The new Morgan Street entrance

Since the 1920s, the Junior League of Raleigh has improved the community and the lives of those within it through education, outreach, and voluntarism. About a year ago, the organization moved in to the lower floor of a former IBM research facility on Hillsborough Street near the Capitol Building.

Often overlooked, this 1960s commercial building is a fine example of the International Style. It has the distinctive flair characteristic of its highly accomplished architect, George Matsumoto, along with a rejuvenated new appearance.

A History of Serving Raleigh

At the time the Junior League was formed (then called the Junior Guild), there were similar groups of women organized for the bettering of their community. Not long after the formation, they joined with the Association of Junior Leagues International.

Bargain Box in Cameron Village

One of the most visible examples of the legacy of the Junior League of Raleigh is Bargain Box, a thrift store located in Cameron Village. Since its founding in 1951, Bargain Box has contributed clothing and other items to those in need as well as a substantial amount of resources toward the Junior League’s outreach efforts.

Since then, the women of the Junior League have funded a Boys and Girls club for Wake County, co-sponsored the restoration of the Mordecai House, created SAFEchild (a non-profit agency dedicated to eliminating child abuse), among many other causes that have improved the lives of countless Wake County residents.

Publisher of a Primary Source for this Blog

The Junior League has long played a role in historic preservation and celebrating local history across the country, and here in Raleigh the League is no different.

Among their other many preservation and awareness efforts was the publishing of a book in 1967 which has always been my number one Raleigh reference guide: North Carolina’s Capital Raleigh, by Elizabeth Culbertson Waugh. You can buy a recently revised edition at Quail Ridge Books.

Finalized rendering of IBM Research Facility, drawn by George Matsumoto October 18, 1963. Image courtesy of and copyright NCSU Special Collections.

In a Historic Building Designed for Computer Science

Given the League’s history of appreciation for local culture and architecture, it isn’t a surprise that they were looking for a space with history and in a style that Raleigh is known for. The building they chose once belonged to Capitol Broadcasting Company, but before that was home to IBM.

The significance of IBM’s arrival in Downtown Raleigh in 1965 can’t be understated. Although Research Triangle Park was then in development with the goal of luring multinational companies to North Carolina, IBM’s arrival was the beginning of a major transformation for the city.

Meet the Architect

George Matsumoto was one of the most talented and accomplished architects who taught or practiced in North Carolina. Although his education began at Berkeley, he had to find other education opportunities because of the forcible relocation to internment camps of Japanese-Americans in California during World War II.

George Matsumoto. Image courtesy of and copyright NCSU Special Collections

After studying under Eliel Saarinen at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, he briefly worked for Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill in Chicago before setting up a private practice in Oklahoma. In 1948, he followed many others from Oklahoma to teach at a new architecture school at State College.

He resided in Raleigh for about 13 years, before returning to his native California to teach at Berkeley. Matsumoto left behind a large collection of modern houses across the Triangle which won over 30 awards.

You can read more about George Matsumoto at Triangle Modernist Houses.

The IBM Research Facility From Concept to Construction

About two years after leaving the School of Design for his native California, he gained a commission to build a new research center for IBM on Hillsborough Street in Downtown Raleigh.

Undated proposal for IBM Research Facility. Image courtesy of and copyright NCSU Special Collections

The plans he presented to IBM went through a few iterations, starting out with a very open curtain-wall structure similar in design to the Brooks Hall extension at NC State he designed earlier.

Proposal for IBM Research Facility, June 10, 1963. Image courtesy of and copyright NCSU Special Collections

The openness of this and his other designs went beyond ample usage of natural light — the interiors were often open as well. His philosophy is best illustrated in a letter to a client about the benefits of a modern design:

Flexibility in design and in use, strength and economy of construction, and the use of larger openings to provide better lighting and ventilation as well as a feeling of openness — all contribute to a building whose aesthetic qualities are once again integral with its structure, function, and time. [...] At the same time it will have validity and beauty and perhaps be more meaningful in our present way of life.

–George Matsumoto, 1959

Corporate Espionage and a new Facade

It appears as though he had a demanding client with IBM, as I found several unimplemented designs for the new building at the NCSU Special Collections Research Center. At the time, the company was concerned with corporate espionage and the open interior and exterior were changed a few times to give more privacy.

Undated crayon on tissue drawing for IBM Research Facility. Image courtesy of and copyright NCSU Special Collections

With each iteration, the windows became smaller and more narrow. The end result was a structure similar to the crayon on tissue drawing in the photo above. Although the final plans were different from his other projects, it was a highly functional building for the purpose it was needed for.

The Renovation, Coming Full Circle

G. Milton Small III of Small Kane Webster Conley has long been a Community Advisor for the Junior League, and his firm spent a few years trying to find the right space for their new facility.

Junior League proposal as seen from Morgan Street. Rendering courtesy of Small Kane Webster Conley.

Appreciating this assistance as well as his firm’s history with the building, the Junior League chose Small Kane Webster Conley to modernize it while staying as true to history as possible.

The same firm (then G. Milton Small and Associates) handled construction of the building in 1965.

Junior League proposal as seen from Hillsborough Street. Rendering courtesy of Small Kane Webster Conley.

The renovation proposal got a nod from Matsumoto, who had worked with G. Milton Small Jr. extensively in the late 1950s and early 60s. Milton Small III recently showed Matsumoto the design:

I was out in California two years ago for our National AIA convention, and my wife and I were coming back in from northern California. Once I figured my schedule I called George Matsumoto who lives in Oakland, and he said to come by and have coffee. The next morning we drove into Oakland and spent an hour and a half talking to George. He lives by himself, but his kids–who are in their fifties now–are there and take care of him. He has his Eames chair and lives in a wonderful little house on the hill in the forest. He thought [the new design] was a good addition.

– Milton Small III

New facade facing Hillsborough Street

The League worked with architect Brian Jones and the resulting transformation is open, new, and modern, yet is also closer to the original design and Matsumoto’s other buildings. It is a great success story in adaptive reuse.

The Junior League Today

The new Center for Community Development continues on the mission of community involvement. It also serves as affordable meeting and training space for businesses, individuals, and nonprofits.

The over 1800 members are still primarily focused on providing leadership development for women. Since 1930 they have raised over $4.8 million for the services of women and children.

If you’d like to learn more about the Junior League, please visit their web site.

New Life as a Research Facility

While the Junior League has occupied the first floor for about a year, the upper floor has been vacant. That changes in January of 2012, when Brooks Bell will operate from 711 Hillsborough Street. Design and interior work is currently taking place in advance of the move.

Brooks Bell is a company that specializes in user research and analytics. Utilizing data mining, A/B testing, and other research methods, they are able to provide companies with more effective ad and commerce campaigns.

In 2012, this modest yet historic and pretty building and the people inside will contribute toward our local economy as well as the community. Although not paired with a residential component, it is a truly mixed use space accommodating non-profits, charity, outreach, business, and leadership training.

Raleigh is incredibly lucky to have this resource which furthers society, builds leadership skills, and helps those in need.

Further Reading

• Junior League of Raleigh
• Small Kane Webster Conley
• Brooks Bell
• Previous articles tagged ‘Milton Small’

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Over the course of the past few days, concrete munchers have been hard at work dismantling the building at 410 Oberlin Road in Cameron Village.

Now the building is completely razed, and new construction activity will soon be taking place near the busy intersection of Oberlin Rd. and Clark Ave.

1960s view of Ballentine's Cafeteria, with the "Confederate Room" sign visible on the rock wall. Image from the Lewis Watson Collection, NC Dept. of Archives and History

The Last of a Locally Rare Style

It’s my belief that the Ballentine’s Cafeteria building was the last standing example of the prairie style here in Raleigh. This style is characterized as having a flat roof, banded windows grouped in sections, wide overhangs, and an emphasis on a horizontal lines.

This building has a rather modest history: it was once home to Ballentine’s Cafeteria, which closed in 1999. Most recently it served as home to the  Cameron Village Library before moving in to their new space, as well as offices. It was designed in 1959 by noted Raleigh Modernist architect Leif Valand:

He attended the Pratt Institute in New York City then practiced architecture in Scarsdale NY. He moved to Raleigh in the late 1940s to design the Cameron Village Shopping Center for developers J. Willie York and R. A. Bryan.  The vision was massive, even by today’s standards, comprising 65 stores, 112 offices, 566 apartment units, and 100 private homes.

During his heyday, he was one of the most prolific architects in Raleigh.  With just a few employees, his extensive contacts with Raleigh’s business and real estate elite gained incredible commissions.

While few realize it, Cameron Village was not only the area’s first shopping center, but it was also a massive mixed-use development project unlike any other previously seen in the Southeast.

The Island In a Sea of Concrete

It suffered from a few design flaws, most notably the use of land. The building’s longest side was perpendicular to the main thoroughfare and most of the land was devoted to a surface parking lot on the Oberlin Road side and a parking garage on the other sides. It was a visually interesting brick and river rock island in a sea of parking spaces. Such site plans are generally frowned upon today.

Above demolition video courtesy of Goodnight Raleigh contributor Ian F.G. Dunn.

It was torn down (along with a smaller neighboring structure built around the same time) in order to make way for a new mixed-use project.

The mid-century building has been under-occupied for years and the inside wasn’t anything particularly useful or pretty. While no one could argue that the existing parcel of land was being utilized well, it’s disheartening to see a unique building replaced with something that runs contrary to the character of Cameron Village. That block is comprised mostly of modernist buildings, a few including the Post Office and 401 Oberlin (also facing demolition).

The new project replacing it is a 1920s revivalist style. This was almost certainly the result of the influential residents of Cameron Park whose buy-in was required by the developer. Cameron Park gets a building that looks like their homes, and Cameron Village loses a chunk of its modern character.

Building with only one wall remaining. Image courtesy of Goodnight Raleigh contributor Devin McKim

While I think historic buildings (and for Raleigh in particular its modernist ones) form an important and valuable part of our landscape, I don’t advocate saving every building. However, when we erase some of the unique character from our town, we should ask if what we’re putting in its place is an improvement.

More rental options in this part of town are definitely needed, and in that sense it is an improvement. However, with regard to the visual landscape and how the area will feel afterward, I’m not yet convinced.

You can read more about this building at our sister site, raleigh modern.

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Built in 1952, the Erdahl-Cloyd Wing of D.H. Hill Library is attributed to the official architect of record, William Henley Deitrick. However, in the years in which the building was conceived, Deitrick was no longer designing, but handling the business end of the firm.

The details of who designed the Erdahl-Cloyd Student Union Building have been rather murky in history books and official records. The surprising part is that the design came from Matthew Nowicki, the visionary architect behind Dorton Arena. Sadly, he never received credit for it.

Nowicki in a Time magazine photo, photo copyright Time Magazine

Nowicki: A Bright Light for the Region

Matthew Nowicki (pronounced nuh-vit-ski) was possibly the most internationally noteworthy faculty member of the School of Design at State College during its heyday of the 1950s and 1960s. He was the Polish delegate to the United Nations Building Committee, a friend to the Secretary General of the United Nations, and had a stellar international reputation as an architect.

Photo of a young Nowicki. Image courtesy of and copyright NCSU Special Collections

From Resistance Fighter to the Head of a Star Architecture Program

Political unrest brought Nowicki to the United States at the beginning of the Cold War:

Still another innovative university program that prospered in the early 1950s was that at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. The initial force behind the curricular reforms here was Dean Henry Kamphoefner, but the initiative was quickly taken up by the Polish architect Matthew Nowicki who [...] was just emerging as a highly influential voice on the American scene. He had graduated from the Warsaw Polytechnic in 1936 and briefly enjoyed success in Warsaw before the Nazi invasion. As a lieutenant in the Polish army reserve, he was actually training with an antiaircraft battery on the outskirts of the city in September 1939 when hundreds of German bombers flew overhead to initiate the war [...]

Nowicki joined the Polish underground, and after surviving years of considerable dangers, in 1945 served as chief of planning for the rebuilding of central sections of the war-bombed city of Warsaw.

He left shortly thereafter due to the repression of the Soviet-controlled communist secret police.

Nowicki's sketch for the Paraboleum, now known as Dorton Arena. Image courtesy of and copyright NCSU Special Collections

Influencing the International Scene, from Raleigh

Nowicki’s exit from Europe started a chain of events ending with relocation to Raleigh. Architectural critic Lewis Mumford approached Dean Kamphoefner about a position within the new architecture school at State College in Raleigh which had a soaring reputation.

In describing who Mr. Nowicki was and what he was capable of, perhaps no one else said it as eloquently as Mr. Mumford did:

Nowicki’s dictum that the client makes an important contribution to the building and deserves part of the credit stemmed from his profound respect for ordinary men and their ways, and this was fully rewarded by the popular response his personality and his work evoked. Even in the conservative South, long hypnotized by the class-genteel tradition, his daring plans for the arena and the grandstand for the permanent State Fair buildings in Raleigh (in collaboration with William Deitrick) met with enthusiastic acceptance from people who, though architecturally unsophisticated, could nevertheless appraise the quality of the man they were dealing with. This sense of the specific human occasion is what gives to Nowicki’s designs a variety unmatched by anyone this side of Frank Lloyd Wright. But it was a talent potentially greater than Wright’s, just to the extent that Nowicki’s humility was a greater quality than Wright’s arrogance.

The Student Union Proposal and the “cheap and flashy stores at Miami Beach”

In the late 1940s, William Deitrick was awarded the commission to build a new Student Union building at State College. Deitrick was the first area architect to build in the modernist style, and at the time he was awarded the commission, had two architects on payroll (Milton Small and Matthew Nowicki) who were a part of the new School of Design.

The initial designs (sketched by Milton Small) for the building were met with scorn by the chairman of the Building Committee, David Clark. In a letter to the committee during the very beginning of the process, one of his three objections to the submitted plans was the style: “I definitely do not favor a modernistic type of building.”

Milton Small's futuristic proposal for the Student Union. Image courtesy of and copyright NCSU Special Collections

Later in the process, he was a bit more colorful in his criticism of the design. In a letter to W.D. Carmichael, Controller of the Consolidated University of North Carolina, Clark had this to say:

In Asheville, N.C., on the road out to Beaver Lake, there is a group of four small stores with a front which is a dead ringer for the elevation of the Student Union, as submitted by W. Henley Deitrick at the meeting of the Building Committee last Tuesday. [...]

I know that the elevation was exactly like some cheap and flashy stores at Miami Beach, Florida, but I did not know there were similar stores at Asheville.

– David Clark

Small’s proposal in 1949 for the Student Union went over like a lead balloon with the Building Committee. This was a completely new way to design a building, and many administrators had strong negative opinions on the new style.

Nowicki's concept drawing of the Student Union. Image courtesy of and copyright NCSU Special Collections

The Nowicki Solution

While Small’s proposal was a bold gesture intended to bring the future to the State College campus, it appears that it was a bit too forward thinking for the Trustees and Building Committee. Small left Deitrick’s firm in 1949, and presumably the design was given to Nowicki to conceive. He likely only provided the concept for the exterior elevations, as he was not licensed to practice architecture in the United States.

Sadly, he would not get to see his vision realized, with the Student Union as well as the new arena at the fairgrounds.

A Flame Extinguished Too Soon

On August 31, 1950, Nowicki was traveling back to Raleigh from India where we was planning a new provincial capital, Chandigarh, in a newly independent India. Somewhere over the Egyptian desert the Transworld Airlines airplane crashed and all on board perished.

He was buried in a mass grave with the other victims, with a marker that said simply: “Architect.” Mass was held locally at Sacred Heart Cathedral, and was visited by many dignitaries.

The Chandigarh project was then given to perhaps the most noteworthy modernist architect in history, Le Corbusier.

One of Nowicki's unimplemented plans for the fairgrounds, bearing a striking resemblance to the Erdahl-Cloyd Student Union. Image courtesy of and copyright NCSU Special Collections

The Resemblance of Erdahl-Cloyd to Other Nowicki Designs

I first saw Nowicki’s sketch for the Erdahl-Cloyd Student Union Building in a book containing his works that he was assembling shortly before his death. I was surprised, as references I had seen to the building did not attribute it to him.

After comparing the sketches of various buildings in this book, I became convinced that he designed the Erdahl-Cloyd Student Union building, but could find no corroborating evidence to support this.

Saarinen, Brandeis University, and the Open Canopy

One of the biggest collections in the book was the master plan for Brandeis University. This is a body of work in which he worked in collaboration with the modern genius Eero Saarinen, who would later build on Nowicki’s parabolic shelter idea with the Terminal at JFK Airport. In a book about Saarinen, it is speculated that he implemented several of Nowicki’s ideas, and not just the Terminal.

One of the buildings in Nowicki's Brandeis University Master Plan, showing an open canopy. Image courtesy of and copyright NCSU Special Collections

One of the buildings in this plan (above) contained an opening in the overhang for a green space below. This very unique, if overlooked, feature is something I haven’t seen anywhere else. Although it was circumstantial evidence, seeing the same feature present in the Erdahl-Cloyd Student Union building was a strong indication that both designs were his.

Blueprint for the Student Union Building. Deitrick Arch. of record, Drawn by W.C.C. Jan 31, 1951 - Four months after Nowicki's death. Image courtesy of and copyright NCSU Special Collections

Confirming the True Designer of the Student Union

After spending a lot of time at the NCSU Special Collections Research Center going through multiple collections, I had more information, but no substantial evidence.

That changed after reaching out to an architecture professor in Poland, Dr. Marta Urbanska. She had written her dissertation on Nowicki, and flew to Raleigh to speak with former colleagues of his. In an email, she confirmed that Nowicki designed the building:

It was indeed [former School of Design professor] Robert Burns and Mr. Manuel Bromberg, artist, who informed me of Nowicki’s authorship [of the Student Union]. The entire story is of course obscured by the same regrettable controversy which regards the Raleigh Arena: Nowicki was not a licensed architect in the USA, thus he had to cooperate with one – i.e. William Deitrick. [...]

The stylistic comparison of the Student Union building and other designs by Nowicki, both Polish (such as the prewar sports club in Warsaw or a hotel in Augustów) and American, leaves no doubt as to the authorship – the crisp, modern, yet classically calm and exquisitely elegant composition is unmistakably his.

–Dr. Marta A. Urbańska
Adj. Professor of Architecture, Cracow University of Technology

Erdahl-Cloyd Today

After Milton Small designed the new Talley Student Center which replaced it, the Erdahl-Cloyd Student Union became the West Wing of D.H. Hill Library.

Facing a Different Direction

It’s always been puzzling to me that the building’s ‘face’ is on Hillsborough Street, and away from most pedestrian traffic, where the Brickyard is today. This design decision was a direct result of pressure by NC State officials:

Under pressure from university administration, an attempt was made to follow the tradition of the nineteenth-century Southern plantation house. The portico was therefore placed on the north side because the authorities felt that this was the “entrance” side of the building. [...] The resulting building defies the precepts of Vitruvius and Louis Sullivan by having its portico on the shaded side and a complete unshaded window on the south side.

–Elizabeth Waugh, The South Builds

The Color Wall at DH Hill Library, another legacy of the School of Design. The Erdahl-Cloyd wing is visible on the right

Beautiful Architecture, a Kinetic Light Sculpture, and Fantastic Ice Cream

The former Student Union still serves as a part of the library today, but is also a place for student relaxation or collaboration. It is adjacent to the recently restored Color Wall, a kinetic light sculpture created by former School of Design professor and artist Joe Cox.

The walk up window facing Hillsborough Street

The Erdahl-Cloyd wing is home to the Creamery, which sells Howling Cow ice cream, made locally on NC State campus. It was set up a couple of years ago, and also features a walk-up window on Hillsborough Street. You don’t have to be a student to get great tasting ice cream and milkshakes. Simply park on Hillsborough Street and walk up to the window.

South elevation of the Erdahl-Cloyd wing

An Endangered Masterpiece

Sadly, the Erdahl-Cloyd wing of the library will likely be demolished in the coming years. The NC State Library Master Plan [PDF] calls for the demolition of this structure:

Phase 3 will include renovation and expansion of the Hill Library. Our recommendation is to demolish the Erdahl-Cloyd wing, complete renovation of the east wing begun in Phase 1, renovate the Towers, and reconfigure the lower floors of the building and expand the facility to the west (where Erdahl-Cloyd is currently located) to create a clear, understandable, functional and beautiful entry to the facility.

To be sure, the plan is several years old and as far as I know, there is no set date to demolish it.

This was the first modernist building built on campus, envisioned by a legendary architect and Dean of the School of Architecture. It deserves to live on as a testament to the bold experimental thought of the college during a period of national prominence.

This building won an AIA-NC award (with merit) in 1955. There are few, if any, campus buildings that have won an AIA award. This place matters and should not be destroyed.

Related Articles

• J. S. Dorton Arena – State Fair Grounds
• Apple’s “Spaceship” Campus Proposal Looks Familiar

Further Reading

• Maciej Nowicki: A Tribute to a Neglected Genius (Cracow Life)
• Matthew Nowicki (Entry at NC Architects and Builders database)
• Matthew Nowicki Drawings and Other Material (NCSU Special Collections)
• Maciej Nowicki (Wikipedia)

Copyright Information

All images labeled as “copyright NCSU Special Collections” are protected by copyright and are not to be distributed or reproduced without permission from the Special Collections Research Center. I kindly ask you respect this and not distribute copyrighted material.

All other images were taken by me (John Morris) and are not under similar copyright restrictions. I encourage you to distribute, reproduce, or otherwise share those images.

Special Thanks

I’d like to give a big thank you to Dr. Marta Urbańska as well as the NCSU Special Collections Research Center for being so helpful in locating the historic information, drawings, and photographs used in this article.

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401 Oberlin, one of the newest proposed teardown projects

When looking at the number of planned development projects centered around the downtown area, one feels a sense of relief that Raleigh is well insulated from the economic woes currently plaguing most cities in the United States. While on one hand these are a reassuring sign of progress, on the other they represent a rapid loss of unique buildings with character that define Raleigh.

Before they’re gone, let’s take a look at what we’re losing.

South elevation, 401 Oberlin.

401 Oberlin Road

401 Oberlin is the newest entry to the list of modern buildings facing demolition. Designed by Leif Valand and built in 1957, the current owners are planning a large apartment complex on the site. Based on Raleigh City Council’s previous rezoning requests, I predict this project will be given the green light.

Of all the buildings we’re set to lose, this one saddens me the most. I pass by it daily, and love the subtle charm of this corner of land. The worn dark screens mask beautifully mirrored glass which rests above the azaleas that liven a busy intersection.

The Staudt Bakery is a rare example of the art moderne style in Raleigh

The Staudt Bakery

The Staudt Bakery has one of the longest periods of vacancy in Raleigh. Facing a newly-built roundabout at the Hillsborough and Morgan Street intersection, this area has needed improvement for a long time. It’s sad that the building couldn’t have been repurposed into lofts and storefronts.

It is built in the Art Moderne style, a rarity in this area. It is unlikely that it will still be standing a few months from now. Much like the other upcoming projects, the plans look uninspiring. Despite the boring site plan, I am glad to see more life arriving to this area.

Raleigh's most famous dilapidated Victorian, the Fabius Briggs House

The Fabius Briggs House

Sitting on the same parcel of land for future mixed-use as the Staudt Bakery, the Fabius Briggs house may have received its final pardon from Raleigh City Council. Preservation North Carolina has been working with the city to delay a demolition order, but at least some councillors are unwilling to grant any more extensions.

The Briggs House when it was an artists' studio

Although at least two people (including a descendant of Fabius Briggs, of the Briggs Hardware fame) have expressed interest in moving the house, time is running out. The future looks bleak for this worn but grand Queen Anne Victorian keeping watch over Hillsborough Street.

The Brewery

It’s unlikely anyone could make the argument that the Brewery or the buildings around it are architecturally significant enough to warrant preserving. However, character and importance sometimes aren’t defined in the appearance of a building, but in the life and character that resides inside.

The Brewery

David Menconi, music editor for the N&O, sums it up best:

As for what the project might displace, the people pushing it don’t seem overly concerned. The story quotes Karen Rindge (identified as “a neighbor and director of the advocacy group WakeUp Wake County”) saying this: ”What’s there right now is abysmal. That side of Hillsborough Street is desperate for redevelopment.” Well…one person’s “abysmal” and “desperate for redevelopment” block is another person’s irreplaceable historical landmark. That particular block houses The Brewery, which is one of the most fabled nightclubs in local-music history.

While this block’s appearance certainly leaves much to be desired, leveling the Brewery is discarding decades of local music history. It is unfortunate that WakeUp Wake County is so quick condemn the entire block without appreciating the importance of this place to so many Raleigh residents.

The house which was most recently The Farmhouse, as well as neighboring Katmandu (formerly Mr. Ribs Restaurant) will also soon be leveled.

The Ballentine’s Cafeteria Building

After a few muted protests, Raleigh City Council granted a variance (bypassing height limits) to Crescent Resources LLC to build a tall apartment complex on the corner of Clark Avenue and Oberlin Road. They likely granted this because of the overwhelming support of Cameron Park residents. Those residents wouldn’t be impacted by the increased traffic, and they helped steer the design to look like the houses they live in. The result is a 1920s revivalist structure which will look more like the McDonald’s and Harris Teeter than the humble midcentury buildings currently on that block.

The Ballentine's Cafeteria building, soon to be gone

This mid-century modern prairie-style building (one of the only still standing in Raleigh) will soon be demolished.

419/425 Boylan Avenue

A new site plan was submitted which would result in a 250-unit apartment complex on the corner of Boylan Avenue and Tucker Street. The design is uninspiring, and resembles the other generic projects in the pipeline for the center city.

One of two structures which would be leveled at 419 North Boylan Ave.

Built in 1948, 419 North Boylan is one of the oldest modernist buildings in Raleigh. Although I can’t find any documentation to back it up, I am fairly certain this was designed by Milton Small while employed by William Deitrick. The exposed steel beams, floating entranceway, full-height fenestration, and base that is set a few inches from the ground are all of his trademark characteristics.

The Water Garden, now destroyed

The Water Garden (Demolished)

The redevelopment of the Water Garden property is easily the most hotly debated architecture topic on this blog. Although there were a few folks lamenting the loss of this landscape architecture (and modernist) icon, the bulk of the heated debate was from area homeowners protesting the arrival of low-income housing in its place.

Bell Tower Plaza: Buddha’s Belly, Schoolkids Records, and Roundabout Art Gallery

Many might be surprised to learn that NC State owns the commercial property directly across from the Bell Tower. In this plaza are a barber shop, Buddha’s Belly, Roundabout Art Gallery, the Bell Tower Mart, and Schoolkids Records.

Bell Tower Plaza

While the date of demolition of this area may or may not be this year, NC State officials have recently entertained designs from all over the country. Firms are salivating at the chance to build a project here. The businesses here (including Schoolkids) are already looking at relocation options on Hillsborough Street.

Rumors have recently been circulating that Sadlack's is next, but there is nothing yet substantiating this

The Sadlack’s Rumor

Rumors have been swirling for months now that long-time Raleigh institution Sadlack’s Heroes will also be lost as a part of the Bell Tower redevelopment project, but I’ve seen nothing to substantiate this claim. Sadlack’s will only leave this location if the owner decides to sell the parcel to NCSU, and this has not yet happened.

The NC State Bookstore, destroyed just a few days ago

The NC State Bookstore (Demolished)

The loss of this building is unlike the others; it is on NC State campus and isn’t being replaced by a large apartment or condo project. It was demolished just a few days ago and will be replaced by a grass lawn. For more information on the Bookstore’s demolition, read the entry at raleigh modern.

Not All Buildings Should Be Preserved

Although I’ve used this blog to take a stand and draw awareness to preservation efforts of our city’s unique buildings, I certainly do not think that every building should be saved. There are times when it makes sense to tear down an existing structure so that something better can take its place.

Sadly, most of the current and future projects are replacing historic modernist buildings with uninspired cookie-cutter projects that all look the same.

Are We Getting Something Better Than What We’re Losing?

There is no doubt that high-density mixed-use projects are what urban areas (and Raleigh in particular) need more of. However, we’re witnessing a surge of investment from out of state limited liability companies eager to cash in because most other real estate markets are performing poorly. The problem here is that every one of these projects are very similar in appearance and amenities. The consumer market isn’t being presented with variety —  just several versions of a similar design, but in different locations.

I want Raleigh to grow closer to the center city and for more people to live downtown. But sadly, if the gamble of all of these projects doesn’t pan out in a favorable way, we’ll only know once the original buildings they replaced are long gone.

Related Articles:

• The Staudt Bakery: Vacant For 50 Years – What Next?
• The Fabius Briggs House: A Crumbling Raleigh Relic [Updated]
• Cameron Village: Modernism Loses; Bland/Generic Wins
• A Forgotten Treasure: The Raleigh Water Garden
• NC State: Please Don’t Destroy the Bookstore!

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Top: Rendering of Apple's new headquarters in Cupertino, CA. Bottom: Model of Columbus Circle Shopping Center in NYC by former NCSU architecture professor Matthew Nowicki. Bottom image courtesy of and copyright NCSU SCRC.

The announcement of Apple’s new campus in Cupertino, California created a bit of buzz amongst the company’s fans as well as architecture enthusiasts. The design has been likened by many to a spaceship. It will feature several technological innovations as well as provide its own power from an on-site natural gas plant.

While many were focusing on how new and different this building is, I couldn’t help but think how similar it is to the Columbus Circle Shopping Center Proposal (unbuilt), drawn up more than 60 years ago by the former head of NCSU’s architecture program, Matthew Nowicki.

Top partial view of Dorton Arena in Raleigh, which also slightly resembles a spaceship. Designed by Matthew Nowicki

The Designer of the Original “Spaceship”

Matthew Nowicki put Raleigh on the architectural map with the construction of Dorton Arena in 1952, the first building with a roof supported by cables. In 1957, the American Institute of Architects declared it one of the 10 20th-century buildings most expected to influence the future of American architecture.

He was a rising star in the international architecture arena, pushing the limits of existing construction methods as well as designing an entire new city from the ground up. His talent was summed up in this way by the architecture critic for the New Yorker:

Nowicki’s dictum that the client makes an important contribution to the building and deserves part of the credit stemmed from his profound respect of ordinary men and their ways [...] Even in the conservative South, long hypnotized by the classic-genteel position, his daring plans for the arena and grandstand for the State Fair buildings in Raleigh met with enthusiastic response from people who, although architecturally unsophisticated, could nevertheless appreciate the quality of man they were dealing with. This sense of specific human occasion is what gives Nowicki’s designs a variety unmatched by anyone this side of Frank Lloyd Wright.

– Lewis Mumford

He was the head of the new architecture program at State College in the late 1940s until his tragic death in a plane crash in 1950.

Plan and section for Columbus Circle proposal. Image courtesy of and copyright NCSU SCRC

Similarity Between Apple’s Proposed Campus and Nowicki’s Proposed Shopping Center

The Dorton Arena roof is two opposing parabolas, and not really a spaceship. The Columbus Circle proposal for New York City bordering Central Park more closely resembles a flying saucer. The shopping center proposal and Apple’s proposed new campus have a lot of similar features. The unique outward footprint allows for a large number of people to occupy it without rising too high above ground level, as well as providing several entry/exit points and views of the outside. People are the focus of the area, with cars relegated to below the people-occupied area.

Site plan for Columbus Circle Shopping Center. Image courtesy of and copyright NCSU SCRC

Mid-century Technology

The 60+ year old Columbus Circle proposal was to be a building with the technology of the day: poured concrete. Nowicki had a strong desire to connect people with their outside environment, so I’d like to think he would have made a similar design decision as the new Apple building (expansive curved glass walls) if the technology available then would have allowed it.

Aerial view of proposed Apple headquarters

Innovation and New Technology

The biggest difference between the sets of plans is the technology which now exists: complex exterior glass forms. According to Mr. Jobs, “there won’t be a straight piece of glass” on the building. Considering that many of the iPhone 5 rumors involve curved glass, it’s interesting to see new manufacturing methods being exercised on a micro as well as macro scale. Jobs cited lessons learned in utilizing large amounts of glass in construction of retail Apple stores as influencing he the unique exterior.

The Jobs Pitch For a Lasting Legacy

Given the standard of perfection and attention to detail throughout the design process that Steve Jobs has historically demonstrated, it seems fitting that the noteworthy architect he selected came up with a design similar to one by the incredibly talented Nowicki. Jobs remarked during the City Council meeting that “architecture students will come here to see this, it will be that good.”

It’s not important whether or not this building received inspiration from Nowicki’s published plans. What matters is that something so similar to his vision will be built. So many of Nowicki’s plans never moved beyond sketches, and it’s great to see that his project for New York City drawn up here in Raleigh was far ahead of its time.

—

The NCSU Special Collections Research Center has a large collection of Nowicki’s drawings, plans, writings, and photos. The images used in this article are copyright of the NCSU SCRC and not for reproduction, but they are also available in the book, The Writings and Sketches of Matthew Nowicki. This book is available in the NCSU College of Design Library.

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This weekend the Contemporary Art Museum will officially open with a catered street festival and black tie event Friday, and the free admission official ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday.

It’s my belief that CAM’s opening in this beautiful building in the Warehouse District is the greatest thing to happen to Downtown Raleigh since the new Convention Center opened almost three years ago.

What Exactly is ‘Contemporary Art’?

In the simplest of terms, contemporary art is regarded as works created in the present time. Currently, it often explores social issues, new technologies, performance, street culture, or the three dimensional space. Contemporary art also frequently exhibits the items in our environment that we interact with daily.

A Brief History of the Contemporary Art Museum

Founded in 1983, CAM was originally located in the space where Tir Na Nog is now. After losing support and funding from a City Council which had less of an appreciation for the arts in the mid 90s, the name was changed from the City Gallery of Contemporary Art to the Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) as part of a plan that included finding a permanent home in Raleigh.

Moore Square in 2008, with Tir Na Nog and the Pour House in the bottom foreground

The following personal account sums up the history of the area around Moore Square where it was once located:

From 1989-1992, I worked in Peden Gallery II as a Gallery Assistant (Raleigh Contemporary Gallery shared the next door space (the two galleries occupied the Caffe Luna space). [...]

The City Gallery of Contemporary Art was around the corner (where Tir Na Nog is now). We used to wake up the sleeping homeless everyday when we arrived at the gallery (they liked to sleep on our doorstep). BANKS Fine Food was across Hargett and they served free meals to the homeless regularly. The fountains in the back were on every day back then. First Friday consisted of four or five galleries and we all served wine to the visitors. The Grove was a great music spot (where Pour House is now) and it also hosted the very first “NCSU Art to Wear” fashion show. [...]

There were some hookers downtown back then and some drug activity in front of the galleries. It was different then but it was great working at a gallery after class at NCSU.

– Nabs K. Lately

East side, before construction

In 1997, CAM purchased the 20,000 sq. ft. brick building in the heart of the Warehouse District for $460,000. Various plans were debated for the space, until eventually the idea of a modern rehab of the historic structure took shape.

North side, before renovations

CAM aimed for a modern museum in a historic building without a permanent inventory.

CAM interior during construction

A New Priority for the City of Raleigh

In 2005, the City of Raleigh committed $1 million to building the Contemporary Art Museum. It has long been a cause Mayor Charles Meeker championed, and was cited by him in the recent State of the City address.

CAM Classroom

Merging with the NC State College of Design

In 2006, CAM merged with the College of Design and moved operations to the college. The programs of CAM have continued from offices there, as well as various spaces throughout the area.

One of the ways CAM will be a part of the community is its ties to Design Camp:

Design Camp is an annual summer design program offered to high school students at NC State University College of Design. Since its inception over 25 years ago, Design Camp has exposed more than 2,500 high school students to the exciting world of design. Design Camp informs students about college study in design and raises awareness of the impact of art and design through a series of weeklong summer programs. In 2007, Design Camp became an outreach program of CAM (Contemporary Art Museum). CAM joined the College of Design in February 2006, becoming the lead component in the college’s Art + Design in the Community Initiative. Design Camp projects challenge students to explore their creativity and critical-thinking skills while pushing them to try a range of techniques and media. The exploration of the design process teaches students to question, make choices, generate alternatives, work collaboratively and ultimately broaden their understanding of the world around them.

Beyond Design Camp, CAM also benefits from the operational structure that exists within the College of Design, and the collaboration opportunities available with the students of the college.

CAM gives the College of Design the distinction of being affiliated with a proper art museum, as well as a direct link to the continuing resurgence of Downtown Raleigh.

Independent Weekly Gallery

Emerging Artists and the Independent Weekly Wing

The Independent has long been a supporter of the Contemporary Art Museum, and an entire gallery bears the name of the Triangle’s local alt-weekly. The lower gallery will focus on emerging artists, the first artist being New York-based Naoko Ito.

CAM canopy before the clouds were added

Adding Geometry and Modernity to a Historic Building

CAM represents movement and progress for the area in countless ways, but one of the ways in which it shines the most is the building itself.

It’s unclear if the designers had intended this, but the striking geometric canopy on the east elevation is a beautiful nod to the area’s architectural history as an innovator in the field of creative shelters. Dorton Arena, the Catalano House (razed), the Milton Small Office Building, and the domes at the fairgrounds are the some of the most prominent examples of this legacy.

CAM exterior during final phase of construction

The project was a result of the collaboration of local firm Clearscapes and LA-based Brooks + Scarpa.  Originally a 1927 grocery supply warehouse, a railroad spur (still visible today) runs from the area around the Amtrak station to the structure where groceries were once unloaded. It later served various industrial functions, one of the most recent being a chrome bumper repair shop.

CAM interior, showing original elevator shaft

Retaining Original Character

In addition to the railroad spur leading up the alley to the loading dock, the original elevator is still extant. Its location represents the transition from the historical to the futuristic: the cloud pattern on the underside of the canopy continues inside the building, and stops at the elevator.

CAM exterior, during golden hour

The Most Beautiful Building of 2011

More than once I’ve made the “most beautiful” remark about new buildings in Raleigh. The first was the new Convention Center and Shimmer Wall. The most recent was the North Carolina Museum of Art.

CAM is not only a beautiful modern building, but it is also repurposed (the greenest kind of building) and most importantly, it represents an increase in creative capital for the Capital City. CAM deserves the honor this year of being this blog’s “most beautiful.”

CAM interior, showing blend between indoors and out

A Cultural Catalyst for Raleigh

Equally as important as being a beautiful building and shining example of historic preservation, CAM represents a significant leap for Downtown Raleigh entertainment options.

CAM interior

Having an art museum downtown represents a significant shift. Now, there is another before-dinner entertainment destination that is easily within walking distance of the restaurants downtown.

CAM shelter with R-Line in motion

The R-Line makes the museum within a few minutes reach of any of the circulator’s stops. Located near Design Box and Flanders Gallery, the once rugged and desolate Warehouse District is rapidly rising from the ashes.

CAM is actively bringing Raleigh into a new era of innovation, art, design, preservation, and cultural awareness. The new permanent home represents its rightful return to where it belongs: downtown.

The Opening Celebration

Although officially opening April 30th, April 29th is the fancy preview of the gallery and street festival, featuring the culinary treats of the area’s finest establishments, including (but not limited to) Poole’s Diner, bu•ku, Jibarra, and Humble Pie. Handcrafted cocktails will be available from Foundation, and desserts from Escazu, Locopops, and Crumb.

CAM interior, before laid gravel on east side

Tickets will not be available at the door. They are on sale until Wednesday, April 27th.

CAM exterior, before laid gravel on east side

General Information

Located at 409 West Martin Street. Museum hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., and first and third Fridays of the month open until 9 p.m. The museum is closed on Tuesday.

General admission to the museum is $5. CAM Raleigh members, children 10 and under, members of the military, and NC State students, staff, and faculty are admitted free.

Related Articles:

• Like a Phoenix from the Ashes: Raleigh’s Downtown Warehouse District
• Construction Begins on the Contemporary Art Museum
• North Carolina’s Newest Wonder (the North Carolina Art Museum)
• The Most Beautiful Building Lights Up (Raleigh Convention Center)

Further Reading:

• CAM Raleigh (official site)
• CAM Informational Brochure [PDF]
• New Contemporary Art Museum aims to stir Raleigh’s artistic pulse (News & Observer)

Welcome back to Downtown Raleigh, CAM!

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Above: What we're getting. Below: What we're losing

Tomorrow (02/15), City Council will take up the final vote on granting a variance to Charlotte investment company Crescent Resources, LLC. This variance will allow the company to bypass the 50 ft. height restriction on new construction in Cameron Village.  The public opposition to the project was short-lived and even the most picky members of City Council (including one who lives nearby) are heaping praise on it. The vote is only a formality at this point.

I can see Cameron Village from my house, and was utterly let down upon seeing the finalized plans for “The Residences at Cameron Village.” There are many condo projects in Raleigh that fit their environment and are visually attractive, but this is not one of them.

The Cameron Village Library

Love Where You Live

I’ve lived in Raleigh for 7 years now. More than 5 of those years have been in the area between NC State and Oberlin Village. I’m in love with the area I live in. These are some of the things that are within a short walk for me:

• grocery store
• bank
• post office
• NCSU
• The Rose Garden
• Pullen Park
• my work
• restaurants/bars/coffee shops
• two libraries (Cameron Village and NC State)
• two bookstores (Reader’s Corner and Nice Price)

Additionally, Downtown Raleigh is a 20 minute walk or a 5 minute bike ride away. After my car was totalled (through no fault of my own), I made the decision not to drive. For over a year I had no vehicle and was able to carry on a completely functional and in fact enjoyable existence. Such a scenario would be unthinkable in my home city of Asheville, even when I lived in a vibrant and thriving part of downtown.

Although this block is vacant because of coming changes, it’s still a part of my neighborhood. I think it would have been nice if the block could have seen its full potential as originally envisioned.

The Block on the Chopping Block

The block that will be leveled to make room for the new development has been mostly vacant for some time. The gas station closed almost 2 years ago, and Village Motor Werks relocated to the Boylan area around the same time.

The last business tenants in the former Ballantine’s Cafeteria building have been vacated as well. It was the temporary home of the Cameron Village Library before relocating to their beautiful repurposed location about 5 years ago. The Ballantine’s Cafeteria Building was designed by Leif Valland, a noted area architect that relocated from New York to Raleigh to work with Willie York and build up Cameron Village.

It’s a beautiful and textbook example of Midcentury Modern architecture.

In fact, all of the structures on the block are from the same period, such as the 400 Oberlin building above. Despite having a metal siding ‘renovation’ which added pseudo-mansard roofing in the 1980s, this building resembled the Ballantine’s Cafeteria Building next door.

The Small Resistance Movement

A few years ago I noticed some signs in the middle of Clark Avenue with the words “Save Cameron Village” and “Stop the Towers.” I was a bit puzzled by this, and kept up with the debates over at New Raleigh. This was change coming to where I lived, and I took up an interest in where things were going.

Emily Biggs is (or was) a nearby resident, and undertook the noble campaign to stop the development which would add a building of unprecedented height for the area: 80 feet, when current regulations allow for only 50 feet. The Save Cameron Village website went dark long ago, the domain no longer registered, and archive.org doesn’t have a record of it.

According to City Councillor Bonner Gaylord, some nearby residents were in support of the project:

The site plan approval process was recently converted to a quasi-judicial review process by the NC Legislature. A quasi-judicial review process precludes public comment.  However, there were representatives from neighborhood groups in the audience holding up signs in support of the project’s approval.

I can’t help but think that these residents in support of the project were my neighbors over in Cameron Park. There isn’t a development issue within miles of their homes that they aren’t politically involved in. The fact that they were not up in arms protesting it is a direct indication that they were in support of it. I can’t say much though, as I was too.

Welcoming Change with Open Arms

Despite the prospect of increased traffic and congestion, the loss of beautiful modern architecture, and a building more than twice as tall as most others, I was actually looking forward to this big change in my backyard. Higher density living as a part of mixed-use architecture is what this city needs more of.

While I was less than enthusiastic at the initial watercolor painting-like renderings of the center, I held out hope that the final product would be something more defined, simple, and modern. This is the mantra of the firm responsible for the final design:

We believe in the influence of vernacular, the honesty of modernism, the need for innovation and beauty of simple, pragmatic solutions.

This final design isn’t remotely close to any of those ideas. It has, however, done a great job of taking common cookie cutter-like designs that are popping up all over and affixing revivalist ornament and design details to it. They are taking the Fidelity Bank model of Cameron Village: Revivalist with blatant disregard to common design practices.

In fact, it appears that they looked to the next door McDonald’s for design inspiration: a rectangular tower that serves no purpose, stucco cladding, and random elements thrown in for effect.

This building looks like it was taken out of the Streets at Southpoint and shoehorned in to the middle of humble and modernist of buildings in Cameron Village. If the design more closely resembled the mixed-use buildings such as The Hue or The Hudson, I’d be retaining my initial enthusiasm for a high-density mixed-use project. Unfortunately, the end result will be something that doesn’t look anything like the Cameron Village that I know.

The Loss of Modernism Isn’t Stopping

Unfortunately, The 400 Oberlin Office Building and former Ballantine’s Cafeteria Building aren’t the only ones slated for demolition in the near future. 401 Oberlin (above) is owned by a developer who would like to have a hotel on the property. Although a hotel would not fit in to the ‘neighborhood retail mixed use’ classification, City Council voted to change the designation to that from the previous office-residential mixed use designation.

This opens the door to major redevelopment of the area.

How to Get Involved

Regardless of what my feelings are or anyone else’s may be, “The Residences of Cameron Village” are moving forward. In my opinion, it will be a generic blight on the area–but it’s coming. If you’d like to weigh in, I highly encourage you to be a part of the Hillsborough CAC meeting, this Thursday, February 17th at 7:00PM in the Pullen Arts Center.

You can get an update on both projects, as well as a UDO (Uniform Development Ordinance) simulation exercise:

This simulation will demonstrate how key UDO elements, such as emerging standards for (1) frontages, (2) heights, and (3) transitions, will be applied to commercial areas bordering residential neighborhoods.

While UDO may be tough to comprehend for most folks, it’s the only thing that can be utilized to prevent future developments from being what “The Residences at Cameron Village” will be: bland and generic structures not suited for the area.

Further Reading:

• Bees In Our Bonnets (RDU WTF)
• Apartment project gets city’s OK (News & Observer)
• Save Cameron Village News (New Raleigh)
• Council Votes on Cameron Village Rezoning (New Raleigh)
• New Mixed Use Project in Cameron Village (New Raleigh)

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According to recovery.gov, North Carolina has so far received $3.3 billion in federal stimulus funds as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. $11.1 million of those funds have been invested in to a new transit maintenance and operations facility in Raleigh that is scheduled to be completed in April.

A little over a year ago city leaders broke ground on the operations administration building and bus maintenance facility off of Poole Road in east Raleigh. It will replace the 30 year old CAT facility on South Blount Street, which was designed to handle about half of what the facility current accommodates.

The growth of the United States has been marked and fueled by developments such as rail travel and the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System. It seems appropriate that the funds allocated by the United States government in the 21st century in Raleigh are also toward the same end – increasing the efficiency and capabilities of a transportation network.

We are unfortunately behind our municipal neighbor Charlotte in terms of light rail travel, but advancing bus transportation is the next best thing.

When LEED Matters

I’ve recently disparaged LEED certification as meaningless when firms tout while being part of a teardown project. However, in this project LEED certification is quite significant for Raleigh: It will be the first integrated administration and maintenance facility of its kind in the nation to achieve LEED Platinum certification.

This is the highest level of certification when it comes to environmentally responsible and sustainable architecture.

Outside view of Williard Ferm Architects on Coxe Ave

The Firm Behind the Project

Williard Ferm Architects is in charge of construction. The firm is currently  located in the former home/office of Harwell Hamiton Harris, the late legendary modern architect and former professor at the NCSU School of Design. Harris’ former home and office is in Raleigh’s Modern Corridor.

Outside view of Williard Ferm Architects on Coxe Ave

With regard to their commitment to preserving architectural history, the firm notes that:

Williard Ferm Architects operates out of the historic former office and home of Harwell Hamilton Harris. The firm purchased the property in 2006 and conducted substantial repairs including the replacement of all the windows, the reconstruction of a water damaged wall and re-stuccoing the entire exterior. We stayed as true to HHH’s original intent as possible including matching the original interior paint colors. We opened the new/old doors for business in January 2007 and have been working and growing ever since.

The buildings that make up the facility are quite attractive, and construction is set to be complete some time in April.

Further Reading:

• City of Raleigh: Transit Operations Facility (RaleighGov)
• Raleigh breaks ground on new transit operations center (WRAL)
• Raleigh gets $11.6 million in stimulus cash (Triangle Business Journal)
• Williard Ferm Architects (Official site)
• Harwell Hamiton Harris, FAIA (Triangle Modernist Houses)

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In advance of Talley Student Center renovations at NC State, a plan is underway to move the Bookstore to the ground level of Harrelson Hall. It is expected that by the middle part of this year, the current Bookstore (above) will be torn down.

If demolished, it will be one of the most significant architectural losses the city of Raleigh has experienced in many years.

Rendering of proposed Student Service Center dated 1958. Image courtesy of/copyright NCSU Special Collections.

Representing the Roots of Modernism at NC State

Designed by architect G. Milton Small, Jr. and built in 1960, it was originally known as the Student Service Center and is one of the most recognizable buildings on campus. It features distinctive folded plane canopies on both sides, although part of one of the canopies was removed in a 1971 expansion.

Blueprint for Student Service Center. Image courtesy of/copyright NCSU Special Collections.

The Bookstore was built during a time of dramatic change for North Carolina State University, most especially for the School of Design. The first Dean of the new school, Henry Kamphoefner, quickly turned the School from that of obscurity to that of national prominence.

Dean Kamphoefner (second from left) and Milton Small (center, facing camera)

He did this by recruiting some of the best young architects in practice to teach architecture at NC State. By reaching out to the star pupils of modern architecture masters, he was able to find some of the best talent in the United States.

Dean Henry Kamphoefner, Professor Eduardo Catalano, and modern pioneer Richard Neutra. Image courtesy of/copyright NCSU Special Collections.

A few examples of this include George Matsumoto (student of Saarinen), Eduardo Catalano (student of Breuer and Gropius) as well as Milton Small (student of Kamphoefner and Mies van der Rohe). These NC State professors became masters themselves, designing some of the most recognizable and important structures in the south.

Blueprint for Milton Small's own office, near the corner of Brooks Ave and Hillsborough st. Image courtesy of/copyright NCSU Special Collections.

The Small Era

After brief stint teaching at the School of Design and working for William Deitrick, Milton Small started his own firm. He went on to design numerous notable houses, commercial structures, churches, as well as educational facilities at Duke, UNC, and NC State.

Noteworthy projects in Raleigh include:

• WRAL Studios
• Northwestern Insurance Building
• Raleigh Municipal Building (also facing demolition)
• The Carolina Country Club (demolished)
• Burlington Nuclear Laboratories Building

Milton Small's nearby office building he designed for himself, showing koi ponds underneath

His own office building near the corner of Hillsborough Street and Brooks Avenue (above) is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was home to his firm for 34 years (later under G. Milton Small III and Kerry Kane). Small Kane Webster Conley PA is now located at 3105 Glenwood Avenue, a building they designed in 1980.

Small’s former office building is now home to consulting firm NewKind (when are y’all going to put the koi back in the koi ponds?).
View Raleigh’s Modern Corridor in a larger map

At the Heart of Raleigh’s ‘Modern Corridor’

No other place in Raleigh has a higher concentration of modernist buildings as the ‘Modern Corridor’. Clustered around the area where NC State expanded in the 1950s and 1960s, it includes all building types: residential, commercial, ecclesiastical, and educational. The Bookstore is in the heart of this corridor.

The Talley Student Center, also designed by Small, has been heavily modified several times since being built

The ‘Rally 4 Talley’

A little over a year ago, a campaign was launched to renovate and expand the Talley Student Center. Citing the inadequacy of the current building and growing student population, many pleaded for students to approve the measure.

The initiative appeared to fail after students rejected the plan:

Almost 19 percent of the student population cast ballots on Oct. 5, and while 56.6 percent of the students agreed there was a need to improve the Talley Student Center and the Atrium, only 38.4 percent of the students agreed with the proposed student fee increases to pay for the project.

Despite this vote, the NC State Student Senate passed a resolution to approve the fee and move forward with renovations anyway.

Vintage postcard of the "Student Supply Center". Image courtesy of/copyright NCSU Special Collections.

Condemned to Destruction

Well over a year ago a Goodnight Raleigh reader gave a prediction about the bookstore:

You all might be surprised to know that some people at NCSU have no appreciation for Milton Small or his architecture. There has been some discussion about tearing down the NCSU Student Center [...] The NCSU bookstore (which is beside the Horace Farlowe fountain) another Milton Small building is slated to be demolished.

Historical photo of the Bookstore at night. Image courtesy of/copyright NCSU Special Collections.

This was recently confirmed on the Talley Project web site. According to it, the Bookstore will be a part of the newly expanded student center and a “green space” will be where the Bookstore currently is:

The current bookstore will be demolished, providing an enlarged green space for student recreation and relaxation. A new, expanded bookstore will be incorporated into the new construction of the student center.

View from 1971 expansion, with unique brick pattern

It’s not Greener than Preservation

The same page also illustrates how the new building will be “sustainable”:

The Talley Student Center will be a model of environmental, social and economic sustainability. The project will actively advance the University’s commitment to state and national sustainability leadership in promoting and practicing the following principles throughout the life of the building and site [...]

LEED certification doesn’t mean much when you’ve used thousands of kilowatt hours of energy to destroy a building and then send tons of debris to a landfill.

The greenest building is the one already built.

Not Yet Officially Historic

In 2005, while conducting an architectural survey for the City of Raleigh, historian and archivist Ruth Little placed this building on the Study List for the National Register of Historic Places. Unfortunately, since it does not yet have official historic status, it remains unprotected and vulnerable to being destroyed.

Fitting in with the Master Plan

The NC State Bookstore beautifully fits within the ideas outlined in 2006 Master Plan, A Campus of Neighborhoods and Paths. There are three guiding principles within the 130-page document:

• Shared open space
• Character places
• Hub of interaction

Shared open space – The building is at the base of both campus tunnels, features a green area with fountains to the east, and picnic tables and a common area to the west.

Character places – I’d make the argument that the bookstore is one of the buildings on campus with the most character. The zigzag canopies represent the era of Googie-style roadside architecture. These architectural traits were often employed by business owners to get the attention of passersby and draw business. The strategy works here too – it’s one of the few retail buildings on campus.

The Bookstore showing two levels of outdoor pedestrian thoroughfare

Hub of interaction – This building incorporates pedestrian consideration around the entire perimeter, providing access to multiple parts of campus across two stories. Very few other buildings on campus have such considerations incorporated in to the design.

Demolition Would be a Step Backward

One of the driving principles of all future NC State development is to create an urban feel to campus. This is to make best use of available land as well as provide an interesting pedestrian landscape for students.

What makes an environment have an ‘urban’ feel is a series of new and old buildings, representing different eras of campus history. If we demolished all buildings once they reached the 50 year age mark (making them “outdated”, according to some) what would campus look like?

The original structure is on the left, the 1971 expansion on the right

‘Architected’ and not ‘Engineered’

So many buildings at NC State are chunky brick boxes with undersized windows and no otherwise interesting features. It comes as no surprise that it made the Princeton Review list as #10 Least Beautiful Campus. The Bookstore stands out as an exception to this with well proportioned features, floor-to-ceiling glass in some areas, and a low and unimposing profile.

Modernism as an architectural style is rapidly making a comeback. This is the type of structure that illustrates the role of the School of Design in shaping modern design throughout the southeastern United States.

How to Help Save the Bookstore

To be sure, it’s late in the game and the wheels are already in motion to move forward with demolition. However, it isn’t necessary to destroy the Bookstore in order to improve the Talley Student Center.

We should let NCSU officials know how important this building is to making campus unique and interesting. If you’d like to get involved, here a few ways in which you can reach out:

• Contact university officials with the Talley Renovation Project via email: campusenterprises@ncsu.edu
• You can join the Save the NC State Bookstore campaign on Facebook to get updated information on efforts to save the building
• You can also help by commenting on this article with memories, opinions on the building, or your thoughts of the looming destruction

Closing Thoughts

One of the first things I remember about NC State was walking out of the Free Expression Tunnel to see a building with an interesting brick pattern and atomic-age retro shelters. There are only a few interesting structures on such a large campus, and this is one of them.

This building has character, it has purpose, it is historic, and it is worth saving. An opportunity was squandered when Eduardo Catalano offered a generous gift of building a hyperbolic paraboloid pavilion on campus. Let’s not make another mistake with regard to honoring the legacy of the School of Design.

Copyright Information

All images labeled as “copyright NCSU Special Collections” are protected by copyright and are not to be distributed or reproduced without permission from the Special Collections Research Center. I kindly ask you respect this and not distribute copyrighted material.

All other images were taken by me (John Morris) and are not under similar copyright restrictions. I encourage you to distribute, reproduce, or otherwise share those images.

Related Articles

• A Reflection on the loss of Modernist Architecture in Raleigh, NC
• G. Milton Small – My Favorite Architect
• Let’s Not Repeat Mistakes: Don’t Destroy the Municipal Building

Further Reading

• Milton Small bio at Triangle Modernist Houses
• Guide to the G. Milton Small Papers, NCSU Special Collections
• Letter to the editor from Preservation NC in defense of Small’s Municipal Building, N&O

I’d like to give a big thank you to the NCSU Special Collections Research Center for being so helpful in locating the historic multimedia items used in this article.

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Disliked by many Raleigh residents, the long-vacant Audio Buys Building always seemed a bit odd in the Five Points neighborhood context. Detractors now get their wish as it appears the building is in the early stages of demolition or renovation.

Early Years

The early uses of the building at 1700 Glenwood Avenue were documented by architectural historian Ruth Little in her 2006 report, The Development of Modernism in Raleigh, 1945-1965:

The One Hour Martinizing plant at 1700 Glenwood Avenue, built in 1965, illustrates a freestanding retail building located on a traffic thoroughfare that attracts attention through its bold design. The International Style building features a cantilevered glazed upper level where the dry cleaning equipment and clean clothes were visible to passing cars.

Modern Gone Wrong

The overhangs (visible in the photo above) which may have served a purpose when built do not seem relevant to today’s tastes and needs.  They do not allow for additional parking or other uses, and the lower level is a windowless storage basement. The abundance of glass on the functioning upper level and lack of it on the ground level runs contrary to the consumer retail structures of recent history: retail or primary use is for street level, and the upper levels are for storage, offices, or living.

Breaking the Rule of Thirds

Beyond having primary use upstairs and nothing useful on the lower level, I think one reason this building is disliked by some is the manner in which the two contrasting levels represent parts of the whole: each at about 50%.

The rule of thirds is one of the first principles any designer, artist, photographer, or other visually-oriented creator learns. In short, it states that something looks better when the focal point is at 1/3 or 2/3 the width or height of the whole. In the case of the Audio Buys Building, the horizontal dividing line of the drastically different levels is nearly in the middle.

To be sure, there are examples of pretty two-story buildings with equal height levels. I think it doesn’t work here because the two levels look so different and serve different purposes.

Love for an Ugly Duckling

Despite loving the general style in which this building was modeled after, I can’t say I’ve been fond of this particular design. The tinted glass has long since faded and the lit fluorescent product/business names were very dated.  Additionally, it represents what so many dislike about modern architecture:

• it doesn’t blend in with surrounding buildings
• some of the functional characteristics don’t work well in practice
• it just plain looks weird

But perhaps because of these oddities, I’ve secretly loved it. It seems to be sticking a thumb in the eye of the buildings around it, particularly the very elegant and ornate traditionally-styled Hayes Barton Baptist Church across the street. This building gives Five Points a diverse palette of building types, representative of several eras.

What the Future Holds

I don’t know what will be going up on this spot if/when this building comes down. Wake County tax records do not indicate that ownership has recently changed hands, and the site does not bear the name of a contracting company.

Update

Sources indicate that this building is being renovated and not demolished.

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