Visitors not bound for Duke, the University of North Carolina or North Carolina State come to see buzz-worthy bands, dine on food from farm-worshiping chefs and explore outdoor art. From its biscuits to its boutiques, the Triangle occupies a happy place between slow-paced Southern charm and urban cool.

Friday, 3 p.m.
1) ART INSIDE OUT
"Anyone who has visited the Met or the Getty might scoff at the relatively succinct collection at the North Carolina Museum of Art (2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh; 919-839-6262; http://www.ncartmuseum.org/). But the lack of tour bus crowds means unfettered access to the Old Masters and contemporary heavyweights like Anselm Kiefer. The real treat is the adjacent Museum Park, more than 164 acres of open fields and woodlands punctuated by environmental art like Cloud Chamber, a stone hut that acts as a camera obscura, with a small hole in the roof projecting inverted, otherworldly images of slowly swaying trees on the floor and walls.

5 p.m.
2) TOWER OF BAUBLE
"There’s no pigeonholing the eclectic wares in this four-story indie minimall collectively known as Father & Son Antiques (107 West Hargett Street, Raleigh; 919-832-3030), and including Southern Swank and 2nd Floor Vintage. The organizing principle, if there is one, might be high design meets kitschy Americana, as the intermingling of vintage disco dresses ($18), Mexican wrestling masks ($20) and Eames aluminum group chairs ($250 to $500) attests.

7 p.m.
3) UPSCALE DINER
"Memorable meals are easy to come by in the Triangle owing to its high concentration of accomplished, produce-fondling chefs like Ashley Christensen. She left one of the area’s top kitchens to open Poole’s Downtown Diner (426 South McDowell Street, Raleigh; 919-832-4477; http://www.poolesdowntowndiner.com/) in a space that began as a 1940s pie shop. Diners sitting in the bright-red booths dig into Christensen’s low-pretense, high-flavor dishes, like a starter of lovably sloppy fried green tomatoes crowned with local pork smoked over cherry wood ($11), and the Royale ($13), an almost spherical hunk of ground-in-house chuck roll seared in duck fat, topped with cheese and perched on a slice of grilled brioche.

10 p.m.
4) CHEERS TO THE CHIEF
"For most bars, a popular politician’s visit would be a game-changing boon. But the Raleigh Times Bar (14 East Hargett Street, Raleigh; 919-833-0999; http://www.raleightimesbar.com/) was packed well before Barack Obama showed up the day of the state’s Democratic primary. The owner, Greg Hatem, painstakingly restored the century-old building that once housed its namesake newspaper and decorated the walls with old newspaper clippings, paperboy bags and other artifacts from the defunct daily. Mr. Obama bought a $2 Pabst Blue Ribbon (and left an $18 tip), but anyone not campaigning might choose one of the more than 100 other beers ($1 to $68), including esoteric Belgians and local brews you won’t find elsewhere.

Saturday

10:30 a.m.
5) ECO JUNK
"The Scrap Exchange (548 Foster Street, Durham; 919-688-6960; http://www.scrapexchange.org/) is a 'nonprofit creative reuse center' specializing in industrial discards or, for those not versed in eco-jargon, a bazaar of modestly priced former junk donated by Carolinians and scavenged from local businesses that include a hosiery mill, a zipper factory and a parachute plant. Even if you’re not one of the giddy artists, teachers or theater producers who comb for utilitarian treasures, plan to spend at least an hour rummaging in a cool-struck trance through test tubes (20 cents to $1), empty fire extinguishers ($3 to $5) and swaths of double-knit polyester ($1 a yard).

Noon
6) TACO TIME
"Anyone not on a hunt for serious Mexican food might drive past Taqueria La Vaquita (2700 Chapel Hill Road, Durham; 919-402-0209; http://www.lavaquitanc.com/), an unassuming freestanding structure with a plastic cow on its roof, just five minutes from Duke’s campus. But if you did, you’d miss tacos ($2.19) made with house-made corn tortillas, uncommonly delicate discs topped with exceptional barbacoa de res (slow-cooked beef) or carnitas (braised-then-fried pork) that you eat at one of the picnic tables out front.