Facade and building rehabs: More than just a pretty face

The central business district stock was
deteriorated and the backs of buildings
were in poor condition. Shown is the old
City Hall in the late 1970s.

Shown is the old City Hall in 1983

The Central News Facade Renovation
is underway

Central News in 1983

Becoming a Main Street City in 1981 under the N.C. Department of Natural Resources and Community Development (now under the N.C. Department of Commerce) offered New Bern the chance to mobilize its forces to develop a successful revitalization project.

In March 1981 at a public meeting of 140 citizens prior to New Bern officially becoming a participant in the state’s new Main Street Program, the Main Street Resource Team from the National Trust for Historic Preservation pointed out the rehabilitation of buildings is just one of many components in downtown revitalization, however, it is a very important one and facade and sign improvements needed to be implemented as soon as possible.

The central business district building stock was deteriorated, upper floors abandoned for the most part, upper portions of a number of facades were left to crumble and often the only signs of attention were aluminum and plywood cover-ups hastily applied over historic building fabric. The backs of buildings were in poor condition due to neglect, understandable considering they were not in the public view; however, the back facades would become visually important as the interior off street parking lots were developed.

As a first step, a $30,000 Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation grant to the N.C. Main Street Program funded a full-time architect for a year to work with N.C. Main Street cities. Each city had $2,500 to use at their discretion for incentive programs or design assistance for merchants/owners who agreed to undertake facade or sign improvements. N.C. Main Street architect, Jo Ramsey was hired to work with the Main Street cities conducting workshops and providing renderings, working drawings and consultation services with selected owners who were interested in renovating the facades of their buildings.

In September 1981, City Planner, David Rowland and Swiss Bear Director, Kay Williams, submitted an application to the Kellenberger Historical Foundation and received $20,000 for design assistance in developing facade renderings and working drawings for a minimum of 10 historic buildings in the central business district to insure rehabilitation work was based on good design in keeping with the character of the building. The grant funded an architect to prepare working drawings and cost estimates based on research of the original appearance of the building and on-site consultation as needed.

The Kellenberger Design Assistance Committee included a representative from the New Bern Preservation Foundation and Historic District Commission. Participating property owners had to commit to undertake and complete the work within 12 — 18 months complying with the plans developed during the design phase.

Applications were received from 12 property owners. By the end of 1983, five of the property owners completed facade and other major improvements to their buildings. Jo Ramsey completed back facade drawings for North Carolina National Bank (NCNB), front and back drawings for Central Office Supply (Pollock Street businesses with back facades facing the new parking lot under construction) who followed through with facade renovations.

Swiss Bear acquired a grant for a New Bern Paint Bucket Project and hired Peter Sandbeck, Architectural Historian to conduct paint research on original and early paint colors and make recommendations of appropriate period colors for historic buildings being rehabbed.

Swiss Bear and the New Bern Preservation Foundation co-sponsored training sessions on the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program, administered by the National Park Service which offered a 20 percent federal tax credit for qualified rehabilitation expenses.

City Planner, David Rowland completed tax certification applications for six downtown tax incentive projects and the Historic District Commission re-addressed its sign ordinance regulating policies in the Downtown Historic District. Swiss Bear and the N.C. Main Street Program sponsored restoration workshops for property owners conducted by architect Jo Ramsey and Peter Sandbeck.

The City and Swiss Bear worked with eight local banks creating a two million dollar low interest tax exempt loan pool used to assist with the major renovation/rehabilitation of four major downtown buildings including the Belk/O. Marks Building.

As a added incentive, the Neuse River Council was approved to administer the Small Business Administration (SBA) loan program in nine counties, including Craven, which required a business owner to put in a minimum of 10 percent, a conventional lender 50 percent and the SBA pay the remaining 40 percent for bricks and mortar projects that could be borrowed over 25 years at a fixed rate.

Swiss Bear hired Land and Community Associates, Charlottesville, Virginia to document downtown buildings and develop a series of pamphlets that were widely distributed to owners interested in renovating their buildings. The topics of the six pamphlets included the history of downtown New Bern; a commercial building inspection checklist; design and maintenance of front and rear facades; appropriate commercial signage, awnings and window displays for commercial buildings; and, planning your rehabilitation/working with architects and contractors.

By December 1986, 31 facades were restored in varying degrees. The assessed tax value on the 31 properties in 1980 was $2,057,560. In 1986, the assessed value on the 31 properties after rehabilitation and 5 new construction projects was $16,596,180.

In 1987, to keep the momentum going, I applied to the Kellenberger Historical Foundation for a $15,000 grant and developed the Downtown Facade Incentive Grant Program providing financial assistance to building owners in the Municipal Service Tax District who would improve the facades of their buildings. Grants were awarded on a 50/50 matching basis with a maximum participation of $1,000 per facade. Fourteen property owners received grants for projects ranging from replacing awnings to major renovations of the front and rear facades.

The numerous strategies produced significant results and were a catalyst for promoting good design. Over the years, the momentum continued. Today, approximately 95 percent of the facades on downtown’s buildings have been rehabbed in varying degrees.

In 1980, downtown appeared beaten, bruised and neglected. Through strong leadership, a coordinated strategy, teamwork and cooperation, both public and private, facade improvements implemented in keeping with the historic character of the buildings played a major role in transforming downtown. Downtown is once again known for its distinctive “sense of place.”

Susan Moffat Thomas

Executive Director

MUMFEST Street Entertainment...meet and greet Willy the Hillbilly!

In addition to Gary Shelton, Steve Wille, the Silver Drummer Girl, Alex Clark and other street entertainers, Willy the Hillbilly will be at MUMFEST to meet and greet, compliments of the Pepsi Minges Bottling Group.

In the l960s the Mountain Dew bottles were green with red and white labels including a picture of a hillbilly character shooting at a revenuer as the trespasser runs out of an outhouse. Mountain Dew was advertised as "zero proof moonshine" and the saying "It'll tickle your innards!". In the early 1970s a different marketing agency replaced the label for a more modern look. Thirty seven years later, Willy is back on a new drink called Throwback, this time with the cork of the Mount Dew jug shooting through his hat, making a hole.

Festival-goers can meet Willy the Hillbilly in person, shake his hands and pose with him for photo ops!

For those old enough to remember the 1960s and would enjoy jogging their memory with a 1966 Willy the Hillbilly commercial, click here: youtube Willy the Hillbilly

Extreme pogo, Earnhardt exhibit added to MUMFEST

The XPOGO Stunt Team members leap upwards
of 10 feet while performing their acrobatic jumps

The famed NO.3 GM Goodwrench Service Plus Chevrolet
Monte Carlo of the late seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup
Champion Dale Earnhardt is among three NASCAR
racing machines that will be on display at MUMFEST.

Extreme pogo and a classic race car exhibit are among the latest attractions added to this year’s MUMFEST.

The annual two-day October festival is New Bern’s largest outdoor event, drawing upwards of 100,000 visitors. The Oct. 12-13 festival is produced Swiss Bear Development Corp.

Richard Childress Racing is bringing the No. 3 GM Goodwrench Service Plus Chevrolet Monte Carlo, driven by the late seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup Champion Dale Earnhardt, to MUMFEST.

Earnhardt and Richard Childress Racing earned 43 of their 67 victories and four of their seven championships together in the famed No. 3 Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

It is still one of the most recognizable race cars in the world.

Childress Racing also will bring two other race cars, the No. 29 Caterpillar and the No. 31 Budweiser machine.

NASCAR fans also will be able to test their driving skills in one of two simulators.

Joe Alcoke Auto & Truck Center is sponsoring Richard Childress Racing’s exhibit.

New this year is the XPOGO Stunt Team, the top extreme pogo exhibition team in the world, with high, acrobatic jumps.

The team currently holds 13 world records and Guinness records earned at Pogopalooza competitions since 2004. Their worldwide performances — from Rio to Beijing to Hong Kong and Europe — have helped grow the popularity of this extreme sport.

Pogopalooza — the world championship of extreme pogo — began in a parking lot in Nebraska in 2004 with six teams. Now, in its 10th year, Pogopalooza has grown into a major sporting event. This year’s world championship will be held July 26-28 in New York City.

Extreme Pogo is an action sport performed on next generation pogo sticks that have the potential to bounce more than 10 feet in the air, measuring from the ground to the bottom of the tip of the pogo stick.

Video on the web: xpogo.com

“MUMFEST fits everyone’s budget with two days of free entertainment, including live bands with music from beach to rock and barbershop. Dance troupes, magicians, roving street performers and face painters add color to the excitement,” according to a MUMFEST release.

Traditional MUMFEST favorites including Alex Clark, performing jaw-dropping stunts; Purina Incredible Dog Team with amazing aerial disc catches; the Silver Drummer Girl; a model train show; Little River Winery mobile tasting room; and NBPD’s K-9s will be back this year.

Also on tap are the Weller Retriever demonstrations and the 13th annual boat show.

Participants also can try their hand at songwriting and get feedback from published songwriters performing original songs.

For wine and beer connoisseurs, there will be a variety of samplings at the Galley Store’s “Juice on the Neuse” Wine and Beer Festival including — “3” — a tribute wine by Childress to his friend Earnhardt from the Childress Vineyard.

On the web: mumfest.com

Sun Journal: July 14, 2013

Farmers Market links entrepreneurs to downtown



A new market began operating in
May 1983, in an open-air environment
until the building could be constructed.

The new open-air building had room
for 30 producers inside and space
for producers outside.

Well loved for both its fresh produce and other offerings,
the Farmers Market is a social hub that brings the community
together and more and more people downtown every week.



In the spring of 1989 the Rotary
Clubs donated $10,500 toward the
purchase & installation of the wrought iron
& brick fence around the perimeter to
enhance & control use of the Market for
concerts and events.

In the 1960s and ’70s, a small Curb Market, located on George Street operated out of a vacant City owned building. Throughout the years, its image deteriorated as sales stagnated and the customer base dwindled. With the new focus on the revitalization of the downtown, Gary Bleau, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Agri-Business Committee conceived the idea of developing a Farmers Market in the downtown area to provide economic opportunities for farmers and local entrepreneurs. An active, progressive Farmers Market would link the rural and urban population and generate traffic to the downtown.

At the Nov. 21, 1979, Swiss Bear Board of Director’s meeting, to garner and expand support for this idea, he presented preliminary plans to build a new farmers market, preferably on urban renewal land. The board embraced the project understanding it could enhance the downtown revitalization and waterfront redevelopment effort and began working with the City, Chamber and the Craven County Cooperative Extension Service to secure a small tract of land from the City and acquire grant funds to construct a market on the urban renewal land.

Although vendors from the Curb Market presented a petition in February 1980 to the board of aldermen protesting construction of a new farmers market, the City sanctioned the creation of the Farmers Market Planning Committee composed of members of the Chamber, Swiss Bear and Extension Service and urged them to move forward.

The committee applied for incorporation as a nonprofit organization, developed by-laws and appointed a board of directors that included a representative from the Chamber, Swiss Bear, County Agriculture Extension Service and the County government.

The City agreed to lease a portion of the urban renewal land (renamed Bicentennial Park) near the western edge bordered by the railroad tracks and Tryon Palace Drive (now South Front Street) to the nonprofit Board to construct a building and operate as a Farmers Market for 30 years at $1 per year.

With assistance from N.C. Main Street architect, Jo Ramsey, the design work for the open air structure by Chamber Executive Bill Edwards was finalized and approved by the Historic Preservation Committee. In April 1982, the Farmers Market Board received a special appropriation of $125,000 from the state legislature for construction of the new facility.

The new market began operating on May 14, 1983 in an open-air environment until the building could be constructed which was delayed due to property issues with the Southern Railway, which owned an eight-foot strip of land running down the middle of the Farmers Market property. After a period of negotiation, the City obtained an agreement with the railroad and the new open-air building was constructed with room for 30 producers in the building and space for producers outside.

In the late 1980’s, during the tenure of Tom Barton, chairman, Billy Dunham, vice chairman and myself as treasurer, the Market Board recognized and supported the effort to acquire funding to enclose the building for year-round use as a market and a facility that could be rented for special events. As an open air pavilion, its use was limited to operating as a market April through October. We submitted a grant application to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and received $52,500 in the spring of 1987 used to enclose the building, install a heating system, enlarge the parking area and landscape the grounds.

The Market board hired a market manager, operated the Market Wednesday and Saturday’s and aggressively marketed rental of the building for on-going activities, concerts, private rentals, and community events.

In the spring of 1989, the New Bern Noon Rotary Club and the New Bern Breakfast Rotary Club donated $10,500 toward the purchase and installation of the wrought iron and brick fence around the perimeter of the property to enhance and control use of the Market for concert/event rentals, especially those charging an entry fee. At that time, the Rotary Club’s rented the Market for the Labor Day Weekend Michelob Cup Regatta, which included an evening concert and awards party.

Market vendors are required to join the market for an annual fee and must meet their “grow it, bake it, sew it, make it” rules to rent a space. The twenty member board of directors, chaired by Joe Hunt, is responsible for operating the market year round every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and conducting a year round calendar of events. Vendor and rental fees are used for marketing and the on-going maintenance of the property and building.

Throughout the years, the property’s value, space constraints for expansion, parking and minimal hours led to numerous discussions in the previous administration between the City and Market board to include relocation to a larger more visible location in the greater downtown area on a major corridor to service more people, be open five days a week, and serve as an incubator for start-up small businesses (seafood, and other food stuffs).

With the expiration of the 30 year lease in October 2012, the City renewed the lease for 36 months. The City has the option to terminate the lease with a one year notice and the Market Board has the option in 2015 to renew the lease for two more years under the same terms. Parking in the Farmers Market is also available for public parking except for overnight parking, during market operating hours or when it is rented for use by private groups.

The Farmers Market, like many other strategies, played an important role in the redevelopment of the waterfront and downtown effort. Well-loved for both its local fresh produce and other offerings, the Farmers Market is a social hub that brings the community together and more and more people downtown every week.

The Farmers Market is now open Tuesday from 10 to 2 pm. For more information go to newbernfarmersmarket.org.

Susan Moffat Thomas

Executive Director

Sunrise Business Update - July 25.

Thursday, July 25, 3013

8:00 - 9:00 AM

Guest Speaker:

Julian Marsh, Executive Director

New Bern Housing Authority

  

Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corporation and the New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce are happy to announce the fourth Sunrise Business Update will be held Thursday, July 25 with featured speaker Julian Marsh, Executive Director of the New Bern Housing Authority. He will touch on past mismanagement problems which led to poor facility upkeep and unsafe conditions for residents of the local housing authority project communities of Trent Court, Craven Terrace and the Towers. He will discuss current plans to remedy these deficiencies including relocation of 138 housing units now located in the flood plain with the ultimate goal to reconstruct all of the housing units in a new scattered site structure; estimated cost to exceed $75 million.

Over his long and successful career, Marsh served as the Executive Director of Housing Authorities in Decatur, Illinois and Petersburg, VA. His background in finance and real estate include positions as the Chief Executive Officer of City National Urban Development Corp., Newark, NJ and Vice President and Division Manager of the Real Estate Division for City National Bank of New Jersey, Newark, NJ.

He has an M.B.A. from Rutgers University with a concentration in Real Estate Finance and B.S. from Virginia State University with a major in Business Administration.

The meeting will be held 8 – 9 a.m. at Baker’s Kitchen, 227 Middle Street in the second floor meeting room with a full buffet breakfast.  The cost, $10 per person, will be collected at the beginning of the meeting.

Due to limited seating, reservations are required by contacting the Chamber.  You can reply by email to smilliron@newbernchamber.com or by calling 637-3111.  The remaining dates for the bi-monthly programs for the 2013 are:

September 26 Mike Epperson, New Bern City Manager; December 5 to be announced at a later date..

Swiss Bear and the Chamber of Commerce are providing this opportunity for the business community to meet and hear presentations from business professionals on topics that are important and timely to New Bern, Craven County and Eastern North Carolina.

For more information on the Chamber, go to  www.newbernchamber.com or  Swiss Bear www.downtownnewbern.com

1981: Promotions bring new life to downtown

Part of a continuing series that appears every other week in the Sun Journal: June 30, 2013

Visitor check out antiques at a
car show in 1980.

Crowds stroll downtown during the
1982 Spring Arts Festival.

The Coastal Christmas Flotilla in 1985
illustrated the downtown's continuing revival.

In March 1981, Kay Williams, Swiss Bear’s first Executive Director was hired and Swiss Bear’s first official office (417A Tryon Palace Drive in a commercial space donated for six months by Earl Finch) opened in a space shared with the Arts Council.  Office furniture/equipment was donated by local banks, businesses and citizens.

With a new director and assistant in place, and the adoption in April of the Main Street Program’s Four Point Approach (promotions, design, organization and economic re-structuring), Swiss Bear was off and running at full swing. Committees were appointed to develop a program of work for each element to begin implementing the Main Street objectives.

The Promotion Committee’s charge (Chairman Martha Smith, Charles Blythe, Gordon Parrott and Ted Hanes) was to expand Swiss Bear’s role in developing quality joint marketing promotions, special events and advertising packages in conjunction with the Chamber, Tryon Palace and the Downtown Merchant Association.  The goal was to provide entertainment with enough community-wide impact and excitement to draw crowds to the downtown area that would encourage people to spend more time downtown, increase the pedestrian traffic and enhance retail revenues.

Taking the Main Street Resource Team’s recommendations to heart, numerous new events and promotions were developed and existing ones expanded to attract larger numbers.

Swiss Bear held Couture D’ Antan, a fashion show, in March.  In April, the 2^nd Annual Swiss Bear Princess Contest brought a capacity crowd of about 500 people to the Saax Bradbury Theatre. Two Swiss Bear costumes were purchased; one given to the high school and one for appearances at promotional events.

Swiss Bear accepted the Arts Council’s request to help generate a large turnout at their May Spring Arts Festival by launching balloons the Saturday before filled with coupons from downtown shops that could be redeemed on the day of the festival.

A Fourth of July Celebration, jointly coordinated by  County and City Recreation Departments, Swiss Bear, Agriculture Extension Service, Jaycees, Ladies of the Craven Civitan Club and Merchants Association began with Mayor Leander Morgan proclaiming it was New Bern’s 204^th Independence Day Celebration. The day included a  parade, numerous activities in downtown and  Bicentennial Park (urban renewal land) including helicopter and pony rides and concluded with a USMC 2d Aircraft Wing Band followed by a fireworks display attended by 10,000 spectators.

A Swiss Bear Antique Car Show in August, held in various downtown parking lots, was funded by various concessions and the raffle of a mini Model T Ford.

The Swiss Bear Festival included Tryon Palace’s Chrysanthemum Sunday as a part of the week-end festivities and the Rescue Squad held a barbeque pig cooking contest. 

Kay worked with the Masonic Order, Footlight/Lollipop Theatres and Pro Musica negotiating the opening of the ca. 1808 Masonic Theatre (closed to the public since the early 1970’s) to be available to group’s for family entertainment.

For the first time, many merchants joined together to do a joint advertising Christmas campaign (radio, TV and ads) promoting downtown as a shopping center. They sponsored a Christmas parade and for the three weeks prior to Christmas, hired a Santa for the Santa House. Downtown street lights were decorated with lighted lanterns and red ribbon bows. Stores stayed open with lighted candle lanterns in front of their shops offering candlelight shopping. The Harvey Mansion Restaurant (recently rehabbed) held a special evening of 19^th Century English entertainment and food in the spirit of a Dickens Christmas the evenings of Tryon Palace’s candlelight tours.

All the joint marketing efforts paid off. The Sun Journal published its second downtown tabloid highlighting downtown’s fall and winter events. The Gazette devoted an issue to the Main Street project and the importance of public/private partnerships. New Bern was featured as a NC Main Street city in Southern Living’s October issue. Three local hotel’s worked with New Bern Guided Tours and Tryon Palace to package special escape week-ends for the January – March off season. Swiss Bear worked on a proposal to market New Bern as the “Southern Surprise” with a tie to Pepsi and its downtown birthplace.

The Martin Agency, Richmond, VA, provided consultation services to assist Swiss Bear’s promotion program and Harry Jacobs (native New Bernian and owner of the agency) met with Kay and the Chamber’s Tourism Task Force with recommendations on developing a strategy to market downtown’s historic district.  Swiss Bear worked with various groups developing a unified calendar of events and began promoting them through the NC Department of Travel and Tourism.

In the mid-1990’s, Swiss Bear’s antique show and Coastal Christmas Celebration and Flotilla (created in 1985) were spun off to other organizations as the growth of the Swiss Bear/MUMFEST required a year round time commitment. In the meantime, the number of groups sponsoring events and promotions has steadily increased playing a vital role in bringing new life, sparkle and activity to downtown.  

The call to action initiated by the 1977 Central Business District Revitalization Plan and the Main Street Program for Swiss Bear and the public and private sectors to work together in a cooperative spirit continues to serve as an important catalyst for investment in our historic downtown.

Susan Moffat Thomas
Executive Director