Durham's Holloway Street district receives boundary increase

The expansion, which encompasses 15 city blocks, now includes North Queen Street, Oakwood Avenue, Gurley Street, North Elizabeth Street, Carlton Avenue, Ottawa Avenue, Elliott Street, Primitive Street and Mallard Avenue.

According to Steve Medlin, director of the Durham City-County Planning Department, National Register designation is a public recognition of the historic and architectural importance of the area.

“This expansion area developed as a response to Durham’s burgeoning population at the turn of the century to house the city’s growing middle class and exhibits a largely intact early 20th Century neighborhood with significant architectural resources," Medlin said in a news release. "By gaining this national recognition, it enhances our property owners’ ability to secure historic tax credits for property renovations."

The next step for the neighborhood could be to grant a local historic district designation, which would place a regulatory restriction on the properties. That would mean any exterior change must be accepted by the Historic Preservation Commission prior to being issued a building permit to ensure changes are in keeping with the historic character of the area.