After several months, the rehabilitation of the c.1910 cottage at 213 S. Driver Street is complete and is being offered for sale for $127,900. This is Project RED's (Revitalize East Durham) first renovation, a partnership effort of Preservation NC and Preservation Durham. With the generous assistance of volunteers, contributions from foundations and individual donors, in-kind professional services, and the skill of local contractor Coral Home Solutions, we were able to take what was once a vacant eyesore and transform 213 S. Driver Street into a historic, green, affordable show house!

Did we mention green? Not only is the house affordable, it has been awarded Emerald-level certification by the National Association Home Builders Research Center’s Green rating system – their highest certification! Using a common sense approach and taking advantage of the embodied energy in this 100 year old home, we were able to achieve energy rating excellence while preserving the home’s character. The project qualified for state historic tax credits and should provide the new owner around $40,000 in tax credits. At almost 1,300 square feet, the house offers three bedrooms and two full baths, wood floors, a large kitchen and master bath, a nicely sized yard (with a peach tree) and an early 20th century, one-car garage with shed.

Our thanks to those who made this project possible including: a grant from the City of Durham, financing by KeySource Bank, Duke University’s “Doing Good in the Neighborhood” Community Care Fund, the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, proceeds from the sale of paintings from the New Neighbors Art installation by artist Dave Alsobrooks, Columbia Forest Products, Sports Endeavors, Inc., Tyndall Engineering & Design, proceeds from the 2010 benefit held at the Hart House, home to Duke University President Richard Brodhead and wife Cynthia, and numerous individual donors who gave generously. 

For more information on this property contact:

Distinctive Properties
919-682-4403
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
www.olderhouse.com
or
www.presnc.org/properties/213 S. Driver Street

Learn more!

213 S. Driver Street in Historic Properties for Sale

"Green + Historic + Affordable" Raleigh News & Observer (4/23/2011) — Download PDF (1.6MB) — republished by permission

History of 213 S. Driver Street at Endangered Durham

Thursday night's opening for the New Neighbors exhibit was amazing! 

"New Neighbors" is a community outreach and arts initiative by artist Dave Alsobrooks, who has installed paintings of Durham residents performing everyday activities in the windows of vacant properties, including the (under contract!) Y.E. Smith School and surrounding houses. Alsobrooks encourages viewers to picture themselves living in the neighborhood and providing a catalyst for a renaissance of the neighborhood.

There was a huge turnout and folks stayed way past dark and viewed the installation with flashlights.  There were a couple of food trucks, so people stayed and ate in front of the school and talked.  Residents from Uplift East Durham took people in groups to each installation house, as well as the Paul Ligon House. 

I stayed in front of the YE Smith School to talk to folks about our project and hand out fliers on Project RED.  There were also plenty of nearby neighbors who came out just to see what was going on and we were able to meet people we hadn't reached before.  It was an amazing day — people are really rooting for this neighborhood! 

Learn more!

New Neighbors on Facebook

Dave Alsobrooks web site

Artist's "New Neighbors" East Durham public art project kicks off
Bull City Rising (2/2/2011)

Interview from "The State of Things"
WUNC Radio (3/3/2011)