| First Union owns
the Ratcliffe
Florist Shop. Completed in 1929, it is a strikingly well-preserved
example of early 20th Century commercial architecture; the architect
of the Ratcliffe Florist Shop was William H. Peeps (1868-1950), an
architect of local and regional significance; the Ratcliffe Florist
Shop is the best example of the Mediterranean Revival Style of
architecture in Charlotte, North Carolina; and Louis G. Ratcliffe
(1893-1961), the founder of the company, was a prominent figure in
community affairs. It is a locally designated historic
landmark. Therefore, the Historic Landmarks Commission exercises
design review over the building. |
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| This is David
Wagner, a Charlotte architect. He is appearing before the Design
Review Committee of the Historic Landmarks Commission on First Union's
behalf to argue for the issuance of a Certificate of
Appropriateness. The Design Review Committee meets monthly and makes
recommendations regarding design review issues to the Historic Landmarks
Commission. |
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| Here is the
conceptual drawings of how the Ratcliffe Florist Shop would fit into the
new streetscape on South Tryon Street. The concept is to allow
two-story buildings to protrude from a high-rise office building.
The effort is to create a pedestrian-scale series of storefronts with the
Ratcliffe Flower Shop inserted in the middle. |
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| First Union is
seeking permission to move the Ratcliffe Florist Shop approximately 110
feet north on South Tryon St. The present location is the shaded site on
the left. The new location is the shaded site on the right. An
important consideration is the preserve the orientation of the building to
the street. The Secretary of the Interior's Guidelines allows
buildings to be relocated. |
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| First Union
intends to move the Ratcliffe Florist Shop to make way for an underground
parking deck and a large green space in the center city. First
Street will be closed and transformed into a pedestrian walkway connecting
Tryon Street with the Charlotte Convention Center. The Historic
Landmarks Commission did issue the Certificate of Appropriateness.
However, First Union will have to present a final streetscape plan that
will satisfy the Commission's Executive Director. Also, the owner
will save and reuse a distinctive skylight from the rear workroom, which
will be demolished. |
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