Our New Community Garden! Check It Out!!

NOMA has a new community garden...thanks to the City of Salisbury Planning and Code Enforcement departments, and the many volunteers that came out early Friday morning bearing plants and garden tools!

We transformed an ugly corner into one of the most cheerful spots along the North Main Street corridor into the City of Salisbury NC!

108 W Steele Street (and 902 N Main as it is known on the North Main National Register of Historic Places Inventory) at the corner of Steele and Main Streets is the former site of the circa 1900 Miller-Cress House and the circa 1930 art deco Bowers Performance Shop that both experienced tragic fires in 2013 and 1998 respectively.

A blight to the North Main Neighborhood, neighbors worked with Code Enforcement and Salisbury Police to have the damaged structures removed. And extensive demolition project was completed in the early months of 2015. The demolition project focused, of course, on removal of the damaged buildings, and regrading and reseeding this large corner lot.

The former service station parking lot, a small concrete pad, remains intact at the corner. Two right-of-way islands remained between the sidewalk and North Main Street, that had fallen to neglect after the properties were abandoned and subsequently demolished. Weeds, aging landscape materials, and demolition debris littered the two 'tree lawns' (or what author Evelyn J. Hadden calls the 'Hell Strip' in her book "Hell Strip Gardening"!).

NOMA residents attending the monthly SNAG meetings the Salisbury Police host (Salisbury Neighborhood Action Group) requested that this be addressed as the final step in restoring the aesthetics of this unfortunate lot.

In working with Code Enforcement, we said that if the City would help us clean up these two areas, NOMA would pitch in and help with plants and muscle power.

We did it!!!

On Friday May 22nd, we hosted a MULCH DAY! The City dropped off a HUGE load of mulch, and prepped the two areas by clearing the debris and spreading a bit of it for starters.

The plant donations started pouring in:

Lavender plants, daylilies, iris, hosta, coreopsis, rudbeckia (black-eyed Susan), liriope (monkey grass), dianthus (carnations), alcea (hollyhock, and nigella (Love-in-a-Mist) came from NOMA residents and beyond!

 An entire flat of melampodium,or butter daisies, came from Carolina Lily!

Two large burning bushes that turn a brilliant red in the fall were donated! (Thank you, Sean Meyers!)

Godley's Garden Center donated a beautiful crepe myrtle tree to match the existing corridor of crepe myrtles long the avenue.

Ivies and euonymus arrived, as well as blue-blooming spiderwort!  We even got tomato seedlings!  What's a community garden without a few edibles?!

By 8:00 AM, the sun was shining brilliantly and it was a thankfully cool and humidity free morning ~ a glorious day as volunteers began to arrive with rakes & shovels, and more plants.

Coffee, donated by our Koco Java, was hot and fresh on a neighbor's porch, along with some Krispy Kreme donuts for hungry gardeners!

What a day for a community garden!

All morning, people stopped by to say hello, drop off plants, or just waved to our worker bees ~ giving us the 'thumbs-up'!

By 11:00 AM, as the sun rose high in the sky, we tidied up and could stand back with pride and look at what is no longer a 'hell strip' on North Main Street!

Thanks to volunteers, Koco Java, Godley's, City of Salisbury ~ we have a community garden to be proud of.  Thank you so much for showing NOMA the love!!

Did you miss it?  We will still take plants if you want to participate!  The more the merrier!

The areas will take anything that can withstand serious (10+ hours) of blazing sunshine and don't require daily watering or fussing!  (Think planted medians on the Interstates! No one is watering/weeding there and they look fantastic!)

Thank you to all who help make our wonderful downtown neighborhood a great place to live!  We ♥ NOMA!!!

NOMA Residents Successful in Fighting for the Integrity of the Neighborhood!

North Main Street in Salisbury, North Carolina is the last remaining residential corridor into the City of Salisbury. Of the residential neighborhoods that developed along East and West Innes Street and North and South Main Street during the period of 1900-1930, North Main Street alone has survived the encroachment of urban development to retain much of its original character and appearance. The architectural fabric, created during the process of suburbanization which took place in Salisbury between 1900 and 1930, is still largely intact providing North Main Street with a rich and varied character worthy of preservation. North Main Street is the anchoring corridor through the North Main Neighborhood (NOMA), and is the gateway to the City of Salisbury from the north.

On Monday May 12, 2015, we learned that Flowers Baking Company at 1405 N Main Street had plans to remove a wood stockade fence that encircles the property, and replace it with an 8' high chain link fenced, topped with another 3 feet of barbed wire. Because Flowers Bakery is in the historic overlay that makes up the North Main Historic District, the company's owners had to seek a COA (Certificate of Appropriateness) from the City of Salisbury.

The case was to be heard in Public Forum at the City's Historic Preservation Commission meeting on Thursday May 14th at 5:15 ~ first on the agenda!  This gave neighbors and concerned citizens very little time to 'rally the troops' against this intrusive change to integrity of our residential neighborhood.

While, yes ~ we are largely a residential district, we have a small commercial hub in the center of the Main Street run from north to south, basically from about 11th Street to 15th Street. We would actually like to develop this into a village center, with attractive and friendly businesses. Wouldn't we love to see a neighborhood coffee shop or a green grocer here! A florist! So we don't wish to construe that we have anything against the Flowers Bakery...we love having them here! But barbed wire? NO! We believe this sends the wrong message about the culture of our neighborhood.

Several residents attended the Historic Preservation Commission meeting yesterday, hearing the case presented by Flowers Bakery to the commission, and voicing concerns regarding the affect this type of fencing would have on our neighborhood. Here are some things we learned:

• The City of Salisbury's Land Use Code says: "Sec. 22-8. - Barbed wire fences: It shall be unlawful for any owner, agent or occupant of any lot or premises to erect, maintain or allow on such premises, along any street or alley, any barbed wire or barbed wire fence." 
• The North Main Small Area Improvement Plan devotes a section of its Recommendations and Implementation Strategies (Chapter 3) to this commercial section of the district, saying:
• Façade designs need to be more in keeping with the architectural fabric and scale of other historic buildings on North Main Street. 
• We need to encourage developers to rehabilitate commercial buildings along North Main Street in such a manner that helps attract quality, low-impact businesses and services, and encourage redevelopment that brings vibrant, eclectic gathering places such as coffee houses, bookstores and similar destinations.
• Businesses need to ensure that development decisions take into account neighborhood needs and desires, especially those related to commercial and industrial land uses. 
• Flowers Bakery keeps a fleet of delivery trucks on their property.  They said they had seen a high break-in rate here, however citizens attending local SNAG (Salisbury Neighborhood Action Group) meetings with Salisbury Police said that statistics had been reported that crime rates had gone down in the neighborhood. Flowers Bakery amended their statement saying that this was over a nine-year period.

Concerned citizens, from NOMA and other surrounding neighborhoods, wrote to the City with comments such as this:

"This type of fence will negatively impact their business, as it will make potential patrons feel unwanted emotionally. The property is small enough that the fence will visually overpower in a negative way the prettiness of the brick building itself. It will also make passersby feel as if they are in a high crime area, so they will not be as interested in stopping in to make purchases. Also, it will detract potential homeowners who would live in their properties from purchasing in our neighborhood. We are actively working to increase our owner-occupied homes, and this will work against the vision we have for our neighborhood. I advocate replacing the wooden fence with a new one of the same makeup, as it adds to the visual appeal of the business and makes people feel welcome to the store, as well as adding visual appeal to the neighborhood as a whole."  ~ L. Klaus, North Main Neighborhood

"In any neighborhood, appearance has a great deal to do with the way outsiders consider the area. How neatly the yards are kept, how well the homes are maintained, how friendly the neighborhood appears are all factors that encourages people to think highly of the area as well as possibly considering moving into the locale. Fences are a large part of appearance....To borrow slightly from Robert Frost might be important when we ask if fences make good neighbors......yes, they might, but an inappropriate fence can do more than make a poor neighbor; it can affect an entire neighborhood. It can change one's perspective of a neighborhood from friendly to 'rough'.  

While chain link fences might be in some neighborhoods, putting one in with barbed wire certainly does not make a visitor to the community think of friendly and safe. Many people drive along the North Main corridor daily and it seems that the City of Salisbury would want to have this entrance into town appear as welcoming as possible. So, while 1402 North Main may need a fence, could we not consider one more neighborhood friendly....one that encourages NOMA rather than discouraging it and its residents?" ~ D. Lesley, Ellis Street Graded School Neighborhood

HPC board members analyzed the input from the hearing, and long story short, and voted unanimously to deny the request for chain link & barbed wire fencing. 

We did learn that the Flowers Baking Company plans to make major renovations to the store.  We hope they will work with the neighborhood and with our city's Historic Preservation, Planning, and Code folks to ensure the renovations encourage the positive development we know will help attract more home owners and quality businesses to the district.

We heard from Flowers Bakery representatives that they have a lot of 'walk-up' business.  Well of course they do!!  And we wish to keep the pedestrian friendly nature of our neighborhood alive!  We strongly wish to promote a commercial sector that might become a little thriving hub for the neighborhood, encouraging development that is pedestrian oriented and blends harmoniously with surrounding housing. 

Viewed at their broadest, neighborhood commercial districts should be designed to: 

• Create a pedestrian-oriented environment. 
• Mitigate negative off-site impacts from commercial establishments to the greatest extent feasible. 
• Provide for monitoring and enforcement of any potential negative off-site impacts. 

Another interesting comment we heard from the Flowers Bakery representatives:  "We didn't think anyone from the neighborhood would show up at this hearing."  We proved that not only would we show up, but we care enough to research the facts and protect the culture and integrity of our neighborhood!

Thank you, NOMA!


 

The North Main Neighborhood
www.north-main.org
www.facebook.com/NOMAnorthmain

NOMA Yard Sale - Saturday May 9th

North Main Home Wins a Preservation Award!

Congratulations to our NOMA neighbors!  Historic Salisbury Foundation will award Glen and Julie Upp one of several Private Preservation Awards for rehabilitation of the J.C. Cress House at 928 N. Main Street at the upcoming Preservation Awards Ceremony!

Historic Salisbury Foundation will honor the past year’s best historic preservation success stories at its 2015 Preservation Awards Ceremony. The event will be held May 28 at the Salisbury Station, 215 Depot Street with a reception beginning at 6:30 p.m., followed by the awards presentation.

Reservations are $20 per person and may be purchased at www.historicsalisbury.org, or by calling 704-636-0103 by May 22.

Award categories include:

• Commercial Revitalization through Historic Preservation 
• Private Preservation and Neighborhood Revitalization 
• Longtime Preservation Leader 
• Preservation Craftsmen and Professionals 
• Volunteers of the Year 
• President’s Award 

The J. C. Cress House at 928 N. Main St. is classified as a 'Contributing' property in the North Main National Register of Historic Places Inventory. There are four categories: Pivotal; Contributing; Intrusion; and Fill.

Built about 1912 by J. C. Cress, who also occupied 108 W. Steel Street, 928 N. Main Street was occupied by Cress into the 1940s. Sitting on a slightly raised lot, this home demonstrates the transition from the late Victorian to Colonial Revival domestic architecture which characterized the North Main district at the time. Although strongly Victorian in its asymmetrical composition, its projecting front gable, and its turned post porch with interesting carved gallery, its boxlike shape and high hip roof with projecting attic dormer are reminiscent of the large unadorned four squares influenced by the Colonial Revival, which were being constructed along N. Main Street.

For many years, the concrete block wall that ran down both sides of the property line at 928 N Main plagued the neighborhood. Previous owners began, bit by bit, to remove the wall, rumored to have been installed as a 'hate-wall' by a previous neighbor. The Upps have removed a much of the front portion of this wall in addition to many other restoration projects for this home.

The J. C. Cress house neighbors the circa 1911 C. W. Isenhour house at 926 N. Main Street, a 'Pivotal' property which was one of NOMA's first brick homes, this unique dwelling demonstrates the transition from late Victorian to more formal and restrained Colonial Revival architecture. The Insenhour house, or the 'Octagon House' as it is fondly referred to by NOMA neighbors, home is most noted for its its steep side gable roof and dominating octagonal central tower with tall tent roof. It was built about 1911 by C. W. Isenhour, part owner of Isenhour's Brick Yard in nearby Spencer. By the 1930s it was broken up into apartments. Current owners began a massive restoration project, which is again on hold, and the home is listed for sale 'as-is' for $69,900.

Glen and Julie Upp are officers in the newly reformed North Main neighborhood association, known as NOMA in recent years but once again called the Old North Salisbury Association. Glen holds the president's position and Julie is association secretary.  Other ONSA officers are Jeanette Vargas/Vice President, and Cherie Turner/Treasurer.

The ONSA Board of Directors are:

• Mike Pryor 
• LaDonna Mills 
• Jacqueline Millican 
• Michael Crabb 
• Robert Crum 
• Jenni Pfaff 
• Jeff Cannon 
• Kelly Cannon 
• Max Vargas 

Please join us in celebrating another star home and restoration in the North Main neighborhood!  Go NOMA~~!!!

NOMA The North Main Neighborhood 
NOMA North Main at www.NextDoor.com
NOMA The North Main Neighborhood on Facebook.com

Volunteer Day - May 22! Mini Beautification Project at Steele & Main!

Calling all Volunteers ~ especially if you love playing in the dirt (aka gardening!)!!  We're having a Mini-Beautification Project!

The City of Salisbury and Code Enforcement Department have agreed to host a clean up day at the corner of W. Steele Street and N. Main Street on Friday May 22nd at 8:00 AM! 

Volunteers are invited for a morning mulch project!!

The corner of W. Steele Street and N. Main Street (108 W. Steele Street on the GIS tax maps or 902 N. Main Street on the North Main Historic District Inventory) is the site of the recent demolition project of the abandoned gas station on Main and the burned home behind it on W. Steele. 

The two small 'tree lawns' along Main Street are still a bit of an eyesore with old landscape fabric, weeds, and minor demolition debris....BUT...the City will help the neighborhood do a clean-up!

On Friday morning May 22, the City will bring the tools to pick up any remaining debris, and the landscape fabric the previous owner put in place. The City as already sprayed for weeds. They will be bringing a truckload of mulch for us to put down.

The City may (or may not) bring trees to plant,but we are also invited to bring low growing plants to beautify the corner. So if it's time to divide your day lilies, evening primroses, and hostas, now is the time to bring a few clumps to Steele Street!

Planning a good tree-lawn garden can be a challenge. Part of the hardship of it is that we aren't just creating a garden for ourselves — it's for the public who walks, pedals and drives by our homes. Our visitors, our neighbors, and the city itself all have a relationship to our tree-lawn garden. 



As we think about planting this Steele Street corner, we should consider plants that are: 

• Low stature. Low-growing plants – below about 2’-3’ tall and wide - won’t block people getting in and out of vehicles, and drivers’ and pedestrians’ vision is never obstructed.

• Drought tolerant. Plants should be able to go dry in summer once established. Who wants to drag the hose out there and water all summer? 

• Heat and cold tolerant. Surrounded by concrete, tree lawns are generally hot in summer and cold and windy in winter. Plants, especially evergreens that hold their leaves in winter, need to be tough. 

• Abuse tolerant. Plants should be able to withstand the pressure of being stepped on, broken or squashed from time to time - or able to recover quickly if stepped on. Because that’s the reality for plants in parking strips.

We'll have coffee and doughnuts on hand on the porch at 910 N Main Street for any volunteers that would like to swing by that morning and chip in on this micro-beautification project!

Please bring your own rake/shovel/garden gloves and any plant you might like to see in bloom there on the corner!

Many hands make the work go lightly!

YAY, NOMA!

Save the date: Friday May 22, 2015 @ 8:00AM (or as soon as you can get there!)! 

The North Main Neighborhood
NOMA at NextDoor.com
NOMA on Facebook