By Mark Wineka

mark.wineka@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — A 1973 bank building at 215 W. Innes St. will come down, possibly as early as this summer, shepherding the way for development of a downtown park.

The Salisbury Historic Preservation Commission voted 7-0 Thursday not to stand in the way of the demolition, judging the onetime First Union National Bank as a noncontributing structure in the West Square Historic District.

While it could not prevent demolition, the commission could have delayed a tearing down of the structure for 365 days. But its pro-demolition decision came quickly after hearing sworn testimony from three members of the Robertson Family Foundation and Historic Salisbury Foundation Executive Director Karen Hobson.

Jason Walser, a board member and employee of the Robertson foundation, said demolition of the vacant building could come soon after the annual Pops at the Post concert June 3.

“We want to get started as soon as possible,” Walser said.

Included in the demolition are the parking lots next to the former bank and across from Rowan Public Library.

Robertson Community Initiatives LLC sought the demolition and will oversee the park’s development. The property eventually will be transferred to a new nonprofit with broad representation from the public.

That nonprofit still needs its Internal Revenue Service approval for its 501(c)3 status.

Walser said the Robertson foundation has pledges from 40-plus families of more than $1 million for the demolition work and park development.

A Charlotte landscaping design firm is working on conceptual plans, which are not final. Walser said more than 500 people had been given the opportunity to provide input for a park vision.

A “commons” area and “as much open space” as possible have been the most commonly expressed visions, according to documents submitted with the demolition application.

As proposed, the downtown park will be bounded by West Innes, South Jackson, West Fisher and South Church streets. The 1892 Bell Tower, 1850 Presbyterian Session House, gazebo and 1839 Salisbury Female Academy (the former Wrenn House) will remain on the property.

Robertson Community Initiatives owns everything except the Session House.

After the vote for demolition, Andrew Waker, chairman of the Historic Preservation Commission, called the park proposal “absolutely fantastic.” He said it will be a major contribution to the downtown.

Until Thursday’s HPC meeting, Historic Salisbury Foundation had not taken a position for or against the demolition. In addressing the commission Thursday, Hobson said, “Historic Salisbury Foundation strongly supports the proposed park project as a positive development for Salisbury.”

She said the foundation does not oppose demolition of the 1973 bank building for the following reasons:

• It does not meet the secretary of interior standards for a historic building.

• It is not a “contributing building” in the Salisbury Historic District, as defined in the National Register of Historic Places.

• “It is neither unique nor is it in any way a one-of-a-kind building.”

Hobson said the bank is not like other buildings, such as the pink granite service station at East Innes and South Lee streets. HSF has opposed demolition of that structure.

Ed Norvell, a Robertson foundation member, said he is a preservationist first and a past president of both the Rowan Museum and Historic Salisbury Foundation.

“I do not like demolitions in historic districts at all,” Norvell said.

But this particular site is the best place for a downtown park, and the former bank building’s presence would prevent a park’s development, Norvell said. He noted its size probably would make it difficult to save by moving it elsewhere, and he suggested much of its material will be recyclable.

Norvell also reached back in time in a reference to the Rev. Jethro Rumple, who penned “A History of Rowan County.” Rumple wrote that the original charter for Salisbury designated the area adjacent to where the Bell Tower now stands as a “commons” area for the town.

“This was a block that was supposed to be the original town commons,” Norvell said, adding that Rumple back in the late 1800s bemoaned the fact the town commons area was never established.

Norvell mentioned that the 1892 First Presbyterian Church structure was demolished so the bank building could be constructed and provide income for the church.

The Bell Tower that remained from the 1892 structure was difficult to demolish and it led to the “Save the Tower” effort, which also happened to coincide with establishment of the Historic Salisbury Foundation.

Walser noted the 6,200-square-foot building was designed and built for a single purpose — a bank. He said the city block in question is the last best place for a downtown park to be established.

As for the Robertson Family Foundation, “this has been a park project for us from the beginning,” Walser said.

The Maxwell Chambers Trust owned the entire block for more than 150 years. A court decision gave the trust authority to sell the property, but negotiations between the trust and the city of Salisbury on a park proposal fell through.

That’s when a city representative approached the foundation about buying the site and following through with the park, Walser said.

“This is going to be Salisbury’s Central Park,” said Dyke Messinger, another Robertson foundation board member. ” … We don’t have a chance to do this, literally, but once in a lifetime.”

Messinger said when a city enhances the quality of life, it brings economic development. This project will capture historic character in combination with a beautiful park, Messinger said.

Commission members asked a few questions related to the loss of parking and the fate of trees.

“Our hope is to save every tree we can,” Walser said.

As for parking, there’s a possibility of providing 34 diagonal spaces along West Fisher Street at the park’s edge, Walser said. He acknowledged parking spaces overall will be lost.

Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263.