"The City Council did not have enough votes to pass a controversial N. Elm Street rezoning that could mean the demolition of an historic home that stands in the way of planned condominiums.

Abutters to the property filed a protest petition, which required a super-majority of council members to vote yes in order for the rezoning to be approved.

That didn’t happen Tuesday night. But the issue will come up at future council meetings.

It was the first rezoning with a protest petition to come before City Council since protest petition was reinstated by the state legislature earlier this year.

Developer Cornwallis Elm LLC asked for land at N. Elm Street and W. Cornwallis Road to be rezoned to allow for up to 24 condominiums to be built.

The plans call for the demolition of the Commencement House, the home at 2207 N. Elm Street built by Woman's College students in 1958 with the help of local architect Edward Loewenstein.

The developer planned to offer the house to anyone who would like to relocate it within 150 days, said John Stratton, who represented the developer. . ."

News & Record (11/17/09)

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Read our feature story on the Commencement House