We have an important update on the Lockland Avenue houses -

July 7, 2024 - As you know, Atrium Health Wake Baptist Health informed the Ardmore Neighborhood Association (ANA) in mid-May that they were moving to demolish ten historic contributing houses on Lockland Avenue. There are fourteen houses on the block, but one is used by the medical school, and three are privately owned.  All of the houses are in the Ardmore National Register District, and thirteen are contributing structures.  That notice spurred a strong lobbying effort from Preservation Forsyth and the ANA to raise awareness of the value of these homes and to push back on Atrium’s plans. Both organizations produced strong position statements that were posted on our respective websites, and PF mounted a very strong PR campaign with the media and organized the Pop-Up Tour of the houses. The Pop-Up tour drew 55 people and great television coverage. ANA also hosted a neighborhood meeting that drew almost thirty people and generated very good media coverage. 

Atrium heard our voices and saw the coverage on television and in the Winston Salem Journal. They reached out to PF and ANA and asked for a meeting, and both organizations sat down with Atrium representatives in late June. We had a productive, and wide-ranging discussion, and Atrium followed up with a statement July 1^st informing us that they are not currently planning to proceed with demolition. They said that they will focus efforts on finding other ways to improve the safety and security of the area. PF and ANA pushed for the rehabilitation of the house for affordable or workforce housing. The Atrium statement doesn’t address that issue, but it does leave the door open to further discussion and planning.

Preservation Forsyth and ANA appreciate Atrium’s willingness to meet with us and to revise their earlier position. However, we still have work to do. We need to continue our lobbying efforts. We need to turn out for the upcoming Pop-Up tour on July 10^th at 6:00 pm--sign-up on our website. We will need to encourage continued media coverage, and finally please follow the PF and ANA websites for updates. 

Thank you for your support on this issue!! If you have thoughts and ideas about the situation, please share them with me.  

George Edwards

Preservation Action Chairperson

TAKE ACTION AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD -

June 10, 2024 - Please call Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and register your displeasure with their plans to demolish historic houses on Lockland Avenue. These houses could have a future as affordable housing for work force employees, interns, and residents. Be prepared to leave a voicemail and call - Facilities Management at 336-716-5439 and Public Relations Media at 336-716-4587. Thank you.

Preservation Forsyth Statement Regarding Lockland Avenue Houses in Winston-Salem -

May 30, 2024 - Preservation Forsyth has become aware that in the Ardmore National Register-listed historic district, ten houses in the 200 and 300 block of Lockland Avenue are threatened with demolition by their owner Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. These buildings have been secured and present no obvious immediate threat. Their removal would be significant erosion of the historic district and residential zoning on that side of the street, across from the hospital's property which is outside of the district.

As in all cases when affordable, historic housing is being removed, Preservation Forsyth encourages finding alternatives to demolition. Preservation Forsyth also offers assistance to find alternatives in order to retain the historic buildings. As noted economist Donovan Rympkema recently presented at the latest Preservation NC conference, modest historic housing built before 1970 is by definition affordable (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAG_wD-kZcw). While the potential future use of the sites has not been presented if the houses are demolished, the continued need for their use as housing in Ardmore is undeniable. In the last four years the Cloverdale apartments in the Ardmore National Register district were demolished for replacement with higher cost housing.

If non-residential uses were proposed for those lots which require rezoning from the current residential uses, that would obviously be resisted by the neighborhood. They do not suffer from obvious neglect and the area has a strong market to rehabilitate existing housing stock. Other communities have worked to maintain existing housing, perhaps best known is Historic Macon Foundation in Macon Georgia, where they worked jointly with Mercer University to rehabilitate existing historic housing stock to help provide housing for its own employees. The annual pressure to find nearby housing for new residents and interns for the hospital should be a clear need that could be met by retaining these homes.

The NC state preservation tax credits for non-income properties would be available to apply toward rehabilitation costs by any purchasers. Or federal and state tax credits for income properties are available, if they were rehabilitated for rental. Preservation easement donations would also be a potential economic benefit to retain the houses.

Preservation Forsyth calls upon Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist to engage in a dialogue with the Ardmore Neighborhood Association, City/County Historic Resource Commission, Preservation Forsyth, and any other interested parties about the future of that historically significant, affordable housing.

The Preservation Action Committee within PF is working with the WS City Council and Ardmore Neighborhood Association; we've contacted the Historic Resources Commission, and we are reaching out to Atrium's Facilities Management to discuss options to save the houses.