Historic Resources Inventory

An inventory of historic resources is a community's official record of buildings, sites, and areas of architectural or cultural significance. The first architectural survey of Greensboro was conducted in 1975 by the North Carolina Division of Archives and History. In 1990, a more comprehensive survey was sponsored by the City and Preservation Greensboro, Inc.

The 1990 survey included buildings and areas developed primarily before World War II. As a result of those surveys, three local historic districts, 10 National Register Historic Districts, and 60 individual landmarks have been officially designated. Local historic districts and landmarks are protected through the Certificate of Appropriateness design review process. National Register listing makes property owners eligible for historic rehabilitation tax credits and ensures that the property will be considered during the planning of federal undertakings like highway and redevelopment projects.

New Survey Planned

A major survey update is planned for 2006. This project will pick up with the housing boom following World War II and include industrial and commercial expansion into rural areas surrounding the city. This was the era of modern architecture in Greensboro. Modern architecture is sometimes defined as 20th Century building approaches that rejected historic precedent as a source of architectural inspiration and considered function as the prime generator of form. Modern architecture employs materials and details directly rather than softening with ornamentation. Now that the modern architectural period has given way to the post-modern period, many of Greensboro’s best examples of modern buildings have fallen victim to demolition or renovation that has hidden or removed character-defining features. Among the most significant losses include the Burlington Industries Headquarters Building formerly on Friendly Avenue and the Caesar Cone residence formerly on Cornwallis Drive. 

After World War II, many families were able to purchase their first homes in idyllic neighborhoods miles from the center of town. Suburban developments such as Starmount Forest, Hamilton Lakes, and Benbow Park represent the American dream in Greensboro during the 1950s and 1960s. These neighborhoods featured homes constructed following the latest residential building types, including the ranch, minimal traditional, split level, and International styles. In Greensboro, renowned architect Edward Lowenstein and his associate Edward Jenkins designed some of the best modern residences in the city. Lowenstein was responsible for some exceptional International style residences in Irving Park, while Jenkins designed homes for prominent African American families in Benbow Park. Unfortunately, many of the best modern residential structures have been replaced with larger homes or they have been altered beyond recognition. Typically, the characteristic flat roof of the International style is replaced and floor to ceiling windows are replaced or walled over. Facades of ranch style homes are often modified with pseudo-classical details.

During the survey update, special attention will be paid to areas and structures that were omitted or not adequately documented previously. In particular, small post-bellum African American communities like Persimmon Grove near Guilford College and working class neighborhoods like Glenwood will be more thoroughly documented.   

 Methodology 

The survey update will follow all the procedures and conventions of the North Carolina Historic Preservation Office (NCSHPO) Survey Program. An architectural historian recommended by the SHPO will be hired to conduct the field survey update and compile the documentary record per SHPO guidelines. In addition, the project will have a local planning component that will integrate the survey results into the Geographic Information Systems. GIS technology has changed the way local governments manage resources, deliver services, and conduct land use planning. Because they are spatial in nature, historic resource surveys are well-suited to GIS technology. Not only can historic resources be easily located and identified, maps and reports can be generated for use in National Register nominations, historic district studies, environmental reviews, and both public and private land planning activities. GIS can simplify the review of road construction, cell tower location, or redevelopment activities by automatically locating on a map all historic properties within a specified distance of the project boundary. Pictures can be scanned into digital format and linked to the GIS database. Maps, data, and images can be made available to the public on the Internet.

The first step of the project will be to enter existing data into a customized database. Data will come from the 1975 and 1990 Greensboro surveys, the Guilford County inventory, National Register nominations, and local historic district and landmark designations. About 6,000 records will be entered. The database will be tailored so that it is consistent with the NC Division of Archives and History survey forms and the Department of the Interior requirements for National Register nominations.

Once the data has been entered, the database will be converted to a format that is compatible with the GIS system. Then the database will be linked with City and County tax parcel maps. A database application will be created that will generate frequently requested reports and maps.

Concurrently, a county-wide field survey update will be conducted. The survey update will expand the scope of the original surveys to include neighborhoods constructed between 1945 and 1960. The survey will also identify demolitions and alterations to historic resources since the last survey. 

Resources

This project will be a collaborative effort among the City of Greensboro Department of Housing and Community Development, Guilford County, Preservation Greensboro, Inc., and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro Department of Interior Architecture/Public History. Technical assistance will come from the City’s Geographic Information Systems office, the Planning Department and the Building Inspections office. Internships through the UNCG Department of Housing and Interior Design will provide assistance with survey functions and data entry.