Preservation North Carolina's Endangered Properties Program has helped save more than 600 historic places since 1977. Many of these properties would have been lost without PNC's involvement, and the organization's involvement has generated private investments of approximately $200 million.

Renewing NC places through the Endangered Properties Program Before After The 18th-century Old Town Plantation in Edgecombe County had to be moved in order to save it from eventual loss.  A large corporate hog operation was established on the adjacent property, making the house unfit for habitation on its original site. See more transformations

For more about the program, contact Dawn Williams This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it Phone 919-832-3652 Fax 919-832-1651

The key to this program's success is its revolving fund. The premise behind the revolving fund is simple: PNC acquires endangered historic properties either through option, donation or outright purchase and then finds buyers willing and able to rehabilitate them. As a condition of sale, covenants are placed on the property to ensure its protection in the future.

For Preservation North Carolina to get involved with a property, it must be endangered, significant, buyable, and sellable.

A property is considered endangered if it is threatened with immediate demolition, seriously deteriorated or vacant, or likely to be subdivided or otherwise lose its historic integrity.

At a minimum, the property must be significant enough to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

"Buyable" and "sellable" means the owner of a property is willing to sell or give the property to PNC, and the property must be marketable, in PNC's opinion.

Since the organization is accustomed to working with problem properties, its notion of marketability is often different from the traditional real estate market!

Having local volunteers to help with showing the property and keeping it presentable is also essential.

Preservation North Carolina learns about endangered properties through its extensive network of local preservationists (including members, advisors and directors), the staff of the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office and local preservation commissions.

Occasionally, Preservation North Carolina purchases properties outright. More often, PNC will obtain options on properties, since an option requires a much smaller capital investment than an outright purchase. An option gives PNC a specified length of time during which it can purchase the property. If a buyer is found during that period, then PNC purchases the property and resells it on the same day. PNC seldom rehabilitates properties before selling them, but it will sometimes do some stabilization work to secure the property until it is sold.

Preservation North Carolina also obtains properties through donation. Gifts of property, both historic and non-historic, are very important to our organization. These gifts not only allow our work to continue, but they also may provide the donor with a substantial tax deduction.

Financial incentives are available for purchasing and renovation of historic properties in North Carolina. Federal and state tax credits for both income-producing and owner-occupied structures provide an incentive to buyers of properties that need extensive renovation. Many banks now offer lending packages tailored to buildings in need of substantial renovation.

As to the future of the Endangered Properties Program, President Myrick Howard says: "This program is as important today as it was when it was started. Every week we learn about more properties that need to be saved from destruction. It will be many years before this program is obsolete."

Learn more

Preservation tax credits

Protective covenants

Donate property

Historic property for sale