The demolition of the Garland Jones Office Building could likely be the most discussed urban planning event in the history of Raleigh. Just about every local blog has weighed in since the decision was made by Wake County to replace the office building with a new justice center. The discussion remained mostly online, in print, and in personal circles. Opposition and protest against demolition was largely absent from within the halls of county government. In the end, however, it probably wouldn’t have mattered. The decision likely would have been made regardless of any public outcry, large or small.

Well over a year over since the initial decision was made, and after several months of careful preparation and planning, the building began to slowly come crumbling down late Wednesday evening. The dust and debris created dense clouds over the area, and the sound of the heavy equipment reverberated off of the surrounding structures. The sights and sounds were quite dramatic. Raleigh was losing a landmark.

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So, this is just between us, but I have some really cool photos of the soon to be finished Mahler building at 228 Fayetteville Street. As part of the Fayetteville Street Historic District, it serves as an example of some of the low rise commercial buildings that used to dominate the area.

Over the past decade, however, the 200 block has been in a process of rebirth. Slated to open in the next few weeks, it will serve as an art gallery on the bottom floor, commercial offices on the second floor, and living units on the top floor. Local builder Greg Paul is the contractor, and I think he’s done a great job inside and out! Having worked for the architect in charge of the renovation, I got a firsthand taste of the rigors of renovating a historic commercial and residential site. Here are some photos, starting from the ground floor and moving up to the apartments. Enjoy!

The Mahler Gallery, which will house artwork, and which will also be on the First Friday Artwalk.
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Nestled between a stretch of convenience stores and empty lots on South Street lies an architectural gem built a half century ago that served as one of the first in the area to offer drive-through banking. Originally home of First National Bank, the structure now serves as a house of worship for The Prayer of Deliverance COGIC (Church of God in Christ).

Much of the fenestration and landscaping elements have long since been removed or altered, but the building still stands proudly today in a long neglected corridor just slightly removed from the downtown revival taking place to the East. As the now absent sign in the first photograph shows, it was a “Drive-In” bank – a concept that was just beginning to emerge in the mid 1950s and early 1960s.

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