Hill Building
Encyclopedia
The Hill Building is a 17-story modernistic
skyscaper located in Durham
, North Carolina
. Built in 1935-1937, the Hill Building was designed by New York City
Architecture
firm Shreve, Lamb & Harmon, best known for the design of the Empire State Building
.
Named for John Sprunt Hill
, and built to house the Durham Bank & Trust Company, the building is outfitted with Art Deco
ornamentation, interior fluted doors and an exquistirely crafted letter box. The building is in the heart of downtown Durham, located at the intersection of Main and Corcoran Streets. The Hill building was home to Durham-based Central Carolina Bank and Trust
from 1961 until its 2005 purchase by SunTrust Banks
, which had its local headquarters in the building until 2006.
Greenfire Development, which bought the Hill Building in 2006, wants to renovate the building to convert it to a 165-room luxury hotel
. The project has been delayed due to the economic downturn. The estimated cost of the project is $52.7 million, with $25 million of that likely to be paid for using federal recovery zone bonds
. The city of Durham voted to add $4.2 million after a September 20, 2010 public hearing regarding this plan, and Durham County
voted to add $1 million. Greenfire hoped historic tax credits would provide $11 million, and other tax credits would add $4 million.
Modern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
skyscaper located in Durham
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Built in 1935-1937, the Hill Building was designed by New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
firm Shreve, Lamb & Harmon, best known for the design of the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
.
Named for John Sprunt Hill
John Sprunt Hill
John Sprunt Hill was a North Carolina lawyer, banker and philanthropist who played a fundamental role in the civic and social development of Durham, North Carolina, the expansion of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the development of rural credit unions in North Carolina during...
, and built to house the Durham Bank & Trust Company, the building is outfitted with Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
ornamentation, interior fluted doors and an exquistirely crafted letter box. The building is in the heart of downtown Durham, located at the intersection of Main and Corcoran Streets. The Hill building was home to Durham-based Central Carolina Bank and Trust
Central Carolina Bank and Trust
Central Carolina Bank and Trust was a bank headquartered in Durham, North Carolina. It began in 1961 with the merger of Durham Bank & Trust and University National Bank of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. CCB merged with SunTrust Banks of Atlanta, Georgia in 2005...
from 1961 until its 2005 purchase by SunTrust Banks
SunTrust Banks
SunTrust Banks, Inc., is an American bank holding company. The largest subsidiary is SunTrust Bank. It had US$172.7 billion in assets as of September 30, 2009...
, which had its local headquarters in the building until 2006.
Greenfire Development, which bought the Hill Building in 2006, wants to renovate the building to convert it to a 165-room luxury hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
. The project has been delayed due to the economic downturn. The estimated cost of the project is $52.7 million, with $25 million of that likely to be paid for using federal recovery zone bonds
Bond (finance)
In finance, a bond is a debt security, in which the authorized issuer owes the holders a debt and, depending on the terms of the bond, is obliged to pay interest to use and/or to repay the principal at a later date, termed maturity...
. The city of Durham voted to add $4.2 million after a September 20, 2010 public hearing regarding this plan, and Durham County
Durham County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 223,314 people, 89,015 households, and 54,032 families residing in the county. The population density was 769 people per square mile . There were 95,452 housing units at an average density of 329 per square mile...
voted to add $1 million. Greenfire hoped historic tax credits would provide $11 million, and other tax credits would add $4 million.