Greensboro Daily Photo

Lincoln Financial Building 2019

Today's featured photo is of Greensboro's iconic Lincoln Financial (Jefferson Pilot) building in all of its glory. Perhaps because winter has so many gray days, it is special on the sunny winter days with blue skies. Yesterday, the afternoon sky in Greensboro was breathtaking. 

This photo was taken from Spring Garden Street, in College Hill, just west of Fulton Street. The Jefferson Standard Building, the white "wing", peeking out on the right, dates to 1923, when it was the tallest building in North Carolina. The central part, with the pyramid on top, is the 20-story addition built in 1990. Together, the cluster is the anchor view of Greensboro's skyline. 

Have a great weekend, and, if you get a chance, participate in the many events centered around the Martin Luther King holiday weekend. 

Downtown Greensboro on a Foggy Eve

Downtown Greensboro was especially beautiful yesterday afternoon as the fog rolled in. Above, you see Triad Stage, the Kress Building, and the fogged-in Lincoln Financial Group building (and more). On the right, Schiffman's Jewelers, in the background, has been a #DGSO institution since 1893. The photograph was taken during "the quiet hour", just before people come to the restaurants for dinner and before offices close. 

If you haven't been downtown on Elm Street lately, you owe it to yourself to put on your walking shoes and take a stroll. If you are able, it is highly recommended to begin near the Tanger Center where it is pretty easy to find a parking space and walk all the way to Gate City Boulevard. The entire distance is about 3/4 of a mile. So, there and back would be a mile and a half. You will see so many new businesses and get great ideas for things to do. You can stop, sip, and shop as you go. Have a great weekend. Please take a little time to explore some new corners of Greensboro- or whatever city you happen to live in!

Happy Labor Day 2018

Happy Labor Day! Children are out of school today, and if you are in town, consider taking them to one of Greensboro's parks. There are some wonderful options. The above photo features LeBauer Park where children can move freely from place to place, playing games like ping pong and corn hole, or simply climbing, running through water, and making up games on their own. Labor Day, a federal holiday, always the first Monday in September, honors the contributions workers have make to our country. For many, the holiday heralds the end of summer.

Downtown Greensboro may actually be a little quiet today as the city prepares to transform into one giant folk festival. The first, annual North Carolina Folk Festival begins this Friday and, Greensboro's streets and downtown parks are in the process of transforming into a giant, open-air venue. Our city will fill with some of the best folk musicians in the world. Today, let us give thanks for the labor movement, for the rights of children to be children and not have to work alongside their parents in factories. Let us plan to get as many children as possible to the folk festival, so that they can see first-hand, the magic of a community when people come together and volunteer for events like the NC Folk Festival. For Greensboro, Labor Day reminds us that the greatest music event of the year is about to begin!

March for Our Lives

Students initiating the  March for Our Lives Movement have led hundreds of thousands in their call for change. The most powerful speeches and calls for action are coming from students- as young as elementary school. While the main march was in Washington D.C. yesterday, Greensboro also held a student-led march. The above photo, taken on Government Plaza at 110 South Greene Street, with the Jefferson Pilot/Lincoln Financial Building in the background, shows that Greensboro was a sea of people, even before the march began at 2:00p.m. People braved cold, rainy weather to go express their desire for actions to eliminate gun violence and to protest the notion of arming teachers or placing guns in schools. Early College at Guilford and Grimsley High School Students spearheaded yesterday's march in Greensboro.*

Regardless of where one stands on the issue of guns in schools, everyone wants children to be safe in school. Regardless of where adults stand on issues, the youth of today are already bring about changes. As this current group of high school students turns 18 and can vote, they will have even more of an impact. It is interesting to see so many adults sitting and listening to what the children have to say. It is impressive to hear how articulate the are. Since Sunday tends to be a day of reflection and prayer, it would me nice to say a prayer that children will be safe and that the adults in their lives will find a way to work together to achieve that common goal.

* read more, here.

St. Patricks Day in Downtown Greensboro

Just beyond yesterday's blossom and macro view from the parking lot of Deep Roots Co-op, today's view is of the growing crowd at the St. Patrick's event being held at Joymonger's on Saturday. The craft brewery is owned by Greensboro natives and you can tell that they pride themselves in seeing that the locals are happy. Saturday's gathering in this little park-let in front of Joymonger's attracted people of all ages.

From this vantage point, you can see Smith Street Diner, the Marriott, the Jefferson Pilot/Lincoln Financial building and more. It is always fun to identify the JP/Lincoln Financial building from many vantage points in town. Regarding vantage points, we have always wanted to admire Greensboro from the top of the JP Building. We're being told that getting to the top floor is no longer an option, not even for people who work there. For now, we'll just have to appreciate the Great Gatsby view, from afar.

Lincoln Financial Group Building, Formerly Jefferson-Pilot

The Lincoln Financial Group shines beautifully looking out the north facing windows of the Carolina Theatre. We still think of this building as the Jefferson Pilot "JP" building. Lincoln Financial acquired Jefferson Pilot in 2006. After eleven years, it is long time for the rebranding of the building and the business. This 20 story building was completed in 1990 as an add-on to the Jefferson Standard Building that dates back to 1923.

The more we learn about the architecture, the more we appreciate the history and diversity of our downtown buildings. In the foreground on the right, the corner of the Brutalist/cement parking deck on Green Street is peeking out from the fall foliage.  The JP, now LFG Building, is truly one of Greensboro's iconic buildings. It is fun to have the children in your life try to spot it from different vantage points in town. Do you have a favorite building downtown? 

Sepember 11th Sculpture

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The above photo was taken at the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King Drive and South Elm Street. It is of the September 11th sculpture created by Jim Gallucci. He not only created the twenty-two foot sculpture, he went to the scrapyard in New Jersey and purchase 16 tons of steel that came from the Twin Towers. The sculpture, and the steel beams, remind us of the terrorists' attacks on 9/11/2001. The two-story structure will be especially noticeable at night once lights are installed. In a recent News and Record Article (9/10/17), Gallucci recalls the fact that he was the last person to receive a permit to remove materials from the scrap yard. Notice the Lincoln Financial Group (JP) building in the background.

Gallucci's statue was installed in September on the spot that once housed Dr. King's bust. The King bust is getting a facelift and will be installed in a different location downtown. Here is a post of the MLK bust from the first month we began publishing Greensboro Daily Photo in 2009.

 

The Art Shop: Keeping It Local Since 1899

The Art Shop on West Market Street opened in Greensboro in 1899 and, according to their website,  is Greensboro's second oldest business. They sell fine art and do custom framing. Over the past couple of years, they have added a North Carolina fine art section and also some jewelry. The above photo features the North Carolina section of the shop, located in the corner of the shop that, at one time, housed the Thomas Kinkade Gallery.  Notice, the painting on the left features Elm Street, Triad Stage, and the Lincoln Financial Group building. 

The Art Shop's North Carolina section reflects the trend for purchasing items as close to home as possible. October really starts the "keep it local" season in Greensboro, with fall festivals and local art shows. Tonight is First Friday, so there will be an opportunity to gallery hop downtown until 9:00 pm. The Art Shop is open until 6:00 pm, so you could stop by there, before attending First Friday.vTomorrow's is Westerwood's Art and Soul open house/studio event. Also, tomorrow is Andy's Market and Festival at 2105 West Market Street (St. Andrew's Episcopal Church) where you will have an opportunity to purchase local arts and crafts, fabulous baskets, and even help the Scarves for Warmth Project.

The Art Shop has been a Greensboro institution for 118 years. Imagine, there is nobody living who remembers when the shop first opened. Let's continue to shop for art and frames locally and help the Art Shop remain open into the 2100s. That would make it sliding into a fourth century. Can you imagine? Happy Friday! Happy celebrating all things local!

National Folk Festival Closes

Yesterday, The 77th National Folk Festival ended its three year run in Greensboro. Part of the reason the festival stays in one city for three years is to give a city the opportunity to build the infrastructure necessary to sustain a folk festival of its own. As an example, yesterday, at LeBauer Stage, a student in the sound engineering program at GTCC was working alongside a career sound engineer who was brought in by the National Folk Festival organization. Local people are learning the technical aspects and logistics for working at a festival from the experts. 

If you were not able to attend the festival, you can find videos and photos on YouTube and on the musicians’ sites. Also, the News & Record held live interviews with twelve of the festival artists/groups and these interviews are archived online, including on the News & Record’s Facebook page. The interviews were free and open to the public and as intimate as a fireside chat. The News & Record does so much for the local community. They were an invaluable add on to the festival.

Today’s photo, with the lone child in the foreground, the city’s skyline in the background, and festival-goers scurrying around the food trucks, reminds us of just how special Greensboro is and how community events like music festivals bring us together. For three days, downtown Greensboro was as diverse as the United Nations, and to our knowledge, we were all on our best behavior. While the National Folk Festival is moving on to Salisbury, MD, they have left Greensboro well prepared to host the North Carolina Folk Festival in 2018.

Gas Prices

Gas prices have been pretty low this year. The above photo shows the gas prices at the Exxon on East Market Street, just east of downtown. At the time of the photo (a few weeks ago), the price for regular was $2.35. If you are heading to the beach or the mountains this weekend, notice the gas prices. It is fun, if you have children in the car, to have them record the gas prices and work out some math problems based on the MPG of your vehicle and the amount of gas you will need for your trip. Also, have them notice that gas prices in Virginia are lower. South Carolina just passed new gas taxes so the discount might not be so great if you head south. Gas taxes are supposed to be used for roads and highways. When you get stuck in a construction site this summer, just remind yourself that your gas taxes are hard at work.

Of course you notice Greensboro's iconic JP Building (Jefferson Standard, Jefferson Pilot, Lincoln Financial) in the background. All roads lead to this building and when you see it, you know you are home! Happy Friday. May your weekend adventures be many.

Along East Market Street

Market Street, one way eastbound, splits Greensboro into north and south; Elm Street in the east/west marker. The above photo shows Market Street at Church Street, an the east side of the city. The unidentified man in the photo is entering the north side of town. In the distance, on Market Street, the Lincoln Financial Group (LFG)  building features prominently on the horizon. It's digital clock, alternating with the temperature, has been a Greensboro tradition since back in the day before cell phones replaced clocks and thermometers. Peeking out, just past the Lincoln Financial building, is the red-brick, West Market United Methodist Church. 

The photo was taken on a quiet Sunday afternoon. On workdays, the streets are much busier. We are always in search of new views of the Lincoln Financial Group building and like this view, especially with the backdrop of a blue sky and puffy white clouds. We're trying to change our mindset, but we still think of it as the Jefferson Pilot Building. Likely, there are people around town who refer to it as the Jefferson Standard Building. Old habits are hard to break.

The Greensboro Skyline

Today, we're featuring coordinates 36º4'22" N  79º47'32"W.

We have wanted a good skyline shot for a very long time and finally got this one. Greensboro is changing before our eyes, with construction across from the baseball park on Eugene Street. It is nice to document the changes. The iconic Lincoln Financial building, on the right, still holds its own as the downtown anchor. As you may already know, it is actually two buildings. Attached to the Elm Street side is the Jefferson Standard Building. It is 374 feet tall and was built in 1927. At one time, it was the tallest building between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta. The 20-story Jefferson-Pilot Building (front side), now the Lincoln Financial Building, was completed in 1990. It remains the time/temperature beacon for everyone from our bankers and lawyers and our homeless citizens. On foggy days when clouds are low, we have to resort to cell phones for time and weather data.

We wish we had Greensboro lawyer and photographer, J. David Bartenfield's drone photography talents and equipment. If you are friends with him (or his friends) on Facebook, you will see some fabulous drone photography of downtown Greensboro. However, for now, we'll have to settle for our old-school, out-of-doors, climbing skills to capture photos. This past weekend, clouds were beautiful and provided a nice backdrop to still and drone images alike. Happy Tuesday, dear readers.  

High School Options Day

Today's photo is a picture of the Dudley High School Marching Band taken at a previous MLK Day parade. The band was rounding the bend on Southside at the end of the parade route. The JP Building, now Lincoln Financial, can be seen in the background. We share this photo today to remind readers that tomorrow is High School Options Day for Guilford County Schools. GCS is a leader in schools of choice. This model allows families to select programs that match the interests, talents, and learning needs of their children, and staying within the public school system. 

From the arts to science to language immersion, GCS offers 17 different magnet themes. The showcase event will be held tomorrow at the Special Events Center at the Greensboro Coliseum from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. If you are interested in finding the right school for your child and you think a themed school would best meet their learning needs, you won't want to miss this magnet school fair. If you are interested in becoming a Dudley Panther, they have special programs that may interest you and you don't have to live within the attendance zone to apply. Hope to see you tomorrow!

DayStar at Night

Several people were out, walking along Elm Street in downtown Greensboro,  enjoying the nice weather during First Friday. In the background, our JP/Lincoln Financial Group building acts as a beacon at dusk. In the foreground, young adults from DayStar Church were offering free refreshments as well as free conversation about their congregation. They had a station set up just south of the railroad tracks for the evening. Home base for DayStar is 908 Westover Terrace, just across the street from Grimsley High School.

The photo is representative of Greensboro's First Friday vibe. Downtown has plenty of lighting and people are seen walking along Elm Street. While taking the photo, we noticed for the first time downtown's helpful signage. On the right is a sign pointing the way to various attractions (and parking) in the city. From musicians and visual artists, to sales staff and proprietors, to people sharing information about their faith, there is something for everybody downtown on the first Friday of the month. The serendipity of the evening will make you want to return every month.

Happy Sunday! See our photo of DayStar Church, from a few years ago, here.

 

L is for Lane

Just east of yesterday's featured porch, still on Spring Garden Street, we see this bicycle lane leading to the greenway and then on to town. The city of Greensboro is making a commitment to adding more lanes for bicycles and for providing greenways for off-road routes. According to the city's website, in 2007, Greensboro established a new bike route system that includes a map with roads, greenways, and other information to help cyclists plan the safest routes possible. In 2006, the Greensboro Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) adopted the Greensboro Urban Area Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Greenway Master Plan, which incorporated ideas from public input for getting from Point A to Point B.The resulting plan was over 300 pages. Today, plans for bicycle protected lanes are being updated and adjusted as new greenways and highways are constructed. The Moses Cone-Wesley Long Health Care System has contributed funding  and been a key player in our city's transportation plans.*

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z Urban Finds Series, "L" is for lane, as in the above bicycle lane. You know you are close to downtown Greensboro when you can see the JP Building (Now Lincoln Financial Group). Dare we say all roads, and LANES in Greensboro, lead to the JP Building-- our iconic skyscraper?

Happy ABC Wednesday, dear readers!

* reference and more information, here.

G is for Greensboro

This view of Greensboro's skyline was taken from the parking lot of the Yanceville Curb Market near War Memorial Stadium. The street is Homeland Avenue. The photo shows how Greensboro's urban landscape transitions rather quickly from high-rises to two story housing. We get the benefits of a small city and the joy of lost of open, green space. Of course, the anchor building is the JP Building, now known as Lincoln Financial Group. Then spring comes our way, this view will be a lot more colorful.

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z Urban Finds series, "G" is for GREENSBORO, and green, and Guilford (County) and GREAT place to live. 

Nativity Scene at Greensboro College

The above nativity scene is found on the north side of the 25-acre lawn of Greensboro College and is visible from West Market Street. Greensboro College was founded in 1838. Since it is affiliated with the Methodist Church, the nativity display is especially meaningful. The nativity is really beautiful on a sunny day- especially when there is snow on the ground. Unfortunately, we took the picture at sunset, when the sun was low to the ground. The display is closely guarded with cameras and campus security, as it has been vandalized in the past.

If you look closely, in the background, the JP Building is visible, showing how close the display is to downtown Greensboro. The original nativity scene was built in the 1930's, a gift from the former Jefferson-Pilot company. How fitting that the nativity and the JP Building* keep a close watch on each other. Happy Sunday!

*The building now belongs to Lincoln Financial Group; however, many in the community still refer to the building as the JP building. 

Call Me Gate City Boulevard!

It is official. Lee Street and High Point Road are now Gate City Boulevard. The above sign, located at South Elm Street, is one of 300 that had to be changed to reflect the new name. The Greensboro City Council, in a 5-4 vote, approved this change as part of the beautification efforts in this part of town as well as the effort to make this area the gateway to the city. To the average citizen or visitor, the name change might hardly be noticed; however, the hundreds of businesses along the way will need to change their signage, business cards, and, in the case of West Lee Street Tire and Automotive, possibly even the name of the business.

The road in question is a 19 mile corridor starting in the east at Young's Mill Road and ending in High Point at Highway 311. It appears that the name change will run the whole length of the corridor. Here is an interesting fact sheet on the topic. From Barber Park, Gateway Gardens, the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, in the east, to all of the new construction by UNCG at Glenwood Avenue, to the Coliseum, to all of the changes near Sedgefield, and so much more, truly, Lee Street and High Point Road have stepped into the 21st century. It may take some getting used to, but Gate City Boulevard has a nice ring to it- as well as a nice look!

Glorious Downtown Greensboro

Greensboro's iconic skyscraper, representing several businesses over the years, made a fabulous backdrop this year during the Fun Fourth celebration. The above view, between Greene and Elm Streets at McGee, shows some bouncy rides that popped up for children to enjoy. The complex began and the Jefferson Standard and then, with a merger, became Jefferson Pilot. Today, it houses the Lincoln Financial Group. While the name of the business inside may change, the outside remains the anchor of downtown Greensboro. It looks so beautiful, couched between a Carolina-blue sky and the colorful bouncy rides.

Well, this week, we are half way through July. It is time to review your calendar and, you may want to review your "to do" list; so that, summer doesn't get away from you, before you know it. This should be a rather quiet summer week in Greensboro and a peak week for produce. Time to visit a farmers' market or two and find some fabulous heirloom tomatoes. Have a great week!

 

Drum Circle in Center City

Last night at First Friday, a drum circle was assembled in Center City Park. Every indication is that it was a success. At least 40 people brought their drums and actively participated. Too many people to count, stood around taking photos, enjoying the music, and even dancing. The percussive beat could be heard two blocks away. The gathering was multi-ethnic and multi-generational. Ages ranged from about ten to retirees. The facilitator in the middle was quite skilled at helping everyone feel welcome and at making sure that everyone worked well together.

Drumming the Triad was the group that made this event happen last night. Let's hope they can keep it going.While they stopped around 9pm, Center City still had a lot of people in it at 9:45. It was so nice to have a First Friday that was not interrupted by rain. People were ready! As always, we're happy when we can fit the JP building in a photo! Happy Saturday!

(Not So) Tiny Bubbles

 Today we have one more photo from City Market; specifically, Bubble Sports. This giant bubble adventure is brought to us by The Club, Oak Branch•Green Valley. If you haven't seen these before, people get inside and jump into each other. It is a contact sport with no contact. We didn't get to bubble up, but will try to do so when they are at Bryan Park at the Dynamo Soccer game tonight at 7:00 pm.

In the above photo, you can see Bubble Sport's prime spot in South End with the JP Building in plain view. We're predicting that these bubbles will trend as yard toys. Can't you just imagine some of those active neighborhood associations sponsoring bubble events. The corner of Walker and Elam may never be the same. Just think, this could bring new meaning to Sunset Hills' "Running of the Balls" event!

Aerial View and Lofty Thoughts

The above photo shows an aerial view of Greensboro. From the air, the city looks so tiny and the county looks so green. Making an approach, flying in from Atlanta, this view was on the lefthand side of the airplane. In this era of drones and businesses that take aerial photographs, seeing an aerial view is not such a big deal. Call us "old-school" but we still love recognizing landmarks from the air. Seeing Greensboro on the horizon, surrounded by greenery, felt like a great big welcome mat.

Today is Cinco de Mayo and many Mexicans in the United States will celebrate Mexico's win over the French at the Battle of Puebla on this day in 1862. We hope the Mexican families living in Greensboro take this opportunity to celebrate their heritage and that they don't have to spend the day telling people Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day. Finally, regardless of ethnicity and hometown, may everyone living in Greensboro look at this photo and love calling Greensboro home. Consider this a virtual welcome mat.

First Friday in May

First Friday this past Friday was designed for pedestrians as everal blocks of Elm Street were closed to cars. Pedestrians, bicyclists, and skateboarders were in paradise- board, tire, and sneaker paradise, that is! As seen above, much of the fun was taking place on South Elm Street just north of Washington Street. This past Friday, from shop owners to art galleries to restaurants, food trucks, and indie artists, everyone went out of their way to make people feel welcome.

A few minutes after we took this photo, the sky opened up and rain started pouring. Last year's First Fridays had their share of rain. We're hoping this season Greensboro get some dry First Friday's,  as they are such a great time to get out and explore our city. The iconic Kress and JP buildings look lovely in this photo.

Oh Beautiful Skies

Greensboro has been blessed with some beautiful sunrises and sunsets in March. The above sky appeared in Greensboro last Friday, the 13th. We were lamenting having to be at work before 7:30am. However, en route, as we were heading towards downtown, the above sky appeared and made an early start to the day all worthwhile. This intensity doesn't last long and can be gone by the time you find your camera. We were thrilled to capture a photo or two with the key in peak color. 

If you are local, of course you recognize the JP building with its time/temperature display at the top. We hope you have a great weekend and you enjoy these first few days of spring. We are all ready! Keep your camera handy.

Scarf Not Lost

This message, in a ziplock baggie, attached to a scarf on South Elm Street reads: "This scarf is NOT lost. If you need it to stay warm, please TAKE it. If you can, please do something nice for someone else today."  Hats off (or scarf on) to the person who left this little piece of sweetness and compassion on a streetlight downtown. Have you ever performed a random act of kindness or been blessed with one yourself? It is not uncommon to stumble upon these nice gestures in Greensboro. While, in the above photo, you can't see much of the fleece zebra scarf, with the Kress and JP buildings in the photo, the scene is definitely situated in downtown Greensboro! 

And regarding our iconic Jefferson Standard/Pilot/Lincoln Financial building in the background. It appears it is in line for some major renovations.* Our vote is to maintain the integrity of the façade and to provide a venue or two inside that encourages the local community to visit. An affordable restaurant, with a panoramic view, would be great. 

Finally, as you are out looking for, or generating, random acts of kindness in Greensboro this weekend remember that it is reenactment weekend. Country Park will be full of people reliving March 15, 1781. (Information, here). You won't want to miss it!

*read about building renovations, here.

 

JP Building and Hill Street

Today is Saturday and we are hanging out in Westerwood at Hill Street. From this vantage point, we have a clear view of the Jefferson Pilot Building in all its glory. Winter is great for taking photographs because the leaves are not obstructing the view and we can see the top of the JP building as if it were in the car with us. We love capturing the street signs in our photos to situate the picture in Greensboro. Before you know it, spring will be here and winter will be behind us. Happy Saturday, everyone and remember to set those clocks ahead an hour tonight!

 

Night Scene on West Market Street

We love night scenes and today we share one of Greensboro, heading in to town, driving east on West Market Street. The JP building is on the horizon and a great calm has descended upon the town. We hope you will have a relaxing weekend and remember to move your clocks ahead an hour on Sunday morning. On the one hand, we'll have one less hour of weekend; on the other, we'll have one less hour of WINTER! Truthfully, Greensboro has been spared, compared to our friends in the northern states.

If you love good basketball, the ACC Women's Championship Tournament is being played in Greensboro this weekend. Here is the information if you think you will get a chance to attend. At the very least, you can keep us with who is winning the brackets, here.

View of Downtown

 Every month or so, we like to publish a photo of Downtown Greensboro. This was taken from the front lawn of Greensboro College, looking east on West Market Street at the 20-story addition to the Jefferson Standard Building. In the photo, it towers above all but the evergreen in the foreground. This addition was known as the Jefferson-Pilot Building when it was finished in 1990. Now, the complex belongs to the Lincoln Financial Group.*

Longtime readers of Greensboro Daily Photo know that we like to photograph this building and catch the "JP Building" from as many angles in the city as possible. We even have a tag for the building so we can track our digital captures. Just since we've started tagging, we have 28 photos, some with the building more obvious than others. (See them all, here). In the 6 years we have been trekking through Greensboro, taking photos of the city, we have yet to go to the top of this building. Does anyone know if it is open to the public? If not, does anyone know anyone who can take us as their guest? If we take as many photos this year as we did last- 13,000 to be exact-- we'd like at least one of them to be from the top of Greensboro's iconic skyscraper! Help us realize this dream, dear readers!

*history of the building, here.

Happy New Year 2015

Each January 1st, The City Daily Photo community asks its members to post the best photo of 2014 for our respective cities. We selected the above photo (originally published last February), because it has a statue of our city's namesake, General Nathanael Greene, includes our iconic JP building, and shows a view of the historic Carolina Theatre. What a trifecta! Every time we stand on Greene Street at Holliday Circle, we are extremely proud to call Greensboro home. It is hard to believe that another year has come and gone.  We hope you are able to spend the day with family and friends. If you are working, thank you!

2015 holds so many opportunities for Greensboro. Only 17 more days until the U.S. Figure Skating Championships begin at the Greensboro Coliseum, featuring 252 skaters, many of whom you will know from other venues- including the Olympics. We'll have the ACC Basketball Tournament in March. Throughout the year, downtown will be undergoing changes to provide residents with more access to performances, cultural events, and public space. Thank you for keeping  the momentum going, Greensboro.

Happy 2015 and, as always, thank you for reading Greensboro Daily Photo. May the year hold wonderful things, not only for our city, but also for you- regardless of where you live.

Monday in Greensboro

This view of Market Street facing Greensboro reminds us that many people are headed back to work today, at least for a few days. New Years Day is on a Thursday this year which, in many cases, will give families a four day weekend. Public school students have another full week before they return to school. If you have children in your life, consider taking them downtown today for a walking tour of Greensboro.

Find an elevator to ride. Go to a bank and make a transaction. Go to the post office and purchase stamps. Take this self-guided tour to find the 8 coffee cup sculptures, placed through the city. Admire the view at the top of one of the parking decks. Go to the public library. Take them to a bakery or coffee shop and let them make the transaction. Let them put money in the parking meter. It is amazing how many of these activities previous generations grew up doing that the current generation has never experienced. The other day we overheard, a smart, talented, 16-year-old asked the adult he was with the difference between a bank and a post office. He didn't recall having been in either.

Holidays and time off from school are a great time to learn these life lessons. Market Street is one of the main streets into downtown Greensboro. Follow it and see what comes your way. To be sure, you will find beautiful things to do and photograph. If you are working today, we hope it is a pleasant day full of people as beautiful as these fluffy clouds over the iconic JP Building. Challenge yourself to make this last Monday of 2014 not just "another day."

Last Night at First Friday

It appears that Paperhand Puppet Intervention made a special visit to Greensboro for First Friday. The above photo shows one of the puppets with its hands splayed gracefully across South Elm Street. Paperhand's large-scaled puppets are meant to inspire and satisfy. The JP Building stands, majestically, in the background. From Center City Park to the corner of South Elm at Lee Street, the people of Greensboro seemed pretty satisfied with First Friday 2014. It was sufficiently crisp outside to make it feel like a winter holiday, and to make the artificial snowflakes feel real, yet, not too cold to be uncomfortable. Tomorrow, by day, the town will transform with residents lining the streets to watch the bands and floats in the 37th Annual Jaycee Parade.

First Friday seems to hearld in the holiday. Today's Christmas/holiday parade and tomorrow's craft fair at the Yanceyville Farmers Market really make it seem a lot like Christmas. Let's all spread some joy!

JP Building... View from the Park

We close out the work week with a view of the iconic JP Building (now Lincoln Financial Group). The photo was taken at dusk at the 1.9 acre Center City Park. From this view, you can see the building that was fogged in in our photo a few days ago.* In the above photo, you can see the time and temperature clock. It stands to reason that some people come to depend on it for the time. The jets are not always flowing so we were happy to so see them spraying into the sky in time to provide visual interest in the foreground of this photo. Water is such a precious resource; we're glad Greensboro is not dry (so far) as we approach the fall season.

It is a busy weekend in Greensboro and the Triad. Here is a partial calendar of events. Getting to the top of the JP Building is on our bucket list. Maybe we can make it happen today. Here's to seeing our own community from a new perspective.

Happy Friday. May you have a great weekend, regardless of how you decide to spend it.

*see, here.

Foggy Bottom

Saturday, Greensboro was socked in with a thick fog. As it started to lift, the buildings forming Greensboro's skyline began to appear on the horizon. The photo was taken on the edge of the Aycock historic district at Murrow Boulevard. The downtown branch (east) of the State Employee's Credit Union is in clear view in the foreground. We're calling today's post "Foggy Bottom" because the fog reminds us of the old neighborhood of that name in Washington, D.C., the place where the building of the U.S. Department of State is headquartered; an area that is frequently fogged in.

As we were walking down Murrow Blvd. taking this photo, a man walked up  and asked us for the time. We weren't wearing watches and had left our phones in the car, so we didn't know either. He proceeded to tell us that he depended on the clock at the top of the JP Building for the time. We all laughed as there really was no way for any of us to know the time. How wonderful to know that people really do depend on the clock at the top of Greensboro's first skyscraper for the time and temperature. Fortunately, we don't have that many "Foggy Bottom" days!

EASTWEST US 40 BBQ Festival

This past weekend, the EASTWEST BBQ Festival was held in downtown Greensboro. Pitmasters from North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas and Ohio came together to share their recipe with festival attendees. The annual event gives the Greensboro community a chance to taste BBQ from award winning vendors. The event was held in the lot behind the News & Record on East Washington Street. It is nice to see this part of town being used for a special event. As close as it is to the train station, people could even ride in for the day from Charlotte or Raleigh. Seeing the iconic JP Building in the background situates the photo firmly in Greensboro!

With the reasonably-priced food, beverages, entertainment, and merchandise, the entrance fee was $5 well spent. Do you have a favorite style of BBQ? Do you prefer pork or chicken? What ingredients do you like in your sauce? Dry rub? Vinegar? Molasses? Mustard? Tomato sauce? Just about anything you wanted was available this past weekend. If you missed it, mark your calendar for next year. For more local fare, you could head over to the Lexington BBQ Festival on October 25th. 

Corner of Lindsay & Eugene Streets

On our Sunday drive downtown, we noticed that at the corner of Lindsay and Eugene, D.H. Griffin has been demolishing buildings. The location is directly across from the baseball stadium (on the east side). So much construction has been taking place around the ballpark over the last few years, but this is the closest project to downtown. The above building was at one time a bank or credit union. Unfortunately, we just don't remember. Nor do we know what the space will be used for. At any rate, as the space empties, the view of the iconic Jefferson Stardard/Pilot/Lincoln Financial building keeps getting better and better. While we were taking this picture, someone was surveying the parking lot across the street. So much more change in store for downtown.

Let us know if you know what will go in this space or, please direct us to a News & Record article if there has been one. Over the years, on Greensboro Daily Photo, we've taken quite a few demolition photos. Perhaps we need a tag for demolition; or, more nicely said, CHANGE. (See the Eugene Street view of the demolition-in-progress/CHANGE below).

T is for Time and Temperature

The above photo is a particularly good view of Greensboro's iconic Jefferson Standard/ Pilot/ Lincoln Financial buildings. From this Greene Street vantage point, you can see the original building to the right, built in 1923. It was known as the Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company building. The newer Jefferson Pilot building, built in 1990, can be seen on the left.* Together, they represent a lot of history and financial activity for Greensboro. On top of the building to the left is the time and temperature sign. It is lighted with light bulbs. The sign was broken for years, but was repaired due to the public's demand. The working time and temperature piece seems to instil confidence in the residents.

ABC Wednesday seems to roll around around extra early on Monday-holiday weeks. Today's letter is T and we're sharing the JP building because everyone in Greensboro looks to it for time and temperature. See our previous ABC Alphabet Soup entries, here. This photo was taken yesterday at, you guessed it, 5:22. By the way, the temperature was 77 degrees.

*read the very interesting history of the building, here.

Holy Trinity Community Garden

The above raised-bed garden is located off Smith Street at the Holy Trinity Community Garden. This urban garden is a tomato's throw from downtown. In the background, to the left, you can see the Jefferson Standard/Pilot, now known and Lincoln Financial Group, building. This building is Greensboro's iconic skyscraper. Also in the background you see homes on Paisley Street.

The above garden reflects the trend to cultivate vacant city lots and to grow edible landscaping. It looks like Holy Trinity is trying some vertical landscaping- also trending. If you don't have a garden of your own, working a community garding is extremely rewarding. From UNCG to Kiwanis to Holy Trinity and on and on, there are no shortages of gardens that could use your help. It is prime time to plant, if you want to try a little gardening yourself. May your thumb be green and your heart be gold. Happy weekend, dear readers!

On Homeland Avenue

Yesterday, we featured the Jefferson Standard Building from Festival Park. Today, we are a little bit more to the east on Homeland Avenue just off of Murrow Boulevard. If is a part of town near NC A&T, between downtown and the Aycock Historic District. It was a blustery Sunday afternoon this past weekend, and many of the families on this street had their laundry out to dry.

The vantage point shows you how quickly downtown turns to neighborhoods. Children were out riding their bikes, men were out washing their cars, and more people than usual were driving by due to a Sunday event at the Yanceyville Curb Market. Clothesline attract a range of folks, from those who have no other option to those who air dry their clothing to use wind energy as opposed to electricity. 

As we look at this photo, we're left wondering how this sleepy little street got its name: Homeland Avenue. Does anybody know?

 

Q is for Quixotic

On Saturday, the India Association of Triad NC presented Virasat Cultural Fest in Festival Park. It was an afternoon of dancing, relaxing and celebrating the families  from the different cultures of India, who are living in the Greensboro area. On stage, we see one of the many groups of dancers. In the background, the building with the triangular roof is Greensboro's iconic Jefferson Standard/Pilot/Lincoln Financial Group building. The 1923 Romanesque skyscraper situates the scene in Greensboro; the dancers celebrate the diversity of the city. Today, for ABC Wednesday, we ask the following question. Is it quixotic to imagine that as Greensboro diversifies we can all get along and respect each other? 

Today is ABC Wednesday and Q is for quixotic, or, hopefully, quixotic-not! Just as the Jefferson Standard building has transformed, so has the population. Let's hope everything is improving with age. (Including us)! See earlier entries in the GDP's Alphabet Soup Round, here.

G is for Greensboro

On ABC Wednesday, G is the most-anticipated letter on Greensboro Daily Photo. G is for Greensboro, Guilford County, General Greene, the greenway, and a whole lot more. The above photo was taken at Holliday Circle, named for Keith Holliday, mayor of Greensboro from 1999 to 2007. The man in the above statue is General Nathanael Greene for whom Greensboro is named. General Greene lead the Patriot forces at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse during the Revolutionary War. He eternally stands guard over our great city. In his view, punctuating the blue sky, in the upper right-hand corner of the photo, is the Jefferson Standard (Pilot/Lincoln Financial Group) building. It is Greensboro's 233 foot skyscraper that has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1976. The handle of Greene's sword is pointing to the Carolina Theatre an 86-year-old treasure on Greene Street. 

While General Greene has long departed earth, his presence is felt in our city. While former Mayor Holliday is now serving in an appointed position for the N.C. Department of Commerce, his impact on this city block will be felt for a very long time. Here's to G for Greensboro and all of the great people who keep it a vibrant place to live. Thank you ABC Wednesday for providing an international forum for showcasing our G-reat city. Thank you Lincoln Financial for bringing our iconic timepiece back to life to keep Greensboro on time. (See our other entries here).