Drawing shown to the Design Review Board Wednesday shows planned storefront renovations. (SOURCE: Davidson Planning Department)
By ALEX GREGOR
DavidsonNews.net
The Design Review Board on Wednesday unanimously approved Davidson College’s plans for renovating the façades of several North Main Street buildings owned by sculptor and Cairn Studios founder Dr. Tom Clark. The college is leasing one of the buildings for its Cats on Main shop and agreed to oversee improvements of the aging storefronts.
North Main storefronts in the 1940s. (SOURCE: Davidson Planning Department)
Renovations are planned at 121-129 N. Main St., home of Cairn Studios. (David Boraks photo)
The buildings, constructed between 1914 and the mid-1940s, are historic landmarks that long been in need of a face lift. At present, the buildings at 121-129 N. Main Street house the offices of Cairn Studios, the company that manufactures gnome figurines designed by Dr. Clark. The longtime Davidson resident achieved renown as a gnome sculptor after retiring from his career as a religion professor at Davidson College.
In days past, the Tom Clark Museum at 131 N. Main Street was a popular destination for tourists and admirers of Mr. Clark’s gnomes. Since August, it has been leased to Davidson College for Cats on Main, a spirit-wear and souvenir shop.
[The Tom Clark Museum remains open, on the second floor of the Cats on Main building. It's open during store hours, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays.]
Renovations to the other Clark-owned buildings nearby will take place in the coming months and could be completed during the first quarter of the new year. Intended to maintain the historic character of the buildings, renovations will restore the buildings’ facades. New awnings, restored brickwork, and new paint will update the look of the five buildings, restoring some vitality to a neglected section of North Main Street, according to the project’s goals.
Under the direction of Davidson College’s Physical Plant, which is now responsible for the buildings’ upkeep, contractors will attempt to restore the white brickwork on 121 N. Main St. to its natural color. If it proves impossible to do so without damaging the brick façade, 121 and 123 N. Main St. will be painted a uniform color. The Design Review Board will approve a color at its January monthly meeting, if necessary. Renovations will leave the yellow brick of 125, 127, and 129 N. Main unpainted, however.
Davidson College signed a lease with Cairn Studios last summer. In exchange for using the Museum’s former home to house Cats on Main, the College agreed to be responsible for the upkeep of the storefronts on 121, 123, 125, 127, 129 N. Main St.
At the meeting, David Holthouser, director of Davidson College’s Physical Plant, said the College would “like to see some life behind those doors” next to Cats on Main. But he cautioned the design board that the college would only be renovating the storefronts, not procuring new tenants. Mr. Clark and his business partner, Joe Poteat, would be responsible for finding new tenants for the other buildings, if they choose to do so.
During the latter part of the meeting, the board also reviewed and updated preservation guidelines for the town’s historic buildings. The board will continue its review of the guidelines at next month’s meeting.
DOCUMENTS
Download the presentation to the Design Review Board Wednesday night, PDF format, CLICK HERE>
RELATED COVERAGE
Dec. 14, 2009, “Design board to see plans for Tom Clark storefronts.”
Sept. 26, 2009, “Dr. Tom Clark helps christen new Cats on Main shop.”
June 10, 2009, “Goodbye gnomes, hello Wildcat spirit shop.”
