Acclaimed architect F. Carter Williams designed the mid-century modern building at 518 West South Streeet for the First National Bank. Built in 1957, it was the first “drive-thru” bank in Raleigh. Williams practiced architecture for over 50 years, giving shape to more than 600 projects, including the NC Archives Library in Raleigh, buildings at East Carolina University, the renovation of the Governor’s Mansion, and Raleigh’s City Hall Complex. Each year, AIA North Carolina awards the F. Carter Williams Gold Medal, their highest honor, to an individual in recognition of a distinguished career or extraordinary accomplishments as an architect.
The bank branch closed in the early 1980s and – following many alterations and years of neglect – it was purchased by South Street Holdings, LLC. With a deep appreciation of the building’s architectural legacy, the LLC decided to restore and adaptively reuse the building so that it could remain a key part of the fabric of the downtown Raleigh community while restored to new life. Found at the North Carolina State University Archives – which houses all of F. Carter Williams papers – the original blueprints were digitally imaged to guide restoration efforts.
Given the small footprint of the downtown branch, the original plan layout was mostly preserved, opting to switch out teller stations for a bar and keep utilitarian spaces in the rear. Echoing the original location, scale and form of the bank’s original drive-thru lane, a new, thin exterior canopy was added on the west side of the building. Boarded up floor-to-ceiling window openings on the south and east elevations – making the interior space feel even tighter – were re-opened and windows, based on the original plans, put back in, thus opening the space to light and air. Finishing elements relied upon the original interior detail plans with warm wood paneling, clean lines, and modern finishes throughout. Of course, entirely modern electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems were installed to replace the outdated ones.
In addition to partnering with Raleigh Architecture who brought a collaborative approach to the design, owners Greg Kelly and Erik Kern were active participants in rehabilitation, themselves taking on demolition as well as designing and building privacy fences, trash enclosures, and draft line cover. The “little bank” building has been a part of Raleigh for over sixty years. By rehabilitating and preserving this significant, historically relevant building, Vault Craft Beer’s vision is that it shall serve as a community gathering place for at least sixty more years.
The Board of Directors of Capital Area Preservation, Inc. is pleased to present a 2023 Anthemion Award to South Street Holdings, LLC; Vault Craft Beer, Inc.; The Raleigh Architecture Company PLLC; The Raleigh Construction Company, LLC for the Commercial Rehabilitation & Adaptive reuse of the (Former) First National Bank, 518 West South Street, Raleigh.