‘Nail Buildings’ or ‘Nail Houses’ are terms that were coined in China to represent the businesses and residences that refuse to allow their buildings to be demolished, even in the face of towering construction or a barren landscape all around them. The phrase refers to a nail in wood that is difficult to remove.

The nail buildings in Raleigh that come to mind are the Doug Van de Zande Photography and Poole’s Diner structures sandwiched between the new Convention Center and the L Building. The analogy isn’t an exact one, as there is no pressure (yet) to demolish these for new projects.

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At 8:45 Thursday night, a crowd gathered to see the most beautiful building in Raleigh have one side illuminated by thirteen hundred LEDs funded by Cree to create the most awe inspiring piece of public art to grace an urban area.

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The Prince Hall Masonic Lodge

The photo above shows how the Prince Hall Masonic Lodge appeared in 1971. Below is how it appeared a few nights ago.

A recent post on this blog (Looking Due East From Above) captured a view of four structures that are now relics of Raleigh’s historic African American community. Among them* is the Prince Hall Masonic Lodge.
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