For the Residential Rehabilitation of 516 East Jones Street, Raleigh
Constructed in 1851, the late Greek-Revival house at 516 East Jones Street in Raleigh is one of the oldest and largest houses in the Oakwood Historic District, sitting on the highest elevation in the historic neighborhood. The building symbolizes the development of Oakwood from an area of working farms on the outskirts of downtown to one of the most prominent neighborhoods in Raleigh by the turn of the twentieth century. Robert Jones purchased the house and property in 1860 along with 25 surrounding acres and turned it into an operating farm, the same land that now contains a majority of the houses within the Oakwood Historic District.
In the early hours of April 18, 2012, a fire that began on the second story engulfed the house at 516 East Jones Street. The insurance company declared the house a total loss, but owner, Ann Robertson, wanted to see the building saved and restored. Because the cost to rebuild far exceeded what it would have been to demolish and build a new home on the property, Ann Robertson requested a loan from the Society for the Preservation of Historic Oakwood Revolving Fund. In August 2012, the Society loaned $97,000 towards the restoration of the house, giving the effort a major boost.
Greg Paul Builders provided supervision and labor for the restoration. The team retained every single element, from the top of the second floor walls down, including the original post-and-beam construction with mortis and tenon structural supports. All of the original doors were able to be saved and restored, with only the moldings having to be replaced. In this effort, thirty-eight patterns were used to precisely match the original moldings in order to restore the rooms to their appearance before the fire. In all, the house was restored by retaining a majority of the original fabric and replacing only elements that were considered a complete loss.
The Board of Directors of Capital Area Preservation, Inc. is pleased to present a 2013 Anthemion Award to Ann Robertson, Greg Paul Builders, Inc., and the Society for the Preservation of Historic Oakwood for the Residential Rehabilitation of 516 East Jones Street, Raleigh.