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2017 Best Endangered Properties Rescue Effort
Goldsboro, NC
205, 207 and 209 North John Street are three valuable historic commercial properties that were once slated for demolition due to city council's frustration that stemmed from their negative appearance. Of the three, 85% of the square footage was used for junk storage and the remainder was used as a storefront church. It took ten years of aggressive work by the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation to get the properties donated to the nonprofit, then market the building for redevelopment and find an investor. Bethany and Chris Mohr, a young Seymour Johnson Air Force couple, invested nearly $900,000, utilized historic tax credits and created five upper-story apartments, one that is available on Airbnb, plus a place for a state of the art tap room and a home brewery supply retail business.
The project reactivated over 10,000 square feet. It was designed by preservation architect David Maurer, Maurer Architecture, and the construction was completed by Billy Brock Construction. The project created four full-time jobs, but the biggest impact was the tax value generated from the investment. The tax value went from $30,000 to more than $500,000 and generates more than $4,000 annually in tax revenue.