Dayvault’s Drug Store Building

2019 Award of Merit - Best Endangered Properties Rescue Effort

Lenoir, NC

Watch Video HERE

Narrowly saved from demolition, the Dayvault Drug Store Building at 122 South Boundary Street in Downtown Lenoir has been a fantastic rehabilitation project for the City that demonstrates the infectious power of revitalizing older properties.

The Lenoir Main Street Program worked closely with the North Carolina Main Street and Rural Planning Center and Preservation North Carolina to find an alternative to demolition for this extremely distressed building. Preservation North Carolina acquired the property and sold it to the current owner for $10,000. Using a budget of less $200,000 and nonprofit support, this severely distressed building in Downtown Lenoir is now a vibrant and attractive property. Today, the property is home to a local boutique on the lower floor and a charming apartment on the upper floor.

The rehabilitation of the Dayvault’s Drug Store building in downtown Lenoir began a chain of events in the area that has led to a fervor of downtown historic preservation and revitalization efforts. Preservation North Carolina connected the City with developers that have purchased mill and warehouse properties for renovation, additional National Register downtown districts have been established, and new historic tax credit projects are currently underway. Further, the owner of the building documented his redevelopment process through a blog, further educating the local and neighboring communities on historic tax credit projects.

Congratulations to this Small Town Main Street community for its 2019 award.

In the category of ECONOMIC VITALITY, Best Endangered Properties Rescue Effort recognizes an organization or community-wide effort that saved a structure of historical or architectural value, located in either the defined downtown district or an adjacent historic residential or historic commercial district, from impending demolition.

An Award of Merit is presented to: Plaster Architecture, Tavio and Denise Martinez, Preservation North Carolina, North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office, Lenoir Main Street Program and the City of Lenoir for The Little Building with the BIG Impact – Dayvault’s Drug Store Building