This case will come to you in National Historic Preservation Month

Chris Crew was born in Morganton, NC and moved to Raleigh in 1964. He’s been a resident of Historic Oakwood since 1975.

Educated at NCSU and UNC-Chapel Hill, works for the State of NC in Public Safety. Preservationist, Cook, Trombonist, Brewer, Choirboy, Grandfather.

Chris spoke at City Council on April 9, 2024.

Preservation provides context to understand our present and creates a reference library for our use as we plan for the future.

Ladies and gentlemen:

Thank you for considering preservation in your actions of April Second, putting aside a hasty decision on zoning request Z-72-22.

Once again, we have a developer coming forward who has purchased an encumbered property seeking remission of a financial quandary of his own making. 423 South Blount St, a vacant lot in the Prince Hall Historic Overlay District, was purchased two years ago, already encumbered by both a DX-3 zoning, and the restrictions associated with properties in Historic Districts. The developer exhausted all appeals with the duly constituted RHDC (Raleigh Historic Development Commission) in seeking approval for a 12-story modernist revival building overshadowing the eponymous Prince Hall Masonic Lodge.

Creation of an HOD is a zoning act involving input from a wide range of property owners and stakeholders. Its purpose is to recognize and protect the historic fabric of this old city. Once again, we have development interests seeking to profit from the piecemeal dissolution of the districts with limited public input to the detriment of historic resources and local cultural identity.

As this case comes before you again in May, I strongly urge you to consider the importance of Raleigh’s first Historic District designed to protect the remains of our once-thriving African American Downtown Business and Residential District and to take the advice of the Planning Commission and deny this variance. Maintaining the current zoning with its height and historic design conditions will help insure appropriate development that honors the culture and heritage within this Historic District. There is plenty of property available for a wide range of development activities outside of our Historic Districts and without recourse to changes in our carefully crafted UDO.

Yours is the obligation and responsibility to speak up for Raleigh’s rank-and-file and to protect our cherished resources.

Thank you for your consideration of the things worth preserving that make Raleigh great.

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