Greensboro Daily Photo

901 Spring Garden Street: High on a Hill in College Hill

901 Spring Garden Street looked absolutely spectacular on Sunday afternoon when the air was cold but the sunshine was glorious. If you have been around for a while, you likely remember the days in the early 1990s when Mary Garvey had her shop here (The Clothesline). Mary had a talent for finding clothing for college students and faculty. You never knew what you would find there, or who you would find shopping there. Next, Adelaide's Vintage was there- with more emphasis on home goods.

Fast forward to now and Vanderveen Photographers have a studio there.  As they say on their website, "Becky and Bert Vanderveen have been together in life and photography since 1999, capturing art, beautiful moments and dynamic events along the way." Both have degrees from UNCG and their studio is only a block from the Weatherspoon Art Gallery. It seems like 901 Spring Garden would be perfect for a studio: good lighting, conveniently located, and off street parking. We hope to get to interview them sometime and to get a peek inside and see exactly how they have transformed the space. Just look at how well appointed that corner view is and how that white brick and fence sparkle of spring's sunshine. Does anyone know the original use of this building, built in 1961?

Happy Wednesday!

192 East Lewis St.

Happy March 1st! The above photo was taken on East Lewis Street and the building with the colorful mural is 192 E. Lewis. It is the Dick Broadcasting Building and also home of 107.5 KZL. That is a convenient place for a radio station with all that is happening on South Elm Street these days. Sometimes they have music concerts right here on East Lewis. Just behind the camera is Elm Street and many new entertainment entertainment opportunities with plenty of spirits.

Sometimes, just looking at the sky is enough. You can see where the sunny sky meets the darker clouds. It did rain the day we took this photo. The angle of the sun made the mural on the building stand out. If you like that mural and want to see a close up, see the GDP post here from a couple of years ago. Of course, you could head downtown and see for yourself this building from 1962.

Happy Thursday!

Eugene Street

Have you driven on Eugene Street lately? It has changed so much. This is the part between Friendly Avenue and Smith Street, with the baseball stadium on the left and the Carroll Bellemeade development on North Eugene. It is hard to believe the baseball stadium has been there since 2005. What was originally First Horizon Park is now First National Bank Field. The stadium can accommodate 7,499 guests. The people who live in the apartments on Eugene and Smith Streets can just walk to games. Between the baseball stadium and Tanger Center, options for this part of town have expanded significantly over the last 18 years. 

You can get some great sunsets from the apartments on Eugene. We're betting you can see some great baseball from many of those apartments. The next home game for the Greensboro Grasshoppers will be April 23. It would be well worth your investment in time and money to experience a baseball game. We hope to see you in the stands, or strolling along Elm Street, en route.

Happy Thursday!

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management & Building

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, operated by Bank of America, is located at 800 Green Valley Road at the intersection of Lendew Street. Our State Magazine, and other businesses, are also located in the building. The building is a 5-story, class A office building. It was built in 2001 on a 6.62 acre lot. Already over 20 years old, the building seems to be aging well and is attention catching with all of those glass windows, especially when the sun is setting.

In the area near Green Valley Road between Westover Terrace and Benjamin Parkway , and even down to Friendly Avenue, is a part of town that really feels like an office park. The area is only about 10 miles from the airport. It looks like there is a good view from the top. Maybe we can try to  get up there. Have you been up on the 5th floor? That reminds us, we still haven't given up on the dream of getting to the top of the Lincoln Financial Group building. That has to be a great view! Maybe 2023 will be the year.

Happy Friday 13th! If you are working, at 800 Green Valley or elsewhere, we hope you have a three-day weekend.

Full Moon 324 S Elm St

Last night was especially beautiful in downtown Greensboro. As the temperature was dropping from the mid 50s to the mid 30s, the full moon was rising. Above, is a photo of the moon over 324 South Elm Street. The photo was taken from South Greene Street looking, east, towards Elm and that highest ray of light in the sky was the moon. This was the first full moon of 2023, the Wolf Moon. The moon was position almost the farthest point from the earth, the opposite of a supermoon. The lens flare, creating the rays of light on the photo happened, by chance, creating a starry mood in the photo. 

If you celebrated Epiphany or Three Kings Day, or "El Día de los Reyes Magos", last night was a beautiful evening to celebrate those holidays. Happy Saturday! Let's see what today brings. See you at the farmers markets.

245 East Friendly Avenue

245 East Friendly Avenue is a commercial building downtown, near the Greensboro Central Library. The building is two-story, 34,200 square feet, and built in 1924. The facade says Fruit and Produce and must have been a market in earlier years. Now, it is full of offices and, according to the sign in the window, will soon have a coffee and wine lounge. The sign in the Church Street window says Melrose Coffee Greensboro. It will be a California-inspired establishment serving coffee and wine. Perhaps you remember several years ago when there was a coffee shop in the library. It is nice to see Greensboro expanding and this part of town, east of Elm, getting a coffee shop. 

Happy Monday! We are about to start the week between Hanukah/Christmas and New Year. Temperatures will be inching up this week. We'll report back when Melrose opens. In the meantime, we're going to work on learning more about the history of this building. What do you remember?

Our Lady of Grace

Our Lady of Grace (OLG), located at the corner of West Market Street and Chapman Street, is such a dynamic place. Every day, something is going on there. From the Monday through Friday K-8 school to Saturday weddings, Sunday services, and multiple meetings throughout the week, you really feel a sense of community at OLG. There are 11 masses during the week (Monday-Saturday). On Sunday, there is a 7am Quiet Mass, 9am and 11 am English Masses, a 1pm Tridentine Latin Mass, and a 5pm Spanish Mass. Truly, if you are Catholic, they offer something for everyone.

The other day, when we happened to be driving by, we saw a bucket lift extending up to the top window of the westside tower. We're guessing they were washing windows. After all, advent starts four Sundays before Christmas and, this year (2022) Advent starts today. Can you believe it? We have four Sundays before Christmas! Unfortunately, the statue of Our Lady, the one on the front lawn, was vandalized in October. They are hoping to get it repainted, restored, and back in place in time for Advent- today! We love this photo, showing some of what goes on, behind the scenes, of church upkeep. The real photo was behind us. A priest is a black robe cloak was talking to parishioners. The moment looked too special to interrupt.

Happy Sunday! Happy Advent!

Brooks Global Studies Elementary School

The above photo features the land on which the new Brooks Global Studies Elementary School will be built. This location is between Starmount Presbyterian Church, The Greensboro Arboretum, and Holden Road. Specifically, the border streets are Tryon, Ashland, and Parkwood. The current location of Brooks Global is at the north edge of the Grimsley High School campus. The new location is on land already owned by GCS and was the site of the former Craven School. Craven School was built in 1955 and had fallen in disrepair since the 1990s when it was no longer used. In 2011 the school board voted to demolish it and the 7.7 acre site is now ready for new beginnings. The only remnants of the former school are this small, circular driveway and some cement steps.

Brooks Global has a fantastic reputation and the lottery numbers of students seeking admission to this magnet school are large. The new Brooks will have the same fabulous international theme, but will be state of the art and mindful of sustainable practices. GCS has hired HICAPS/C2 to manage the implementation of the project.*

For many Guilford County School (GCS)  students, today is the first day of school. By now, just about everyone (if not all) should be back in school. Please remember to drive 25 in school zones and stop for school busses picking up students. Oh, and remember to bring your charged Cromebooks and positive attitudes! May all students try their hardest and have the best year of school yet.

Happy Monday! Happy first day of school!

*Reference and additional information HERE. Se also, HERE.

Carolina Theatre

The Carolina Theatre, at 310 South Greene Street downtown, is once again active with booking events lately. This theatre has been Greensboro's crowned jewel since 1927, almost 100 years since it opened. Thanks to restoration, repairs, and maintenance over the years, this theatre is as beautiful on the inside is as it is on the outside. As you see on the marquee, donors are an important part of sustaining the theatre. In the 2018-2019 season, just before the pandemic, they had over 100,000 people attend events. With other performing arts venues in Greensboro, especially the Tanger Center, The Carolina Theatre has a lot of competition. The management knows its audience and the type of events that will be popular here. We enjoy the old movies they feature on the big screen!

The Carolina Theatre has seen a lot of growth in the neighborhood around it. The new Hampton Inn is just down the street. And then, there is the bodega across the street where you grab a quick snack before heading in to see a performance. We took this photo from the entrance to The Bodega as the afternoon sun was backlighting the theatre. Tonight is Jokez and Jam at 8:00 pm. If you need a good laugh, this might be the event for you! Regardless, you will find something great to do downtown.

Happy Saturday!

Here is a link to the Carolina Theatre's upcoming events.

East Cone Boulevard & Damien Mitchell's Mural

This past weekend, we were out driving on East Cone Boulevard and, of course, the murals caught out eye. The above photo was taken at the plaza with a Roses Discount Store, hence the roses on the facade to the left. It is located at 1421 East Cone, near Twain Road and the O. Henry Oaks neighborhood. Also, out this way is Joe Davis Park at 1410 19th Street very near East Cone and Ceasar Street. The mural has lots of hashtag messages and, if the upper left name is correct, the mural is by Damien Mitchell. He has been painting murals for ten years and is based out of New York City. If you notice at the bottom, it is also tagged as a Kotis Street Art mural. If you want to know more about Greensboro's murals, you can find a lot on that link.

Also of interest in the above photo are the newspaper boxes, which makes wonder if they generate any revenue. We also like the way the white sedan is parked there, waiting, all white and unembellished, sharing the center focal point with the bright yellow smiley balloon.

Well, Thursday is the new Friday. May you find something fabulous to do this weekend in Greensboro!

Rast Mural on Mill Street

How lucky we were to be driving along Mill Street and notice a mural being installed! The graffiti street artist Julien Ripert, the artist known as Rast, is featured in the above photo. Julien hails from Paris, France, but is in Greensboro for three weeks to create this mural and another one at Red Cinema. He has been an artist for 15 years and is self-taught. His work can be found in France, Mexico City, Puerto Rico, Belgium, and more. If you look at his work on Instagram (@artisteRAST), you will notice that he is known for painting building-sized, murals, busts of people. Some of his murals include very powerful images of men, and women, mostly older. The texture of his work, and the items people are holding or the things surrounding them, really add a focal point to his work.

The above mural is only half way done. We'll have to return for a follow up photo because Julien will connect the mural to an electrical source and part of the mural will spin. We can't wait to see the movement, added dimension, and additional paint to this project. One of our favorite pieces of Julien's work is "Good Planet" Urgency, an acrylic mural of an older man with a gray beard and mustache,  holding a globe that actually spins (posted on Instagram on May 2, 2021). Drive by, behind Saffron on Mill Street, and have a look if you get a chance. If you see Julien, please give him a big Greensboro welcome. He speaks French, English, and Spanish- and maybe more!

Happy Wednesday!

304 North Greene Street on a Chiaroscuro Sort of Day

Today's photo features the alley between the downtown Marriott Hotel at 304 North Greene Street and the parking lot beside it. Straight ahead in the photo is a view of 348 North Elm Street, a single-story, flat-roofed building near Tanger Center. We don't tend to think of Greensboro as an angular city full of bold, geometric shapes. However, this photo, in black and white, really emphasizes the angles in the scene. The stripes on the pavement, the squares near the top of the N. Elm Street building, and the sunny/shaded (chiaroscuro) section on the pavement all come together to add drama to the view. Sometimes the negative space, between buildings, can be as interesting as the buildings themselves.

We want to get back downtown and photograph the inside of the Marriott. It was built in 1985, underwent a big renovation in 2008, and then, a multi-million dollar renovation in 2020. We haven't stayed there since the 2020 renovation and, given that it was happening during COVID times, we're not even sure that it is completely finished. With the Tanger Center and all of the new construction in the north end of town, the Marriott is certainly in a prime location. The last time we ate breakfast at the Sage Mule, on Battleground Avenue, we sat next to a woman who had walked from the Marriott.

The sun can be so harsh when taking photos; however, it you don't fight it, but play around with the lighting, the results can be interesting. Consider heading downtown and getting a few photos yourself- in black and white, or color! Happy Monday! 

WFMY News 2

WFMY News 2 is located at 1615  Phillips Avenue. It has been a landmark on Phillips Avenue since 1949. While the building looks fairly nondescript on the outside, once inside, it it clear you are in a news studio. It is a whole separate world in there; fitted with sets, lighting, computers, cameras, and everything to interview, write, and deliver the news. This facility was actually the site of the first live television broadcast in North Carolina in 1949 and the second television station in the state.* The first was in Charlotte. Their coverage extends between Charlotte and Raleigh. They broadcast 38 hours of locally produced newscasts each week; six hours a day during the week, three hours on Saturday and five on Sunday. The station has gone through several changes, from ownership, to programming, to transitioning from analog to digital, to staff, and more. But one thing has remained constant. They are at Phillips Avenue, just north of town.

On the day we were there, mid-day, so was the CINTAS Uniform Apparel truck and the Pepsi delivery truck. It is hard to imagine all of the deliveries and day to day services it takes to get the news produced and on the air, and all it takes to have a good quality of life for the staff. In watching WFMY, you get the feeling that the newscasters enjoy each other and have fun on the set. In 2015, we had a chance go inside the studio and Eric Chilton took a few minutes to chat with us, right before he had to go back on the air. We also had the pleasure of interviewing Lee Kinard back in 2011. He had a 43-year career at WFMY.  In this day and age as so much news transitions from print to digital, and it is getting harder to read news specific to Greensboro, WFMY is there to make sure the local voices are heard. Thank you to each and every person involved in bringing us the news.

 

* WFMY-TV: Wikipedia, (visited July 20, 2022)

Mapping Out Fun Fourth... Beginning at the Biltmore Greensboro Hotel

Last night, all was quiet in downtown Greensboro, on the eve of the Fourth of July. We were walking along Washington Street, in front of the Biltmore Greensboro Hotel. Today, the Biltmore Hotel will be in the middle of all of the Fun Fourth Activities. As of 5:00 am this morning, Elm Street will be blocked off and all cars must be off the street or they will be towed. The Fun Fourth will be fabulous this year. HERE is a list of all the activities for today. It will start with the Freedom Run, the Triad's longest running race tradition. The 10K starts at 7:30 am and the rest of the races at 8:00 am at 211 North Davie Street. If you are not running, you are encouraged to stand along the route and cheer people on (even if you don't know then). Freedom Fest this year is broken off into 4 zones, with activities going from 12noon- 6:00 pm. The zones are primarily from Tanger Center & LeBauer Park in the north to Lewis Street in the south &  between Greene and Davie Streets. The Fun Fourth committee made a real effort to see that each zone has vendors, music, attractions, food, and plenty to do. We are hoping to roller skate in Zone 2.

The Biltmore is between Zone 2 and 3. The simple bunting looks so elegant; it is the kind of decoration that you might have found when the building was constructed in 1895. Looking at the facade of the Biltmore, it is as if one has stepped back in time over 100 years ago. Yet, step into the hotel and everything you need for the 21st century is at your fingertips.*  This is the reason Greensboro is such a great city. We honor the past, especially in architecture; value traditions; and come together to to enjoy each other, on events like Fun Fourth. None of this could be done without a strong business community, good leadership, and a passel of great volunteers. As a grand finale, tonight, there is a Greensboro Grasshoppers game at 6:30 pm and fireworks at First National Bank Field after the game. Regardless of how you spend your time today, have a great day!

* If you follow Greensboro Daily Photo, you already know that we featured the Biltmore 13 years ago, the first year of Greensboro Daily Photo. As you can see from this photo, the awning has changed and the word "Greensboro" has been added to the name, likely to avoid confusion with the Vanderbilt's Biltmore in Asheville. 

Cadillac Service Garage

The Cadillac Service Garage is an event venue at 304 East Market Street in downtown Greensboro. The building was built as a Cadillac dealership in 1921. From high ceilings to checkered floors and everything in between, so much detail remains from the design 100 years ago. There were a lot of years this building sat empty. Then there were the years it housed Design Archives, between the time Kit had her store on Tate Street and now in the 300 block of South Elm Street. How wonderful that the vintage feel of the building rings true loud and clear. Instead ov covering the brick walls, they are celebrated.

The event space accommodates up to 225 guests and there is outdoor space as well as indoor. The day we walked by last week, some of the signage was still visible for Meredith Murray and Dylan Cunningham's wedding on June 18th. How fun to see the place tidied up, but with some remnants of a super special event. We love the Cadillac Service Garage because it expands the footprint to downtown Greensboro east of Church Street. If you get a chance, drive by and have a peek inside. You will see echoes of 1921 blended with conveniences of 2022!

Happy Monday! Happy exploring east Greensboro! The changes are many.

Change the Nations Church- CTNC

This who read Greensboro Daily Photo regularly know that we try to do something religious/spiritual on Sundays. Sometimes, it is a reflective nature shot; other times it is a church or religious event. You can imagine after 13 1/2 years of Sundays- about 700- it is a challenge to think of something new. We had to chuckle because we googled "churches Greensboro" and up popped YELP with a list of Top 10 Churches of Greensboro. Now, how did they decide that? Some churches on the list, we have already featured. However, we were off in pursuit of #3, Elevation Church at 409 Friendway, which we discovered is the address for Western High School. We figured that the church meets at the school, but didn't see any signs of a church. So, next, off to #5, Church Alive, at 204 South Westgate. If you know Greensboro well, you know Westgate crosses over West Market Street, but South Westgate does not connect to Westgate. As a matter of fact, South Westgate is a dead end on both ends! En route to Church Alive, we found the above church, "Change the Nations Church" (CTNC) at 4619 Mercury Drive. So, we decided to feature a church not on the YELP list.

An internet search reveals that CTNC is "an international group of virtuous women dedicated to making positive impacts in families around the world through the proclamation of the word of God, social work, and by being living testimonies. [They] are made up of Christian women of all ages and walks of life. [They] believe that as Christian women [they] do play an important role in reflecting Christ in [their] homes, workplaces, & marketplace." They are a congregation of at least 25 nationalities of various ethnic backgrounds. If you want to be part of a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, Evangelical congregation, CTNC may well be the church for you. 

And so, you see, serendipity has so much to do with making Greensboro Daily Photo what it is. Just when we begin to wonder what on earth we would photograph and write about for today, doors opened and a new (to us) church appeared. By the way, we found four churches, never-before-heard-of-by-us,  tucked along the South Westgate area all thanks to an out-of-date YELP list!  Happy Sunday!

Kontoor Wrangler

Three years ago, on May 23, 2019, Wrangler and Lee became part of the publicly traded Kontoor Brands, Inc. Above, is the corporate world headquarters on North Elm Street. They also have a headquarters in Belgium and Hong Kong. While Wrangler is a top seller in the American jean market, the Lee line is the biggest denim brand in China- and to think this is all based out of Greensboro. It would be nice to have a "know your city" tour for elementary school students with this building and company being one of the stops. When we were there the other day, the sky was so beautiful, the wind was blowing, making the American and North Carolina flags fly high. The whole scene was just so majestic.

The above building was built in 1994 and has a beautifully visible presence on the north end of town, on the front end of the growth here. Now, with the Tanger Center, the baseball stadium, Joymongers, LeBauer Park and all of the other venues surrounding it, downtown truly stretches all the way from Smith Street to West Gate City Boulevard. According to their website, Kontoor is committed to sourcing and and manufacturing their apparel responsibly and sustainably.

We hope you have a great weekend. If you get a chance, have a walk along the above headquarters and its environs. It is fun to know our city.

Kontoor Brands, Inc.

Kontoor Brands is the company that now owns Lee and Wrangler Jeans. Their head office is in Greensboro and they employ about 15,000 people. Their iconic rounded building is just down the street from the one you see today. However, they own the above building at 444 North Elm Street and its surrounding 1.44 acre lot. This building was built in 1969 and it is some pretty interesting architecture. When we posted on this building in 2011, Preston Earle* shared that "the building was built to house a regional branch of the federal agency that oversaw savings and loan banks." Eventually First Home Federal S&L took over the building. When buildings, as unique as the one above, are built, it is hard to imagine them for anything beyond their original purpose. 

This building really takes on a different character when the sun is out. It always looks like an extraterrestrial structure; however, on a sunny day like we had recently, the building looks really inviting. We wonder what they are using it for. Do you know?

Happy Wednesday!

*Preston Earle died in Greensboro in 2012. We really miss Preston's comments, as we love it when the community gets involved in helping us learn about our city.

Street Scene on South Elm Street

Today's photo is of South Elm and Lewis Streets, at the intersection between the 500 and 600 block. If you've been in this end of town lately, you've probably notices the Lee Wrangler mural on the side of the Lee Wrangler shop. Kontoor Brands opened this shop in the summer of 2021. This is a common area for block and music parties and it has really started attracting crowds with all of the businesses here. Seeing the woman on the right with her jeans made us realize that this mural would be a great place for a photo shoot. The blue, black, and brick colors are easy to work with, too. Finally, if traffic is light, those lines and angles on the street add a lot of visual interest. It is so easy to find inspiration downtown.

Tomorrow is First Friday in downtown Greensboro. Here is a list of a lot of the activities for the evening. There will be plenty to do all the way from the north end of Elm Street, around Tanger Center (including in the Cultural Arts Center on Davie Street) all the way to South Elm and Gate City Boulevard. Start making plans, put on your best walking shoes, plan a few activities, and let serendipity take over from there. Happy Thursday, which is said to be the new Friday!

Elm & Bain

This photo, taken last week, is a new downtown Greensboro event and meeting space. It is the last business on the southwest corner of Elm Street, just north of Gate City Boulevard.  Formerly, it was the Blue Bell Plant. Just beyond the above building is the building that forms an "L" with it and says above the top, "Old Greensborough Gateway Center." As an example of the kinds of events they host is the May 11th fundraiser for the North Carolina Folk Festival. Is is called "Fold A'Fare" and is a culinary event offering samplings of global foods created by chefs in Greensboro. Tickets can be purchased at ncfolkfestival.com/folkafare. Even if you don't get tickets for that event, there will be plenty more to choose from. You could even host your own event there. How wonderful to have another event space in the community.

We love the old times look of the black and white photo, but you can tell by the cars that it is a current photo Happy Tuesday!

Photo Shoot on Lewis & Elm

Lewis and Elm has become a fun part of town. Lewis and Elm is both a business and a crossroad. The business has light appetizers, wine, cheese, and often live entertainment. Bourbon Bowl is in the area, a place to buy Wrangler jeans, Elsewhere Museum, Boxcar Bar and Arcade, and so much more. This is a part of town where you can go and hang out and have plenty of social activity. In the above photo, a graduate has chosen this location for some graduation photos. This is such an exciting time of year. By the end of the first week of May, university graduations begin and at the end of May, the high schools start their graduation ceremonies. 

Do you have a special place in Greensboro to take ceremonial photos? Many people like to use the murals or graffiti as a backdrop. To anchor the photo in Greensboro, or at the school, signage with the name of the school is always a good bet. Another idea is with one of the pairs of fiberglass jeans since in the mid-20th century, Greensboro was the denim capital of the world. The Bog Garden and Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden are prom photo favorites. It can be nice to have a natural setting so the background doesn't detract from the people in the photo. If you can find a place that holds a special memory or is linked to your career choice, those can make fun photos. Perhaps it was the lighting (bright, but not harsh sun) or the plain gray wall that attracted the graduate to the space. At any rate, this trending corner of town is much busier once the sun sets. 

If you have a graduating senior in your life, may you find the perfect spot to capture those photos. Location! Location! Location! Happy Thursday.

UNCG Spring Open House

Last Saturday, April 9th, UNCG held spring open house for prospective  students and their families. Likely-future Spartans filled campus with curiosity and joy. The above photo features the auditorium at the corner of Spring Garden Street and Tate Street. It was built in 1927 serving as a giant welcome mat, inviting people to campus. It is the easternmost point on campus. The building was designed by Greensboro's own Harry Barton.* On Saturday, the opening welcome was held in this building, followed by college and school information sessions. Afternoon activities took visitors to the residence halls, the Kaplan commons, and the Elliot University Center, and more. Signage was well placed thought out campus and the people positioned outside directing people to the auditorium were very friendly. 

By the time students are ready for college, there can be many options, as opposed to the K-12 setting where students are more inclined to attend their attendance zone school. It is important to make a good first-impression. By all accounts we heard, UNCG did, indeed, represent itself well on Saturday. Having a beautifully sunny day helped make the campus shine. Whether attending high school or college, it is always a good idea to make an on-site visit. Usually, prospective students get a good feel as to whether or not they feel like the institution is right for them. In the case of the college visits, it is a good chance to help give parents peace of mind. May all decisions turn out to be good ones. Happy Wednesday!

For those who weren't able to attend in person, a wealth of information was available online.

*see also, reference and more information, HERE.

Rock Hill Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Rock Hill Sovereign Grace Baptist Church is located at 1216 Bellevue Street on the western edge of the Arlington Park neighborhood of Greensboro. There is beauty in this simple white structure. The only hint of what is inside is the plain wooden cross that you see above and the sign at the edge of the road. However, on Sunday morning at 10:00 am, once you are inside, you will see lots of energy and will hear an inspiring sermon. You can also watch online if you can't make it to the church. There is plenty of parking up on the hill, behind the church. Also, there is a basketball hoop for the kids.

You can't tell from the photo, but Rock Hill really is high on a hill. As a matter of fact, it may be one of the highest hills in Greensboro.  There is also a park right beside the church and it is a great place for children to play after church, or, whenever they are in the neighborhood. If you are looking for a church and can get there by 10:00 a.m. we're betting Elder G. Meadows would love to have you!

We hope the wind and cold did not cause any damage to your home. The wind was fierce in Greensboro yesterday. Have a happy Sunday!

Rosenthal Annex on UNCG's Campus

If you like walking in the early morning, likely, you see beautiful scenes like this one where the lighting of dawn intermingles with the lighting inside buildings and houses. Yesterday, we were out walking at 7:00 a.m. and walked past Rosenthal Gym/Annex. Built in 1928, it was originally the Physical Education Building and then the (Joe) Rosenthal Gym. Next, it became part of the Health and Human Performance Building, which is now the Coleman Building.* Fortunately, the University of North Carolina (UNCG) maintains their archives and much of the history of their buildings is available. The gym was designed by Greensboro's own Harry Barton. What we don't know is why the classroom on the corner glows blue in the morning, just before dawn. Do you see those seven windows glowing blue? We don't know why, but they are so beautiful. Those windows match beautifully with the blue of the winter sky.

Happy Saturday! It would be wonderful to run into you out walking on this below-freezing winter day. Yesterday brought us a little snow, just enough to remind us that it is winter.

 

*reference here.

Artistic Motion Dance School of Arts and Preparatory Academy

Today, we conclude the photo shoot at Prescott Street with the rear view of the building where Artistic Motion Dance School of Arts and Preparatory Academy is housed. While the address is 800 West Smith Street, the building is right across the street from the house we featured yesterday and next door to the office building featured on Monday. The decoration of the back of the building is brilliant advertising. Smith Street is one way and if you take the street into town, you cannot possibly miss this building. If you notice, the sheet between the slivers of windows is made from giant vinyl banners. The part at the end of the building and between buildings is paint that matches the colors of the banner perfectly. The lines for the parking spaces accentuate the geometry of the building. 

Artistic Motion was founded in 2000. According to their website, they have an internationally acclaimed faculty with dancers from Russia, Georgia (the country), The Dominican Republic, England, and from many prestigious dance programs throughout the United States. They offer classes from ages 3-adulthood. The studio is conveniently located and there is plenty of parking. Perhaps the greatest news about Artistic Motion is that it is currently in partnership with Triad International Ballet, a new professional ballet company set to begin their first season in 2022! If you have ever seen a performance from dancers at Artistic Motion, you know the talent and precision of the dancers.

 Happy Wednesday! May we all find the beauty in the people and places of Greensboro. May we all have the positive outlook and commitment to perfection of artists in motion!

1007 Battleground Avenue Between Prescott and Hill Streets

For those of you who used to eat at the Mexico Restaurant at 1007 Battleground Avenue between Prescott and Hill Street, this is the building that has replaced it. As you can see, this building will be office space, available this summer. It is conveniently located at the Downtown Greenway. The people who work here will be able to bike on their lunch breaks, head to Cycles D'Oro to get new bike gear or plan rides over lunch. For the active person, this office building  is a great location!  This building represents the trend for the north and north western end of downtown to attract new, multi-floor structures. 

It is always fun to see buildings in process and this one is very colorful now. Over the next few weeks, it will look very different. We would like to suggest that the offices in this building all get together and have weekly Taco Tuesdays in memory of all the great tacos served on site in the previous couple of decades. They could even have a "Spanish-only" lunch chat; at least one such group had their conversation group meet here.  Change can be really good for a city; but, it is also nice to keep a record of what preceded the change. For our readers who like our urban walking suggestions, if you get a chance, go walk Prescott Street (between Smith and Battleground), you will see everything from a dance studio, to construction materials, to personal residences, and now, this brand new office building. The other side of the building is closer to Hill Street. This photo was taken from the Prescott Street side.

Happy Monday!

Under Construction: Parking Deck on Davie St

Cloudy, gray days beget gray photos; however, there can be beauty in gray. The above photo features the giant construction project downtown at the corner of Market and Davie Streets. It is part of the $37 million 720 space parking structure. While open to the public, it will also be part of the new Westin Hotel.* If you are out driving downtown this weekend, drive down Davie Street and have a look at the construction. Having the the JP/Lincoln Financial Group building in the background adds to the interest of this location. Greensboro's iconic building serves as an anchor to help one orient the location in a photo. Just across Davie Street from this construction site is the now-dormant News & Record building.

If you have small children in your lives, or friends who are fascinated by construction vehicles, there are some mighty big ones at this site- perhaps the biggest we have ever seen downtown. Regardless of what you end up doing today, have a happy Saturday, possibly exploring Greensboro.. The photo was taken yesterday, early evening- precisely at 5:11 as the LFG clock reveals, way before the snow started. If you go out today, be careful as it might be a little slippery. But, there might be an even prettier photo waiting for us...

 

*Reference and additional information here.

Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company

It is the beginning of a three day weekend for many, a weekend that may end with a little snow. Today, however, it is the beginning of a beautiful Friday and we're sharing a sunny view of the Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company- the Elm Street side. Do you see the name carved above the windows, the name that has changed many times over the years? We still tag the building as the "JP Building" because when we started Greensboro Daily Photo, the name of the company was Jefferson Pilot. Today, it is Lincoln Financial Group.

The building is a 374 foot skyscraper which, when built, in 1922, was the tallest building between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, GA!  Julian Price, president of Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company had it built and hired an architect from New York City, Charles C. Hartmann to design it. Thanks to Mr. Hartmann's design and Mr. Price's willingness to fund the use of high quality materials like terra cotta and granite, the building stands today as an icon of Neo-Gothic/Neo-Classical/Art Deco style. If you are out walking around this weekend, have a look at all of the details. Take a few selfies in front of it. We'd love to see them. The "up" orientation of the photo reminds us all to look up and stay on the sunny side of life.

Happy Friday!

Publix Distribution Center

Sometimes, on weekends, we like to drive from Greensboro to Kernersville, Burlington, Reidsville, Asheboro, High Point, or Pleasant Garden to see how the roads into and out of Greensboro are changing. Last weekend's venture took us to Burlington Road,- which is also U.S. 70, and East Wendover. We were shocked to see the above change, between Mt. Hope Road and Knox Road. What was formerly a small golf course (possibly nine hole), is now being transformed into the Publix Distribution Center near McLeansville. The center is 940,000 square feet on 338.69 acres. This industrial complex is scheduled to open in 2022.* This part of Guilford County is quickly becoming a place for trucks to get consumer goods and food from Point A to Point B. The $400 million investment should bring at least 1,000 jobs - not including the other jobs created as a result of having more people and commerce in the eastern end of Guilford County. Salaries will average between &42,000 and &44,ooo.**

It is fun to watch the progress. Now is a nice time to go have a look, especially on the weekend, as traffic is not yet excessive. On Sunday, it was as if the sky was pointing to the distribution center. Look at that arc of clouds. The photo doesn't do the site justice as the facility stretches as far as the eye can see. This is a case when a drone view would be best. Next time you need to drive somewhere east of Greensboro, consider taking the "back road" and seeing how much the area has changed.

Happy Wednesday!

 

• reference.
• ** reference.

Sunny Afternoon on Hamburger Square 2022

In spite of the cold temperatures, Hamburger Square looked beautiful in the sun, late yesterday afternoon. The brick building in the center is Natty Greene's. Nobody was eating outside, and the electric scooters were quiet; however, a few people were out walking their dogs and running errands along South Elm Street. College students return next week, so streets should get a little more lively. Temperatures will remain cold for most of next week, so it may be a while before Elm Street regains its full energy. A Greensboro merchant once told us that the "J" months are usually the slowest. So, if you don't like crowds, mark for calendars for January, June, and July to do some major shopping.

Indeed, today is a pretty quiet day in Greensboro, unless of course you planning on attending heading to the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market on Yanceyville from 7:30- 12:00 noon or the Greensboro Corner Farmers Market from 8:00- 12 noon. This evening, the Greensboro Hip Hop Festival will be held at at the Greensboro Coliseum tonight. So, there are still some things going on around town. And, as sunny as it will be today, it is a great time to take a walk. Hope to see you out and about today.

Happy Saturday!

United House of Prayer for All People

The United House of Prayer for All People is seen in the background, with the bright blue steeple and triangular roof. This church, based in Washington D.C. and serving the Pentecostal community, is known for good sermons, strong community outreach, and fabulous meals. In the foreground, on the right, you see one of the buildings being constructed on their 13.7 acre lot. After nearly 15 years, this lot, which was formerly housed a US Postal Service facility, will become Bailey Village, a complex of apartments, retail, and recreational space. To be sure, with North Carolina A&T State University and Bennett College as neighbors, Bailey Village will fill quickly and get plenty of use. This private investment in east Greensboro will have walkable spaces, possibly a grocery store and will be just a few blocks from downtown Greensboro. This will change the footprint of east Greensboro as this lot has been empty and creating somewhat of an island in an area that is ripe for housing, recreation, and retail.*

Not only will this development be good for east Greensboro, it will also be good for downtown Greensboro as it links downtown with the eastern part of Greensboro. Greensboro has grown significantly in the North with the ballpark, Tanger Center, and the new apartments across from the ballpark. It is only logical for Greensboro to expand eastward. If you are up for a Sunday drive, head over and see all of the changes along east Market Street and Dudley Street. It will be fun to watch this project evolve during 2022!

Happy Sunday!

* reference and more information, here.

Wrangler, So Pretty in Pink

Wrangler has done so much for Breast Cancer and Brest Cancer Awareness, including the "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" initiative. While downtown yesterday, we happened upon the above display at Wrangler/Kontoor Headquarters on North Elm Street. In addition to a giant breast cancer awareness ribbon, they had pumpkins decorated in pink. We suspect we were on the tail end of an installation that has been on display since October. It was so inspiring to see it from the road. Now, we want to go to the top of the Bellemeade Parking Deck and catch the view from there.

We hope you had time to visit downtown during First Friday Last night. If not yesterday, you can always visit today. The weather should be a little warmer today and stores and galleries are festive; many have already started stocking holiday merchandise. As for us, like that last leaf on a tree, we're going to try to hold on to November as long as possible.

If you know someone affected by breast cancer, please drive them to see this exhibit. This display is really powerful in person and even more special with friends, especially ones who know the hope and love behind this symbol.

Autumn View of Center Pointe

Even on an overcast afternoon, Center City Park and the Center Pointe Building look beautiful in the fall. This area is great for fall photos. Also, if you come downtown this evening, there will be a lot going on for First Friday. The photo was taken from the front entrance of the Cultural Arts Centers. It stays open later on Fridays; so between art, and parks, and restaurants, there will be plenty to do if you stop downtown. The Day of the Dead exhibit organized by Casa Azul will be open until 8pm at the Cultural Arts Center.

Center Pointe, the high-rise with the windows that reflect blue, has apartments and condominiums that are perfect for people seeking an urban lifestyle.  At 515 South Elm Street, a rock and roll party featuring The Finns will be going strong. Here is a link to even more happenings tonight. Regardless of what you decide to do, have fun and enjoy the beautiful fall colors and the last night before we return to Standard time!

More New Construction on Jessup Grove Road!

For years, Jessup Grove Road was a sleepy cut through street connecting Horse Pen Creek Road to Lewiston Road. Since Prohelific Park was built on Horse Pen Creek, this part of town has seen a lot of change. The above lot was empty for several years. The lot next to it already has a pediatric clinic built on it. It will be interesting to monitor the progress on this building. The signage out front advertises Stitch Design Shop and Landmark Construction. According to Biz Journals, Dermatology Specialists are building on this lot at 4527 Jessup Grove Road. Currently, it looks pretty purple; however, when finished the design will be warm wood and glass with an angular roofline, already evident. 

Seeing all of these changes and knowing the Jessup name is one with a long history in Greensboro, we did a little research to see just how long Jessups have been here. According to WikiTree, Thomas Jessup, see also Jessop, was born in 1715 in Yorkshire, England. Jessop was a lifelong Quaker who eventually settled in Guilford County. We wonder how connected the Jessup family members today are with their Jessup ancestors/Quaker heritage dating back over 300 years ago.*  We wonder what Thomas, who was born before electricity, cars, and over 150 years before the telephone was invented, would react seeing this building after it was completed. Thomas Jessup was actually born almost 100 years before Greensboro was a city. Surely, if there is any room to name something on the remaining land on Jessup Grove Road, it can be named for Thomas Jessup. If he wasn't the first, he was at least one of the earliest Jessups in the area. Do you know who the earliest people in Guilford County are with your surname? It seems the more we explore Greensboro, the more questions we have. Happy Thursday! If you need a dermatologist, Dermatology Specialists may be one to consider.

* reference and read more, HERE.

Art Stock Artists: 2021 Twenty-third Year!

The above four artists featured their artwork this past weekend in the Scout Hut on the property of Irving Park Elementary School on the edge of Kirkwood and Irving Park.  They are, from left to right, Janet Berry, Renee Swink, Rosalind Stanford-McCarty, and Mary Schiavone. Mary works mainly in acrylics and the other three mainly in oil. All four are painters and their paintings are very reasonably priced and would be a lovely addition to any home.

Janet's husband Bob is one of the organizers and publicists for the show. Carolyn Owen founded Artstock in the 1996 as a way for artists to have a way to show and sell their art. She died in 2018, but fortunately Artstock continues.* The tour is free and open to the public. Artists pay a nominal fee to participate and do not have to pay commissions on their sales. If you missed ArtStock this year, you can contact the artists directly (see below).  You would have plenty to choose from if you needed a painting for your home or to feature in your business. We don't know the other artists well, but we featured Renee, here, on Greensboro Daily Photo in 2015. Her art continues to delight us; and the art of her colleagues is very nice, too. See Renee's art at her website. Contact Janet at berryjanet@mindspring.com, Rosalind at rosalindstanford@gmail.com, and Mary at maryart14@gmail.com

The Scout Hut is a perfect venue for showing art. Four to six artists fit in there easily and this cute little building is so conveniently located at the corner of Dellwood Drive and Cornwallis Drive. Happy Monday, everyone!

* read more HERE.

The S. H. Kress Building of 212 S. Elm Street

The Kress Building is the iconic, Art Deco style building of Elm Street. It was built during the Great Depression, in 1930, as a five and dime store. The owner believed even inexpensive items should be purchased in a place of beauty. As you can see from the above photo, the façade is distinctive. There so much interesting history surrounding the building. For example, it was part of the Greensboro Sit-In Movement of 1960, two months after the ones at Woolworth. Forty-five people were arrested for sitting at the lunch counter. Another bit of local imagery sits on the top of the building, at the columns flanking the word KRESS. Tobacco leaves flowing out of the horns of a ram, a nod to the tobacco industry in North Carolina. Also, the building implemented an early form of air conditioning where ice was frozen by night and the ice was used to cool salt brine water to cool the building- so very mid 20th century creative!*

In 2001, the penthouse of The Kress Building, formerly a mechanical room, was transformed into a penthouse for John Lomax, President, Lomax Construction. We're wondering if those curtains are part of the penthouse. We'll have to ask Lori Gray, who designed the space for John. In the meantime, we'll just have a Great Gatsby experience and sit here at "White and Wood Resturant," across the street admiring this beautiful building. If walls could talk, 212 South Elm Street would write a book!

Happy Tuesday!

 

• reference and more great information, here.

Jefferson Standard Building

The Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Building was constructed in Greensboro on the corner of Elm and Market Street in 1922. While the Genesis Marker in Fisher Park is the geographic center of Guilford County (see here), many people see the Elm/Market spot as the center, a sort of Ground Zero from which the rest of the city radiates. Indeed, this is the point at which North and South Elm Street and East and West Market Street are determined; the center of the compass rose. This spot was once known as Courthouse Square before it became known as Jefferson Square when the Jefferson Building replaced the courthouse. Sixty to seventy years ago, this building was a hub of activity, where you went for professional help: Doctors, lawyers, and insurance agents had their offices there. Also on the ground floor were a bank and a men's clothing store. During World War II, a county draft board was located inside. At that time, nearly all of the federal highways (U.S. 29, U.S. 70, and U.S. 421) passed through the square, giving it its name, "The Crossroads of the Carolinas."

Today, this intersection is not so much a hub of activity and the Jefferson Building is closed to the general public. It is used by Lincoln Financial Group and the (numbered) doors on Elm Street are not open to the public. We don't know exactly when that transformation took place, but we are grateful to Jim Schlosser who shared much of the above information with us. He has been so generous with information.  He is a walking encyclopedia of Greensboro history and lore. Jim remembers getting his pair of contact lenses there in 1958. Jim also remembers, in the pre-1990 days before the new Jefferson-Pilot  building was built, before the time and temperature lights at the top. When there was only the Jefferson Building, there was a big clock bearing a Wimbish Insurance Agency advertisement. People would say to each other, "Meet me under the Wimbish clock." Today, that clock only exists in the memory of those who lived during that time. We are lucky the building remains intact. On the outside, the architecture is beautiful, on the inside, the U shaped feature provided light and air in an era before there was air conditioning.

Here's to a great week, starting with a happy Monday!

Life Community Church

Today, we're on location at Life Community Church, at 4900West Wendover Avenue, on the north side of Wendover between Jamestown and Greensboro. Life Community is a Baptist religious center and their mission is: "Together in Christ, sent to everyone." This mega-church is actually a large compound with two large buildings, lots of parking, and a fabulous playground. Life Community Church is the new home for Hunter Hills Baptist Church which used to be on Merritt Drive in Greensboro. Pertor Emeritus, Jake Thornhill is the one who oversaw the move so that the church could continue to grow.While the lead pastor is Chad Grayson, They actually have five full-time pastors.

Hunter Hills Baptist purchased the 28-acre tract of land in 2014. The church loves this location because it is accessible and visible.Perviously, the land was zoned agricultural, but now, it is institutional and it still has room to grow, if need be. If you are looking for a Baptist Church to join and  you like the idea of a  mega-congregation, this could be the church for you. Have a great Sunday, no matter how you spend it!

A Sunny Afternoon Downtown on Elm

Today, we share a slice of life on the 200 block of South Elm Street. The couple on the right is headed towards the 100 block.  Yesterday, the inside reception area of the Lincoln Financial Group building was featured on GDP. Today, the LFG building is peeking out above the tree, as if it is watching over the city. Also in the photo is the International Civil Rights Center and Museum. The barriers are up because part of the street is blocked off to accommodate the added outdoor seating for restaurants. The covered area the couple is walking under what was in previous decades the Ellis-Stone/Thalhimers Building. Soon, the leaves on the trees will change; however, for now, they are evidence of just how green Greensboro is.

If you get a chance, head downtown on this nice, fall day. Also, the Liberty Antiques Festival will be happening today. If you want a smaller, more intimate outdoor event, head to Providence Farm in eastern Guilford County this afternoon. Starting at 3:30, they will have the Zinc Kings playing acoustic instruments while DZ Butts will be selling BBQ and Bull City will be on hand for libations. We don't remember exactly what time we took this photo on Thursday, but we do know- thanks to the LPG building-  that it was 68° outside!

Lincoln Financial Group

Yesterday afternoon was so lovely, we had to take a walk downtown. In all the years we've featuring Greensboro and admiring the Jefferson Standard, Jefferson Pilot, Lincoln Financial Group building, we've never stepped foot inside. Yesterday, we made it inside and saw the beautiful foyer. To the left is another entrance/exit. To the right are all the turnstiles that only those who have a right be there can enter.We spent a few minutes in the foyer, admiring its beauty. It got us thinking of all the money that has cycled through Greensboro here, as well as all of the executives who have made their fortunes and who became prominent citizens by working in the insurance industry.

According to their website, "Lincoln Financial Group provides resources and solutions that help empower Americans to take charge of their financial lives with confidence and optimism."  The company started in 1905 in Fort Wayne, Indiana and got permission from Abraham Lincoln's son to use his father's name and likeness (reference and more information). The photo was taken in the part of the building that was added in 1990.  Julian Price built the older building in the complex to be his company's headquarters- Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company. He paid for the building in full because he didn't believe in debt (more history here). Fortunately, much is documented about the two buildings that comprise this complex, Greensboro's iconic skyscrapers. We would love to get a tour of the building and see Greensboro from the top floor. Yesterday, we were one step closer.